The Revolt of God by Forough Farrokhzad

Forough Farrokhzad (The Revolt of God, 1957)

If I were God,
at last, one night,
I would revolt, revolt–
against the wide world!

In my revolt,
I would summon the angels, set them in charge–
of drowning the sun- in the furnace of night.

And then,
I would order my slaves on Earth–
to cut off the dried leaf of moon–
from the tree of darkness–
to start, start!

-.-.-.-

In my wrath,
with grinding teeth, of the years of silence,
I would crush all the mountains–
in my clenched fists.

And then,
I would refill the greedy mouth of the seas–
with the dust of the peaks.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

In my anguish,
I would unleash the lonely, desolate stars,
chained together, forsaken, far apart,
to drop their feverish heart–
on the forests on Earth.

I would commission them to inject–
the boiling blood of fire in the cold veins–
of the trees!

And then,
I would sit back to watch–
the golden maiden of fire, fervently, freely dance–
in he wide-open space of the tamed forests of Earth!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

In my grief,
I would sigh, sigh…
And then, I would assign–
the nightly wafts, to deliver my breath–
to all the rivers on Earth.

Sparing them at last,
from crawling day and night–
on the cold and moist bosom–
of the earthen ground.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

In my annoyance,
I would ask the rivers–
to rise up, like thirsty snakes–
and bite the barren crowd of the clouds.

In my repugnance–
I would order the breeze–
to craft a sailboat made of the scent of rose–
and ride me to all the graveyards.

And then,
I would open all the tombs,
and let all the lost, wretched souls on the loose–
to be again contained, once more restrained,
in the confines of flesh.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

If I were God,
In my indignation,
I would command my angels to sink–
the Holy Grail in Hell, and to expel–
all the keen claimants of holiness–
from my heavens!

If I were God,
in my exhaustion, in my fatigue,
I would vacate the throne for a leave of rest.
And I would prize my deeds, I would please myself–
with a night of passion and sin–
with The Wicked Fallen,
The Fallen!

Translation: Maryam Dilmaghani, June 2012, Halifax

*****&*****

In Persian:

گر خدا بودم ملائک را شبی فریاد می کردم
سکه خورشیدی را در کوره ظلمت رها سازند

خادمان باغ دنیا را ز روی خشم می گفتم
برگ زرد ماه را از شاخه شبها جدا سازند
-.-.-.-.-.-

نیمه شب در پرده های بارگاه کبریای خویش
پنجه خشم خروشانم جهان را زیر و رو می ریخت

دستهای خسته ام بعد از هزاران سال خاموشی
کوهها را در دهان باز دریا ها فرو می ریخت
-.-.-.-.-.-

می گشودم بند از پای هزاران اختر تبدار
میفشاندم خون آتش در رگ خاموش جنگلها

می دریدم پرده های دود را تا در خروش باد
دختر آتش برقصد مست در آغوش جنگلها
-.-.-.-.-.-

می دمیدم در نی افسونی باد شبانگاهی
تا ز بستر رودها چون مارهای تشنه برخیزند

خسته از عمری بروی سینه ای مرطوب لغزیدن
در دل مرداب تار آسمان شب فرو ریزند
-.-.-.-.-.-

بادها را نرم میگفتم که بر شط تبدار
زورق سرمست عطر سرخ گلها را روان سازند

گورها را می گشودم تا هزاران روح سرگردان
بار دیگر در حصار جسمها خود را نهان سازند
-.-.-.-.-.-

گر خدا بودم ملائک را شبی فریاد می کردم
آب کوثر را درون کوزه دوزخ بجوشانند

مشعل سوزنده در کف گله پرهیزکاران را
از چراگاه بهشت سبزتر دامن برون رانند
-.-.-.-.-.-

خسته از زهد خدایی نیمه شب در بستر ابلیس
در سراشیب خطایی تازه می جستم پناهی را

می گزیدم در بهای تاج زرین خداوندی
لذت تاریک و درد آلود آغوش گناهی را

*****&*****

Google translates:

One night I cry to God if I Mlayk
Solar coins are left in the dark furnace

Garden servants angrily told the world
Yellow leaves moon night of the branches are separated
-. -. -. -. -. –

Kbryay court in his midnight curtains
I came into the world following the anger of dealing Khrvshanm

Tired hands after a thousand years of silence
Open mouth came down the mountains to the sea
-. -. -. -. -. –

Are opened for thousands of feet Akhtar febrile
Forest fire in vessel off the blood Myfshandm

The roaring wind up in smoke curtains Drydm
Drunk girls dance in the arms of forest fire
-. -. -. -. -. –

Dmydm in the night wind magic flute
The rivers to bed hungry because snakes Brkhyznd

Tired of life on a wet slide chest
Tar lagoon in the heart of the night sky coming down
-. -. -. -. -. –

Your say on the river that winds febrile
Red flowers are smooth carina perfume intoxicated

Thousands of graves are opened to the wandering soul
Other times they hide in their enclosure Jsmha
-. -. -. -. -. –

One night I cry to God if I Mlayk
Kosar water into the jar hell Bjvshannd

Burning torch in the floor of the righteous flock
Greener pastures of heaven, out skirts drive
-. -. -. -. -. –

Tired of asceticism serpent god of the night in bed
Fresh slant error in the refuge Jstm

The Golden Crown of God in the price Gzydm
Stained dark pleasure and pain of embraced sin