Shokhrukh Usmonov’s translation of Nilufar Shakarova’s poem: Kel, kulib boqamiz taqdirimizga, – Come, Let Us Look at Our Destiny with a Smile (Uzbek to English)


Editor’s Note: It is worth mentioning that these poems of Nilufar Shakarova are being published for the first time as well. Since DoubleSpeak is an English magazine, hence it is fitting that they are published with their English translations.

Kel, kulib boqamiz taqdirimizga,


Kel, kulib boqamiz taqdirimizga,

Kulguning totini totamiz har zum.

U tinmay zarbalar yo’llaydi bizga,

Har zarbda qilamiz bitta tabassum.

Sen menga og’riqlar qilasan hadya,

Men esa rahmatlar aytaveraman.

“Bu ham bir taqdirning zarbasi”, — deya,

Tabassumlar tuhfa etaveraman.

Men sabab ortadi ba’zan dardlaring,

Kunlaring yo’qotar o’z mazmunini.

Qismat hikmatiga yo’ygancha barin,

Sen ham ayamaysan tabassumingni.

Tabassum quroli borki bizlarda,

Bir kuni taqdirni qilamiz taslim.

Qay yov zarba berar, aytgin, yuzlarda

Balqib tursa, axir, mayin tabassum!

Come, Let Us Look at Our Destiny with a Smile


 

Come, let us look at our destiny with a smile,

And taste the sweetness of laughter every moment.

It sends blow after blow at us all the while,

At each blow, a single smile is our response.

You present me with all of your pain,

I offer thanks without hesitation.

Saying, “This, too, is fate’s strike again,” —

I keep gifting smiles in appreciation.

Because of me, sometimes your worries mount,

And your days may lose all their true meaning.

Interpreting all as fate’s wise account,

Your own bright smile you are never restraining.

As long as the weapon of smiles is our might,

One day, destiny will surely surrender.

Tell me, which foe can strike, if our faces bright

With a gentle smile shine out their splendour!


Shokhrukh Usmonov is a poet and literary translator, born in 2001 in the Kashkadarya region of Uzbekistan. He studied Uzbek-English translation theory and practice at Tashkent State University of Uzbek Language and Literature. He was a runner-up in the Duel, a contest in the field of literary translation in 2021 and his work was nominated for The Best Book for Children and Teenagers in Translation award in 2022.
Nilufar Shakarova (born 24th of June, 1999) is an emerging poet from Jizzakh, Uzbekistan. Beyond writing poetry, she is currently a master’s degree student at the Jizzakh State Pedagogical University. Nilufar writes more about timeless feelings of humankind, mostly using Eastern poetry style which is rich in rhythm and wit.

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