Stanislav Kunyaev

They say: Avicenna – the Uzbek-sage, 
The others – the Arab-savant.
Discussions go from age to age.
Who’s wrong and who’s utterly right?

They think that he was of the Tajik blood,
The others – of Persian’s, strong… 
Then, what was his language – his native cant?
To what men has he to belong?

Farsi was his language, but he knew a lot
Of languages, this one besides; 
But, most, he knew the language that’s called
The language of peoples’ plight.

He well understood the pain of Mankind, --
He needed no borders at all,
If he was embracing with his heart and mind,
The language of whole world’s soul. 

He knew the language of blossom and grass,
He heard the sighs of the earth…
They, who discussed him and now discuss,
Missed this his language of grace.


Translated by Yevgeny Bonver, May, 2001