FIRST TRANSLATION OF "THE PROPHET" BY KHALIL GIBRAN PUBLISHED IN EASTERN ARMENIAN
By Melania Badalian
AZG Armenian Daily
15/06/2007
"The Prophet" by Khalil Gibran was written in English in 1923, New
York. Poet Vahe-Vahyan translated the book into Western-Armenian
in 1984. He wrote in the preface of the book that the ideas of the
great Lebanese poet are shaping a kind of a spiritual movement. In
the recent, first translation of the book into Eastern-Armenian, it
is written that the first publication of the book wasn’t noticed and
only the Chicago "Evening Post" called the book "a small Bible," adding
that the author is quite brave to be idealist in the time of cynicism."
Great Lebanese poet managed to combine the Western cultural values,
Christian thinking and wisdom of the East in his writings. Khalil
Gibran was born In Lebanon, later he moved to USA and then lived in
Europe. This factor greatly influenced his philosophy, as well as
poetry and painting. He was also greatly influenced by William Blake,
the English poet. He also supported the ideas of Nicshe.
Khalil Gibran wasn’t accepted in his motherland. His "Rebelliant
Souls" and "Maremaids of Gorge" were burnt in the main square of
Beirut. The poet died when he was only 48. He left rich literary
heritage in English and Arabic, including such books as "Broken Wings",
"The Madman", "The Spirit Brides", "The Eye of the Prophet", "Jesus,
Son of Man", "Tears and Laughter" and others.
"The Prophet" poem became his creative masterpiece written under the
influence of the Oriental mystical theories and the Bible combined
with the individual spiritual experience of the poet.
The recent translation of "The Prophet" into the Eastern Armenian was
published by the assistance of the Lebanese Embassy to Armenia, with
the support of Mr. Pierre Fattoucher, Chairman of the "GH-Telecom"
Board, and Ralph Yirikian, Head of VivaCell company.
Hovik Yordekian made the translation of the book from the
Western-Armenian into the Eastern-Armenian. The publication was to
commemorate the 100 anniversary of the poet. It’s worth mentioning
that the Western-Armenian translation of the poem includes the
translations by Anoushavan Danielian, Khachik Terterian, Vazgen
Etimelian and Hrach Sargsian. Sisak Varzhapetian made the complete
translation of the proem into the Western Armenian in 1966.