Translation Activity Worksheet - Using Gen AI for Translating Poems

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1. Translation of Faiz Ahmed Faiz's Urdu poem "Mujh Se Pehli Si Mohabbat Mirii Mehboob Na Maang" into Hindi and English:

Translation by Chatgpt :
Hindi Translation 

मुझसे पहली-सी मोहब्बत, मेरी महबूब, न माँग
न माँग, न माँग

मैंने समझा था कि तू है तो चमकती है हयात
तेरा ग़म हो तो ग़म-ए-दहर का झगड़ा क्या है
तेरी सूरत से है आलम में बहारों को सबात
तेरी आँखों के सिवा दुनिया में रखा क्या है

तू जो मिल जाए तो तक़दीर निगूँ हो जाए
यूं न था, मैंने फ़क़त चाहा था, यूँ हो जाए

और भी दुख हैं ज़माने में मोहब्बत के सिवा
राहतें और भी हैं वस्ल की राहत के सिवा

अनगिनत सदियों के तारीक, वहशी तिलिस्म
रेशम-ओ-अतलस-ओ-कमख़्वाब में बनवाए हुए

जा-ब-जा बिकते हुए, कूचा-ओ-बाज़ार में जिस्म
ख़ाक में लथड़े हुए, ख़ून में नहलाए हुए
जिस्म निकले हुए अमराज़ के तनूरों से
पीप बहती हुई, गलते हुए नासूरों से

लौट जाती है उधर को भी नज़र, क्या कीजे
जब भी दिलकश है तेरा हुस्न, मगर क्या कीजे

और भी दुख हैं ज़माने में मोहब्बत के सिवा
राहतें और भी हैं वस्ल की राहत के सिवा

मुझसे पहली-सी मोहब्बत, मेरी महबूब, न माँग.

English Translation 

Do not ask of me, my beloved, that love once more—
Ask it not, ask it not.

I once believed that with you, life blazed bright,
That if your sorrow lived, what quarrel had the world’s despair?
From your face, I thought, spring itself found permanence,
And beyond your eyes, I saw nothing worth seeing anywhere.

If you were mine, I thought, fate itself would bow—
It was not so; I merely wished it so.

Yet there are sorrows in this world beyond love,
And comforts beyond the comfort of union.

The dark, barbaric spells of countless centuries,
Woven delicately in silk, in satin, in brocade;

Bodies sold everywhere—in alleys and in bazaars,
Bodies smeared with dust, bodies bathed in blood,
Bodies emerging from the furnaces of disease,
From festering sores where pus still flows.

My gaze turns there as well—what can be done?
Your beauty still enchants the heart—but what can be done?

There are sorrows in this world beyond love,
And comforts beyond the comfort of union.

Do not ask of me, my beloved, that love once more.

Chatgpt problems :

1. Challenges in Translation

a) Challenging Parts of the Poem and Reasons

One of the most challenging aspects of translating this poem is its simultaneous lyrical and political nature. Faiz moves from intimate romantic expression to stark social imagery without breaking poetic continuity. Translating this shift required balancing emotional delicacy with brutal realism.

Specific difficulties included:

  • Repetition (“نہ مانگ”, “اور بھی دکھ ہیں…”) which carries rhythmic and ideological weight.

  • Graphic imagery of diseased, exploited bodies, which risks either sounding too harsh or losing intensity if softened.

  • Philosophical abstraction, where personal love becomes a metaphor for ideological awakening.

b) Cultural Connotations and Collocations

Cultural connotations were carefully handled by retaining Indo-Persian poetic vocabulary, especially in the Hindi translation:

  • Words like मोहब्बत, वस्ल, ग़म-ए-दहर, कूचा-ओ-बाज़ार were preserved to maintain the Urdu poetic ethos.

  • In English, terms such as beloved, bazaar, and brocade were retained rather than replaced with culturally neutral equivalents.

Collocations like “ग़म-ए-दहर” (sorrow of the world) were translated semantically rather than literally to preserve their conceptual depth.

c) Untranslatable Words or Phrases

Yes, several expressions resist direct translation:

  • ग़म-ए-दहर

  • वस्ल

  • सबात

  • कमख़्वाब

These terms carry emotional, cultural, and historical layers that have no precise equivalents in English.
AI resolved this by:

  • Using approximate semantic equivalents (union, world’s sorrow, permanence).

  • Retaining imagistic explanation rather than word-for-word substitution.

This aligns with the idea of creative equivalence rather than strict literalism.

2. Translation Choices and Considerations

a) Influence of Metre and Rhyme

The original poem follows a nazm structure with controlled rhythm rather than a strict rhyme scheme.
In translation:

  • Line length and parallel structures were maintained.

  • Refrains were preserved to sustain musicality.

  • Internal rhythm was prioritized over exact rhyme.

Thus, metrical equivalence took precedence over formal rhyme reproduction.

b) Liberties Taken to Retain Tone and Emotion

Some liberties were consciously taken:

  • Slight expansion of lines in English to clarify implicit meanings.

  • Reordering of syntax to maintain flow and emotional coherence.

  • Avoidance of excessive literalism in politically charged imagery to preserve poetic intensity.

These choices helped sustain the poem’s melancholic yet ethical tone.

Gemini Output :

1. Identification and Discussion of Challenges

  • Challenging Parts: The transition from the romantic Ghazal-like opening to the gritty, political realism of the middle stanzas was the most difficult to translate. Specifically, balancing the beauty of "un-ginat sadiyon ke tareek behimana tilism" (dark beastly enchantments of countless centuries) while maintaining the poem's flow was a significant hurdle.

  • Cultural Connotations and Collocations: Terms like Vasl (union) and Mehboob (beloved) are deeply rooted in Sufi and Urdu poetic traditions. The AI tools handled these by using standard English equivalents ("union," "love"), though these often lacked the spiritual and historical weight of the original Urdu collocations.

  • Untranslatable Phrases: Phrases such as "Gham-e-Dahar" (sorrows of the world/universe) are difficult to replicate because they encompass a specific philosophical weariness. Gemini resolved this by using descriptive phrases like "world’s strife," sacrificing the brevity of the original for clarity.

. Choices and Considerations

  • Metre and Rhyme Scheme: The instruction to "retain the rhyme scheme and metre wherever possible" heavily influenced the English output. This led to the choice of rhyming pairs like "old/gold" and "strife/life," which helped maintain a lyrical quality but sometimes constrained the literal accuracy of the lexicon.

    Liberties for Tone and Emotion: To retain the poem's emotional shift from love to social consciousness, liberties were taken in word choice—using "beastly" and "festering" to shock the reader, mirroring Faiz’s own intent to jar his audience out of romantic complacency.

Key Differences between Chatgpt and Gemini :

  • Syntax and Structure: ChatGPT mirrors Urdu's complex clauses and ghazal flow for fidelity; Gemini simplifies into direct, contemporary English for accessibility.
  • Metre and Sound: ChatGPT keeps rhythmic lines and refrains; Gemini uses free verse with occasional rhymes like "strife/life" for natural English lyricism.
  • Lexicon and Culture: ChatGPT retains Persian-Urdu terms (e.g., "mohabbat," "bazaar") and elevated tone; Gemini domesticates to neutral words, losing some Sufi depth.
  • Ideology: ChatGPT sustains the love-to-oppression arc precisely; Gemini amplifies shock via words like "beastly" but risks semantic looseness.

Poem 2: W. B. Yeats's The Second Coming into Hindi and Gujarati.

Turning and turning in the widening gyre   
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere   
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst   
Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.   
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out   
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert   
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,   
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,   
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it   
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.   
The darkness drops again; but now I know   
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,   
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,   
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?

Translation by ChatGPT


Hindi Translation

दूसरी आगमन

घूमता और घूमता चौड़े चक्र में,

बाज़ सुन नहीं पाता अब अपने बाज़बान को;

सबकुछ बिखर रहा है; केंद्र अब टिक नहीं सकता,

सिर्फ अराजकता का सैलाब दुनिया पर छूट पड़ा है,

खून-लाल ज्वार उफन रहा है, और हर जगह

मासूमियत की रस्म डूब रही है;

सबसे अच्छे लोग पूरी तरह से आत्मविश्वास खो बैठे हैं,

और सबसे बुरे

भरे हुए हैं तीव्र उत्तेजना से।

 निश्चित रूप से कोई रहस्योद्घाटन समीप है;

निश्चित रूप से दूसरा आगमन समीप है।

दूसरा आगमन! मुश्किल से ये शब्द निकले ही थे

कि आत्मा की दुनिया से

एक विशाल छवि मेरी दृष्टि को विचलित करती है:

रेगिस्तान की रेत के बीच कहीं

एक आकृति, शेर का शरीर और मनुष्य का सिर,

एक नज़रों से शून्य और निर्मम जैसे सूरज,

धीमी जांघों से चल रही है, और उसके चारों ओर

रेगिस्तान के नाराज पक्षियों की छायाएं मचल रही हैं।

अंधेरा फिर गिरता है; लेकिन अब मैं जानता हूं

कि बीस सदी का पत्थर जैसा नींद

एक झूलते पालने से बुरे सपने में बदल गई,

और वह कौन सा खुरदरा जानवर, जिसका समय अब आ गया है,

बेथलेहम की ओर झुकता है जन्म लेने के लिए?

Gujarati Translation

બીજું આવગમન

ઘૂમતું અને ઘૂમતું પહોળા ચક્રમાં,

બાજ હવે પોતાના બાજબાનને સાંભળી શકતો નથી;

બધું વિખેરાઈ રહ્યું છે; કેન્દ્ર હવે ટકી શકતું નથી,

માત્ર અનાર્કીનું પ્રવાહ જગતમાં છૂટી રહ્યું છે,

લોહી-લાલ જ્વાર છૂટી રહ્યું છે, અને દરેક જગ્યાએ

માસૂમિયતની વિધિ ડૂબી રહી છે;

સર્વશ્રેષ્ઠ લોકો સંપૂર્ણ નિશ્ચય ગુમાવી બેઠા છે,

અને સૌથી ખરાબ

ગહન તીવ્રતા થી ભરાયેલા છે।

ખાત્રી છે કે કોઈ પ્રગટાવ નજીક છે;

ખાત્રી છે કે બીજું આવગમન નજીક છે।

બીજું આવગમન! અઘરી રીતે આ શબ્દો બહાર નીકળે છે

કે આત્માની દુનિયાથી

એક વિશાળ છબી મારી દ્રષ્ટિને ખલેલ પહોંચાડે છે:

કાંઈક મરુસ્થળની રેતીમાં

સિંહના શરીર અને માનવના માથાવાળું એક આકાર,

એક શૂન્ય અને ક્રૂર નજર જેમ સૂર્ય,

ધીમી ઊરથી આગળ વધે છે, અને તેની આજુબાજુ

મરુસ્થળના કુપિત પંખીઓની છાયા ઘૂમે છે।

અંધકાર ફરીથી છવાઈ જાય છે; પરંતુ હવે મને ખબર છે

કે વીસ સદીઓની પથ્થર જેવી નિંદ્રા

એક ડોલતા પાળણામાંથી દુ:સ્વપ્ન બની ગઈ છે,

અને તે કયું ખડતરા પ્રાણી, તેનું સમય હવે આવી ગયું છે,

બેઠલેહેમ તરફ ઝૂકી રહ્યું છે જન્મ લેવા માટે?

Translation by Gemini

Hindi Translation

घूमता और घूमता, वृत्त बढ़ता जाता है 

बाज़ नहीं सुन पाता शिकारी को अब टूट रहा है सब कुछ, 

केंद्र खो रहा है संतुलन अराजकता छाई है 

चारों ओर रक्तरंजित ज्वार उमड़ रहा है, 

हर जगह मासूमियत का यज्ञ डूब रहा है 

सबसे अच्छे खो चुके हैं विश्वास, जबकि बुरे जुनून से भरे हैं, तीव्रता से

निश्चित ही कोई प्रकटीकरण समीप है निश्चित ही द्वितीय

 आगमन समीप है द्वितीय आगमन!

 मुश्किल से ही ये शब्द निकले जब एक विशाल प्रतिमा,

 विश्व आत्मा से उत्पन्न मेरी दृष्टि को भ्रमित करती है: 

कहीं रेगिस्तान के रेत में एक आकृति,

 सिंह का शरीर और मनुष्य का मुखड़ा सूर्य की भाँति निर्दयी 

और निगाह खाली धीरे-धीरे अपनी जाँघें हिला रहा है,

 जबकि उसके चारों ओर क्रोधित रेगिस्तानी पक्षियों 

की छायाएँ घूम रही हैं अंधेरा फिर से छा जाता है;

 पर अब मैं जानता हूँ पत्थर की नींद की बीस सदियाँ

 एक डोलने वाले पालने से दुःस्वप्न में विचलित हुई थीं 

और कौन सा क्रूर पशु, जिसका समय आखिरकार आ गया है

 बेथलहम की ओर झुक रहा है, जन्म लेने के लिए?

Gujarati Translation

વર્તુળ વધતું જાય, ફરતું રહે છે ફરી ફરી 

બાજ નથી સાંભળી શકતો બાજીગરની વાત 

સર્વત્ર વિઘ્ન, કેન્દ્ર ધરાશયી થઈ રહ્યું છે

 અરાજકતા છવાઈ ગઈ છે દુનિયામાં

 લોહીથી રંગાયેલો જ્વાર છૂટી પડ્યો છે, 

દરેક જગ્યાએ નિર્દોષતાના સંસ્કાર ડૂબી ગયા છે

 શ્રેષ્ઠોમાં કોઈ વિશ્વાસ નથી, જ્યારે દુષ્ટો જુસ્સાથી ભરેલા છે, તીવ્રતાથી

નિશ્ચિત જ કોઈ પ્રકટીકરણ નજીક છે

 નિશ્ચિત જ દ્વિતીય આગમન નજીક છે 

દ્વિતીય આગમન! શબ્દો મુખેથી નીકળ્યા જ હતા 

જ્યારે એક વિશાળ પ્રતિમા, વિશ્વઆત્મામાંથી 

ઉદભવેલી મારી દ્રષ્ટિને ભ્રમિત કરે છે: 

રણના રેતાળ વિસ્તારમાં ક્યાંક સિંહનું શરીર 

અને માનવીનું માથું ધરાવતી આકૃતિ સૂર્યની જેમ નિર્દય અને નિર્લિપ્ત 

દ્રષ્ટિ ધીમે-ધીમે પોતાની જાંઘો હલાવી રહી છે, 

અને તેની આસપાસ ક્રોધિત રણપંખીઓની છાયાઓ ઘૂમી રહી છે 

અંધકાર ફરીથી છવાઈ જાય છે; પરંતુ હવે હું જાણું છું પથ્થરની ઊંઘની વીસ સદીઓ 

એક હચમચતા પલંગથી દુઃસ્વપ્નમાં વિક્ષોભિત થઈ હતી,

 અને કયો ક્રૂર પશુ, જેનું ક્રમ આખરે આવી પહોંચ્યું છે 

બેથલહેમ તરફ ઝૂકી રહ્યો છે, જન્મ લેવા માટે?

Comparative Analysis:-

    When examining the translations from both ChatGPT and Gemini, several significant challenges and patterns emerge in how these AI tools handled Yeats's complex poem. The most demanding aspects of translation centered around religious and mythological references. Both AI systems chose to transliterate rather than translate terms like "Bethlehem," rendering it as "बेथलेहम/બેથલેહેમ" (ChatGPT) and "बेथलहम/બેથલહેમ" (Gemini). The mystical concept of "Spiritus Mundi" received different treatments, with ChatGPT opting for a more literal "आत्मा की दुनिया/આત્માની દુનિયા" (world of the soul), while Gemini chose the more conceptual "विश्व आत्मा/વિશ્વઆત્મા" (world spirit).

    The metaphorical language presented another significant challenge. The famous opening image of the "widening gyre" demonstrates how each AI approached complex poetic imagery differently. ChatGPT maintained a more conservative approach with "चौड़े चक्र/પહોળા ચક્ર" (wide circle), while Gemini attempted to capture the dynamic nature of the image with "वृत्त बढ़ता/વર્તુળ વધતું" (expanding circle).

    In terms of metrical considerations, neither AI system fully preserved Yeats's original meter, though they approached this limitation differently. ChatGPT showed more concern for maintaining the original line breaks and formal structure, while Gemini took greater liberties with line arrangement, prioritizing natural flow in the target languages. This difference reflects a fundamental tension in translation theory between formal equivalence and dynamic equivalence.

   The handling of cultural connotations reveals interesting patterns in AI translation strategies. The falcon/falconer metaphor, while maintained lexically, lost some of its resonant power in translation. ChatGPT's choice of "बाज़बान/બાજબાન" for falconer maintains a more traditional terminology, while Gemini's use of "शिकारी/બાજીગર" opts for more commonly understood terms.

   When viewed through theoretical frameworks, these translations illuminate several key concepts in translation studies. Jakobson's notion of interlingual translation is clearly demonstrated, particularly in how both AIs struggled with achieving true equivalence in metaphorical language. Catford's concept of translation shifts is especially visible in Gemini's work, where both level and category shifts occur frequently to accommodate target language norms.

   Ramanujan's emphasis on context-sensitivity is particularly relevant when examining how both AIs handled the poem's apocalyptic imagery and Christian references. The challenge of transferring these Western concepts into Indian linguistic and cultural frameworks reveals the limitations of AI translation for culturally complex texts.

   Looking at the translations through Devy's theoretical lens highlights the particular challenges of rendering Western poetic forms in Indian languages. The attempts to maintain the poem's gravitas while working within Hindi and Gujarati linguistic structures shows both the possibilities and limitations of cross-cultural poetic translation.

   Overall, ChatGPT's translation demonstrates greater fidelity to the original text's structure and formal elements, while Gemini's version offers more natural linguistic flow in the target languages. However, both translations struggle with fully conveying the deep cultural and historical resonances of Yeats's original work, highlighting the ongoing challenges in automated literary translation.

    This comparative analysis reveals that while AI translation tools have made remarkable progress in handling complex poetic texts, they still face significant challenges in capturing the full depth of literary works, particularly when crossing substantial cultural and linguistic boundaries. The choices made by both AI systems reflect different priorities in the eternal balance between fidelity to the original and effectiveness in the target language.

Translation of Gujarati Poem Into Hindi and English 

Poem "Ochintu Koi Mane" by Dhruv Bhatt


ઓચિંતુ કોઇ મને રસ્તે મળે ને
કદી ધીરેથી પૂછે કે કેમ છે ?
આપણે તો કહીએ કે દરિયા શી મોજમાં
ને ઉપથી કુદરતની રહેમ છે.

ફાટેલા ખીસ્સાની આડમાં મૂકી છે અમે
છલકાતી મલકાતી મોજ;
એકલો ઊભું ને તોયે મેળામાં હોઉં એવું
લાગ્યા કરે છે મને રોજ,
તળું વસાય નહીં એવડી પટારીમાં
આપણો ખજાનો હેમખેમ છે….

આંખોમાં પાણી તો આવે ને જાય
નથી ભીતર ભીનાશ થતી ઓછી;
વધઘટનો કાંઠાઓ રાખે હિસાબ
નથી પરવા સમંદરને હોતી,
સૂરજ તો ઊગે ને આથમી યે જાય
મારી ઊપર આકાશ એમનેમ છે…


Translation with the help of ChatGPT

Hindi Translation
ओ राह चलते कोई यूँ मिल जाए
धीरे से पूछे, "कैसे हो?"
हम कहें, "दरिया की मस्ती में हैं,
कुदरत की रहमत का है भरपूर शौक़।"

फटी जेब के कोने में छुपा रखा है हमने,
मुस्कुराती हुई एक छलकती मस्ती।
भीड़ में भी अकेला खड़ा हूँ मगर,
हर रोज़ लगता है जैसे मेला बसा हो।
तिजोरी में नहीं समाता ऐसा खज़ाना,
हमारा अमूल्य खज़ाना यूँ महफूज़ है।

आँखों में पानी तो आता है, चला भी जाता है,
पर भीतर की नमी ज़रा भी कम नहीं होती।
किनारे तो रखते हैं बढ़ने-घटने का हिसाब,
पर सागर को इन सबकी परवाह कहाँ होती।
सूरज तो उगता है, और ढल भी जाता है,
पर मेरे ऊपर का आसमान वैसे का वैसा है।

English Translation 
If a stranger meets me on the way
And softly asks, "How are you today?"
I’d say, "Lost in the waves of the sea,
A gift of nature’s grace, carefree."

In the corner of a torn pocket, I’ve stored,
Overflowing mirth that quietly soared.
Though I stand alone, I feel the fair,
As if each day, a carnival is there.
A treasure so vast it cannot be stored,
Yet, within my soul, it stays secured.

Tears may come and quietly go,
But the dampness inside never slows.
The shores may tally gains and loss,
But the sea doesn’t bother with such a cause.
The sun rises, then sets as it may,
While the sky above me stays the same all day.


Comparative Analysis Report:

Syntax, Sound and Metre 

The original Gujarati poem employs conversational syntax, reflecting spontaneity and emotional depth. Phrases like "ઓચિંતુ કોઇ મને રસ્તે મળે ને" were translated as "If a stranger meets me on the way," which maintains the conversational tone but adapts the structure to English syntax. Similarly, the Hindi translation retained this tone as "ओ राह चलते कोई यूँ मिल जाए. 
Original: "અકલો ઊભું ને તોયે મેળામાં હોઉં એવું"
English: "Though I stand alone, I feel the fair"
Hindi: "भीड़ में भी अकेला खड़ा हूँ मगर"

In Hindi, which shares similar syllabic patterns and natural rhythms with Gujarati, the original metre was closely followed. For example

Original: "સૂરજ તો ઊગે ને આથમી યે જાય"
Hindi: "सूरज तो उगता है, और ढल भी जाता है."

The metre was preserved with natural syllabic balance.

In English, adapting the metre required minor liberties since the natural cadence of English differs. For instance:

Original: "મારી ઉપર આકાશ એમનેમ છે"
English: "While the sky above me stays the same all day."

Here, additional syllables were introduced to ensure fluency while retaining the reflective tone.

The original uses a subtle rhyme scheme and rhythm, e.g., "મોજ" (joy) and "ખજાનો હેમખેમ" (secured treasure). Retaining this was more straightforward in Hindi, which shares phonetic similarities, e.g., "मुस्कुराती मस्ती" and "खज़ाना महफूज़."

Lexicon, Grammar, Semiotics

Lexical choices in translation required careful cultural and emotional alignment. Words like "મલકાતી મોજ" (smiling joy) were rendered as "overflowing mirth" in English and "मुस्कुराती मस्ती" in Hindi.

The original Gujarati uses colloquial grammar with implicit subject-object relationships, e.g., "મને પૂછે કે કેમ છે?". In translation, explicit subject-object references were necessary: "And softly asks, 'How are you today?'" and "धीरे से पूछे, 'कैसे हो?'"

Symbols like "આકાશ" (sky) and "સૂરજ" (sun) carry existential meanings. These were translated directly but contextualized for the target language's semiotic landscape.

Original: "મારી ઉપર આકાશ એમનેમ છે"
English: "While the sky above me stays the same all day"
Hindi: "पर मेरे ऊपर का आसमान वैसे का वैसा है"

The semiotic significance of unchanging skies was retained as a metaphor for constancy in life's flux.

Cultural Connotations and Collocations


"દરિયા" and "કુદરત" evoke Indian spirituality and connection to the natural world. In Hindi, these were directly translated as "दरिया" and "कुदरत," while in English, "sea" and "nature" preserved the universal context without diluting the cultural essence. Phrases like "ફાટેલા ખીસ્સાની આડમાં" suggest resilience and humility in Gujarati. Translations retained this as "hidden in a torn pocket" in English and "फटी जेब के कोने में" in Hindi.

Untranslatable Idioms and Metaphors


Idioms like "કાંઠાઓ રાખે હિસાબ" (shores keep tally) have layered meanings tied to Gujarati maritime culture. They were adapted as "shores may tally gains and loss" in English and "किनारे रखते हैं बढ़ने-घटने का हिसाब" in Hindi, focusing on the metaphorical aspect.

Expressions like "આંખોમાં પાણી તો આવે ને જાય" were translated as "Tears may come and quietly go" and "आँखों में पानी तो आता है, चला भी जाता है," ensuring the subtle emotional nuance was not lost.

Original: "તળું વસાય નહીં એવડી પટારીમાં"
  • English: "A treasure so vast it cannot be stored"
  • Hindi: "तिजोरी में नहीं समाता ऐसा खज़ाना"

Translation With the Help of Gemini 

Hindi Translation 
 
अचानक कोई मुझे रास्ते में मिले
कभी धीरे से पूछे कि कैसे हो?
हम तो कहेंगे कि समुद्र सी लहरों में
और ऊपर से प्रकृति की कृपा है.

फटे हुए जेब में छुपाते हैं हम
बहती हुई उमंग;
अकेला खड़ा हूँ फिर भी मेले में हूँ ऐसा
लगता रहता है मुझे रोज,
जिस तिजोरी में कभी ताला न लगे
हमारा खजाना सुरक्षित है….

आँखों में पानी तो आता है और जाता है
अंदर की नमी कम नहीं होती;
उतार-चढ़ाव का हिसाब किनारे रखते हैं
समुद्र को कोई फर्क नहीं पड़ता,
सूरज तो उगता है और डूबता जाता है
मेरे ऊपर आसमान वैसे ही है…

English Translation 

If someone suddenly meets me on the road
And softly asks me how I am?
I would say, "I am like waves in the ocean,"
"And blessed by nature from above."

In my torn pocket, I hide
Overflowing joy;
Even alone, I feel like I'm in a fair,
Every day;
In a treasure chest that never locks,
My treasure is safe...

Tears come and go in my eyes,
But the wetness inside doesn't decrease;
The shores keep count of the tides,
But the ocean doesn't care,
The sun rises and sets
And the sky remains the same above me...

Syntax, Sound, and Meter


Challenges: Replicating the exact syntactic structure and word order of the Gujarati poem proved challenging in both Hindi and English due to the inherent differences in grammatical constructions and sentence structures between the languages. 

In the Hindi translation, the phrase "फटे हुए जेब में छुपाते हैं हम" -"In my torn pocket, I hide" – might have required slight adjustments in word order or the use of specific Hindi words to maintain the intended rhythm.

In the English translation, maintaining the rhythmic pattern while adhering to English grammar and syntax presented a challenge. For instance, the phrase "છલકાતી મલકાતી મોજ"– "Overflowing joy" – might have required careful word choice to maintain a similar rhythmic effect in English.

Lexicon, Grammar, and Semiotics

Challenges: Finding precise equivalents for certain Gujarati words and phrases with specific cultural connotations was crucial in both Hindi and English. Ensuring grammatical accuracy and maintaining the intended semantic meaning while adhering to the grammatical rules of the target language was essential.

The phrase "ફાટેલા ખીસ્સાની આડમાં મૂકી છે અમે" – "In my torn pocket, I hide" – might carry deeper cultural connotations in Gujarati, such as hidden resilience or contentment despite poverty.

The phrase "તળું વસાય નહીં એવડી પટારીમાં"  – "In a treasure chest that never locks" – is a creative translation that attempts to capture the essence of the Gujarati phrase while adapting it to the cultural and linguistic context of the target language.

Cultural Connotations and Collocations

Challenges: Translating cultural metaphors and allusions accurately can be challenging. For example, the "torn pocket" metaphor might have different social or economic connotations in Gujarati, Hindi, and English cultures.

The phrase "એકલો ઊભું ને તોયે મેળામાં હોઉં એવું લાગ્યા કરે છે મને રોજ"  – "Even alone, I feel like I'm in a fair, every day" – attempts to convey a similar sense of joy and vibrancy as the original, even in a solitary state, while adapting it to the cultural context of the target language.

In this Hindi and English translation of Gujarati poem ChatGPT performs better in comparison of Gemini because ChatGPT, to certain extent able to adapt and translate the colloquial use of Gujrati language, while Gemini seems to give more general or literal translation, wherein it uses less colloquial words like 'Prakuti, Umang, Khajana'...it may be possible that it is hard to find the colloquial equivalent of such Gujrati words into Hindi. While English translation is done good enough by both tools. But ChatGPT has tried to write entire poem into heroic couplet in, and thus aligned with Ramanujan's concept of creative translation of the poem.

Poem 4:

Original Poem:

साथी, सो न, कर कुछ बात!
बोलते उडुगण परस्पर,

तरु दलों में मंद ‘मरमर’,
बात करतीं सरि-लहरियाँ कूल से जल-स्नात!

साथी, सो न, कर कुछ बात!
बात करते सो गया तू,

स्वप्न में फिर खो गया तू,
रह गया मैं और आधी बात, आधी रात!

साथी, सो न, कर कुछ बात!
पूर्ण कर दे वह कहानी,

जो शुरू की थी सुनानी,
आदि जिसका हर निशा में, अंत चिर अज्ञात!

साथी, सो न, कर कुछ बात!

                   - हरिवंशराय बच्चन

Translation given by Chatgpt:

Gujarati Translation:

સાથી, સુ તો નહીં, થોડું વાત કર!
બોલે છે તારાઓ પરસ્પર,

ઝાડના પાંદડાઓમાં મધુર "મરમર,"
વાત કરે છે નદીની લહેરો તટ સાથે, પાણીમાં ભીંજાયેલ!

સાથી, સુ તો નહીં, થોડું વાત કર!
વાત કરતા કરતો સુઈ ગયો,

સપનામાં ખોવાઈ ગયો,
અધુરી રહી ગઈ વાત અને અડધી રાત!

સાથી, સુ તો નહીં, થોડું વાત કર!
પૂર્ણ કર એ વાર્તા,

જે તું કહેવાની શરુ કરી હતી,
જેનો આરંભ છે દરેક રાત્રિમાં, અને અંત છે સદાની અજ્ઞાત!

સાથી, સુ તો નહીં, થોડું વાત કર!

English Translation:

Companion, don’t sleep, say something!
The stars converse with one another,

The trees murmur softly,
The river waves speak to the shore, soaked in water!

Companion, don’t sleep, say something!
Speaking, you fell asleep,

And then lost yourself in dreams,
Leaving me with half a story and half a night!

Companion, don’t sleep, say something!
Complete the tale,

The one you had begun to narrate,
Whose beginning lies in every night, and whose end is forever unknown!

Companion, don’t sleep, say something!

Translation given by Gemini:

Gujarati Translation

સાથી, ઉંઘ ન આવે, થોડી વાત કરીએ!

ચિડિયાઓ ગુજારતી વાતો,


ઝાડના પાંદડાઓમાં નરમ ‘ગુંજન’,

કિનારે લાગતી લહેરો વાત કરે છે!


સાથી, ઉંઘ ન આવે, થોડી વાત કરીએ!

વાત કરતાં કરતાં તું સૂઈ ગયો,


ફરી સ્વપ્નમાં ખોવાઈ ગયો,

અધૂરી વાત અને અધીરી રાત રહી!


સાથી, ઉંઘ ન આવે, થોડી વાત કરીએ!

કહાની પૂરી કરીએ,

જે શરૂ કરી હતી,

દર રાત્રે જેનો આરંભ થાય, અંત અજ્ઞાત!

સાથી, ઉંઘ ન આવે, થોડી વાત કરીએ!

English Translation

Friend, don't sleep, let's talk awhile!

Birds are chattering,

Soft murmurs in the leaves of trees,

Waves whisper on the shore!

Friend, don't sleep, let's talk awhile!

You've fallen asleep while talking,

Lost again in dreams,

Leaving me with half-finished words and a sleepless night!

Friend, don't sleep, let's talk awhile!

Let's finish the story,

That we began,

A story that starts every night, its end unknown!

Friend, don't sleep, let's talk awhile!

GUJARATI TRANSLATION ANALYSIS:

1. Syntax:

ChatGPT:

- Maintains closer fidelity to Hindi syntax: "સાથી, સુ તો નહીં" 

- More literal translation of sentence structures

- Preserves the original's repetitive pattern faithfully

Gemini:

- Takes more liberties: "સાથી, ઉંઘ ન આવે"

- Creates more natural Gujarati flow

- Modifies sentence structures for better target language appeal

2. Metre and Sound:

ChatGPT:

- Maintains the rhythmic pattern of "મરમર" similar to Hindi "मरमर"

- Preserves the musical quality of original refrain

- Keeps closer to original metre

Gemini:

- Uses "ગુંજન" instead of "મરમર" - different sonic effect

- Creates new rhythmic patterns

- More focus on natural Gujarati musicality

3. Lexicon and Grammar:

ChatGPT:

- More formal vocabulary choices: "પરસ્પર", "તટ"

- Closer to Sanskrit-based vocabulary

- Sometimes awkward constructions

Gemini:

- More colloquial choices: "ચિડિયાઓ", "કિનારે"

- Natural Gujarati expressions

- Better grammatical flow

4. Cultural Connotations:

ChatGPT:

- Preserves poetic imagery more literally

- Maintains the philosophical undertones

- Keeps the mystical elements intact

Gemini:

- Adapts imagery for Gujarati readers

- Localizes some metaphors

- Makes the night-time setting more relatable


ENGLISH TRANSLATION ANALYSIS:

1. Syntax:

ChatGPT:

- More formal: "Companion, don't sleep"

- Maintains original syntactic patterns

- Preserves repetitive structures

Gemini:

- More casual: "Friend, don't sleep"

- Restructures for English fluency

- Creates new patterns while maintaining essence

2. Metre and Sound:

ChatGPT:

- Attempts to maintain original rhythm

- More literal translation of sound effects

- Preserves original's musical qualities

Gemini:

- Creates new rhythmic patterns

- Focuses on English musicality

- More attention to target language poetry

3. Lexicon and Grammar:

ChatGPT:

- More formal vocabulary

- Closer to original word choices

- Sometimes stilted English

Gemini:

- More natural English expressions

- Contemporary word choices

- Better flow in English

4. Cultural Connotations:

ChatGPT:

- Maintains metaphysical elements

- Preserves night imagery literally

- Keeps philosophical undertones

Gemini:

- Adapts imagery for English readers

- Makes metaphors more accessible

- Maintains emotional resonance

OVERALL COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:

Strengths:

ChatGPT:

- Better preservation of original structure

- More faithful to source imagery

- Maintains philosophical depth

Gemini:

- Better target language naturalness

- More poetic in translation

- Better cultural adaptation

Weaknesses:

ChatGPT:

- Sometimes awkward expressions

- Less natural in target languages

- Over-literal at times

Gemini:

- Loses some original imagery

- Takes more liberties with text

- Less faithful to original structure

The translations serve different purposes:

- ChatGPT's version is better for studying the original closely

- Gemini's version is more accessible to modern readers

- Each captures different aspects of Bachchan's poetic genius

References :
     
Thank You...




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