Ivan Benak

pučki pjesnik · folk poet  ·  Sopje 1933. – Valpovo 2015.Sopje 1933 – Valpovo 2015

Umirovljenički jadi

Belišćanski dom „Svete Lucije“

Pensioners' woes

The St Lucy Home in Belišće

LUCIJA je svjetlonoša bila,mnoge bolne vidom obdarila,svojim darom pomoći je znala,mnogima je danju svjetlost dala.

LUCY was a bearer of the light,to the suffering she granted sight;with her gift she helped where help was due,giving many light of day anew.

Ovaj DOM se sad časno ponosi,što LUCIJE SVETE ime nosi.Oni što su DOMU ime dali,LUCIJINE vrline su znali.

Now with honour this HOME is proud to claimthat it bears SAINT LUCY'S holy name.Those who gave the HOME its name had knownall the virtues LUCY called her own.

Svima vama što ste u tom DOMU,usamljeni u životu svomu,nek' vam teku u ljepoti dani,od LUCIJE SVETE obasjani.

All of you who in this HOME now stay,lonely as your life has gone its way,may your days in beauty pass and flow,shining in SAINT LUCY'S holy glow.

Samoća vas mučila u tami,noć je tiha, vi kod kuće sami,tu u DOMU blažene su noći,jer vi znate, LUCA će pomoći.

Loneliness would plague you in the gloom,silent nights alone in your own room;here in the HOME the nights bring blessed rest,for you know that LUCA does her best.

I starački dovukli se jadi,kao nekad niste više mladi,često puta bolno srce kuca,tko će pomoć, ako neće LUCA.

Then the woes of age came creeping in,you're not young the way you once had been;often now your aching heart will pound:who will help, if LUCA's not around?

Nakon snova kad otvoriš oči,sve što trebaš LUCA će pomoći.Dobar ručak i društvo te čeka,prije snova posteljica meka.

When your eyes from dreaming open wide,all you need your LUCA will provide.Lunch and company await you here,and a soft bed when your dreams draw near.

Pa zar može nešto bolje biti,u noćima možeš snove sniti.Mladost vaša u snove se vrati,to vam može samo LUCA dati.

Could there be a better thing than this:in the night to dream your dreams of bliss?Youth comes back to you in dreams anew;this can only LUCA give to you.

Valpovo, 15. 12. 2011.

Valpovo, December 15, 2011

Translator's note. Written for the Sveta Lucija (St Lucy) home for the elderly in Belišće. St Lucy is the patron saint of eyesight; Luca is the homely short form of Lucija.