Usliši me, Bože

Hear Me, O God

Kako ja puno već ljeta brojim,u fazama raznim životom svojim.Zato se Bogu obraćam čestoda meni u raju nađe mjesto.

Of summers I have counted many a score,through all the stages life has held in store;and so I often turn to God in prayerthat He may find a place for me up there.

Hoću li, Bože, i ja u raj?To iskreno želim, ali se bojim.U raju će biti slava i sjaj,a ja Ti na lošem glasu stojim.

Shall I too, O God, to heaven go?I truly wish it, yet I live in fear.In heaven there'll be glory, splendour's glow,and my good name with You is poor down here.

Možda ima kakav skromni kutići to je, Bože, dovoljno za me.Stisnut ću se kao suhi prutić,usko je moje staračko rame.

Perhaps there is some corner, not too big,and that, O God, would be enough for me.I'll squeeze in there, as thin as a dry twig:my aged shoulder's narrow as can be.

Nikome neću pravit probleme,sve bi to, Bože, bez pompe bilo.Ja Te molim, ne zaboravi me.Biti u raju svakom je milo.

I'll make no trouble, cause no one distress,and all, O God, would pass without a show.I beg You, don't forget me, nonetheless,for heaven's dear to everyone below.

Ako Ti nije do mene stalo,tako starog, bijednog odrpanca.Pusti barem da pričekam malo,onog jadnog moga starog znanca.

If You don't care for me, if that's the case,so old a ragged wretch, so poor as I,then let me wait at least a little spacefor my poor old acquaintance to come by,

Da mu kažem nek' se za me moli,da bi u raj bio primljen boljei dalje ću čekati bez boli,makar bilo i bez moje volje.

to tell him that for me he ought to pray,so heaven might receive me better still,and I'll wait on without a pang, and stay,though it should even be against my will.

Pa kad uđu kojima je dato,znam da ću i ja imati srećei meni ćeš mjesta dati zato,jer srce je Tvoje od neba veće!

And when they've entered, those You've granted grace,I know that I'll be lucky by and by,and You will give me, too, a little place,because Your heart is bigger than the sky!

Valpovo, 12. 11. 2012.

Valpovo, November 12, 2012

Napomena. Prema pjesmi fra Bonaventure Ćuka „Hoću li, Gospode, i ja u raj?“. Ovo je pjesnikova prerada; prijepis Ćukove pjesme čuvao je među svojim papirima.

Translator's note. After "Hoću li, Gospode, i ja u raj?" ("Will I, too, Lord, get into heaven?"), a prayer poem by the Franciscan fra Bonaventura Ćuk. This is his own reworking of it; he kept a copy of Ćuk's poem among his papers.