As a privileged graduate from a military high school, Ziya Paşa
started his career in a very high bureaucratic position which led to
a governorship. However, the Ottoman palace transferred him to Paris
in 1867 because of his controversial political views. In
collaboration with Namık Kemal, he wrote several articles which
criticized Sultan Abdülaziz. He was also a member of the Society of
Young Ottomans. In 1871, he was forgiven by the Sultan and worked as
a high-level administrator upon his return to Istanbul. Ziya Paşa,
who died while serving as governor of Adana, is an important figure
in both the political and literary arenas. POETRY: Eş'ar-ı Ziya
(1881), Külliyat-i Ziya Paşa (1924), Ziya Paşa'nın
Şiirleri (1960). OTHER WORKS: Zafername (undated, verse
and prose satires), Harabat (1874, anthology), Endülüs
TarihiTartuf: Riyanın
Encamı (1881, translation from Molière), Engizisyon TarihiEmil
(unpublished, translation from Rousseau), Defter-i Âmâl
(unpublished, translation from Rousseau). (1864, translation from Viandot),
(1882, translation from Chéruel and Lavellée),
I TOURED THE LANDS OF UNBELIEF
I toured the lands of unbelief; I saw cities and palaces.
I wandered through the realm of Islam; I saw all in ruins.
I was in the madhouse of the Sublime Porte;
I saw madmen who thought themselves better than Plato.
I found no solace in the tavern: it had gone.
I saw no drinking parties, no revelry, no merriment.
My way led to the place of execution called the world,
where I saw those slaughter-houses known as governments.
Ziya, the pleasure of the tavern of our time is not worth
the headache.
I did not stay long at this carouse, but Oh, the things I
saw!
Translated by Bernard Lewis
FROM TERKİB-İ BEND
To win success by denouncing friends is now in fashion.
We lacked this skill before, but now it's the fashion.
Thievery abounds, false friendship is the style;
honour is finished: zeal is what counts now.
Slandering friends to enemies is the smart thing;
complaining of your loved one to others is now the fashion.
To insult and reject the faithful is now the rule;
respect and favor for rogues are now the fashion.
Those who speak truth were always shunned, but now
honour and esteem for the treacherous has become the
fashion.
Decisions of state were once promulgated by decree:
advancement by word of mouth is now the fashion.
The manifest rights of the powerless are concealed:
the favoring of favorites is now the fashion.
Imputing bigotry to the public-spirited,
Ascribing wisdom to men without religion, is now the
fashion.
Islam, they say, is the stumbling block in the path of
progress.
This tale was not heard before, but now it's the fashion.
Forgetting our nationhood in all our affairs,
following Frankish ideas is now the fashion.
Alas, in this childish game we came off worst.
What we lost is clear; I don't know what we gained.
Translated by Bernard Lewis
SONG
Don't torture me like that:
just tell me what I did wrong.
Punish me if need be,
but tell me what I did wrong.
Let my heart be full of your love:
whatever my offense may be,
let it be just for you,
but tell me what I did wrong.
Since you turned away from me,
the world has become my dungeon.
Be angry, don't forgive me,
but just tell me what I did wrong.
I am in love with you;
I don't deserve torture.
By God, I'm an object of pity:
just tell me what I did wrong.
Translated by Bernard Lewis
[From An Anthology of Turkish literature, Edited by
Kemal Silay]
