The Egyptian myth of Isis and the seven scorpions - Alex Gendler

Prevoditelj: Petra Lauš Recezent: Sanda L

A woman in rags emerged from the swamp flanked by seven giant scorpions.

Žena u dronjcima izašla je iz močvare, kraj nje sedam ogromnih škorpiona.

Carrying a baby, she headed for the nearest village to beg for food.

Noseći bebu krenula je prema najbližem selu da prosi za hranu.

She approached a magnificent mansion,

Prišla je veličanstvenoj palači,

but the mistress of the house took one look at her grimy clothes

ali gospodarica palače bacila je pogled na njenu prljavu odjeću

and unusual companions and slammed the door in her face.

i neobične pratitelje te joj zalupila vratima pred nosom.

So she continued down the road until she came to a cottage.

Stoga je nastavila cestom sve dok nije stigla do male kuće.

The woman there took pity on the stranger and offered her what she could:

Žena koja je bila tamo sažalila se nad strankinjom i ponudila joj što je mogla:

a simple meal and a bed of straw.

jednostavan obrok i krevet od slame.

Her guest was no ordinary beggar.

Njena gošća nije bila obična prosjakinja.

She was Isis, the most powerful goddess in Egypt.

Ona je bila Izida, najmoćnija egipatska boginja.

Isis was in hiding from her brother Set,

Izida se skrivala od svog brata Seta,

who murdered her husband and wanted to murder her infant son, Horus.

koji je ubio njezina muža i htio je ubiti njezinog novorođenog sina Horusa.

Set was also a powerful god, and he was looking for them.

Set je također bio moćni bog i tražio ih je.

So to keep her cover, Isis had to be very discreet—

Kako bi se sakrila, Izida je morala biti vrlo diskretna -

she couldn’t risk using her powers.

nije mogla riskirati i koristiti svoje moći.

But she was not without aid.

Ali nije bila sama.

Serket, goddess of venomous creatures,

Selkis, božica otrovnih stvorenja

had sent seven of her fiercest servants to guard Isis and her son.

poslala je sedam svojih najopakijih slugu da štite Izidu i njena sina.

As Isis and Horus settled into their humble accommodation,

Kada su se Izida i Horus smjestili u skromnoj kući,

the scorpions fumed at how the wealthy woman had offended their divine mistress.

škorpioni su bjesnili jer je bogatašica uvrijedila njihovu božansku gospodaricu.

They all combined their venom and gave it to one of the seven, Tefen.

Skupili su sve svoje otrove i dali ga jednom od njih, Tefenu.

In the dead of night, Tefen crept over to the mansion.

U mrkloj se noći Tefen došuljao do palače.

As he crawled under the door,

Kada je propuzao ispod vrata,

he saw the owner’s young son sleeping peacefully

vidio je mladog sina gospodarice kako mirno spava

and gave him a mighty sting.

i snažno ga ubo.

Isis and her hostess were soon awakened by loud wailing.

Izidu i njenu domaćicu ubrzo je probudilo glasno jaukanje.

As they peered out of the doorway of the cottage,

Kada su pogledale kroz prozor kuće,

they saw a mother running through the street,

ugledale su majku kako trči ulicom

weeping as she cradled her son.

i plače noseći svog sina.

When Isis recognized the woman who had turned her away,

Kada je Izida prepoznala ženu koja ju je odbila,

she understood what her scorpions had done.

shvatila je što su učinili njeni škorpioni.

Isis took the boy in her arms and began to recite a powerful spell:

Izida je uzela dječaka u ruke i počela izgovarati moćnu čaroliju:

"O poison of Tefen, come out of him and fall upon the ground!

"O otrovu Tefena, izađi iz njega i padni na zemlju!

Poison of Befen, advance not, penetrate no farther, come out of him,

Otrovu Befena, ne idi dalje, ne prodiri dalje, izađi iz njega

and fall upon the ground!

i padni na zemlju!

For I am Isis, the great Enchantress, the Speaker of spells.

Jer ja sam Izida, velika Čarobnica, Izgovarateljica čarolija.

Fall down, O poison of Mestet! Hasten not, poison of Mestetef!

Padni, o otrovu Meseteta! Ne žuri, otrovu Mesetefa!

Rise not, poison of Petet and Thetet! Approach not, poison of Matet!"

Ne diži se, otrovu Peteta i Tjeteta! Ne prilazi, otrovu Mateta!"

With each name she invoked, that scorpion’s poison was neutralized.

Kako je zazivala njihova imena, otrovi su se neutralizirali.

The child stirred, and his mother wept with gratitude

Dijete se prenulo i majka mu zaplaka od zahvalnosti

and lamented her earlier callousness,

i zažali zbog svoje ranije bešćutnosti,

offering all her wealth to Isis in repentance.

ponudivši Izidi svo svoje bogatstvo kako bi se pokajala.

The woman who had taken Isis in watched in awe—

Žena koja je primila Izidu gledala je sa strahopoštovanjem -

she had had no idea who she’d brought under her roof.

nije imala pojma koga je dovela pod svoj krov.

And from that day on,

Od toga dana,

the people learned to make a poultice to treat scorpion bites,

ljudi su naučili raditi mast za liječenje uboda od škorpiona,

speaking magical incantations just as the goddess had.

izgovarajući čarobne riječi baš kao što je i boginja.