Abstract
The Verse Translation of Hundred Sayings That Belong to Caliph Ali
In the history of Turkish literature, some literary genre
such as “medhiye (eulogy), hilye (portrait), menkıbe
(legend)” are formed by inspired from the life and characteristics
of Hz. Muhammed's four great caliphs. The
literary works such as compliation, translation and annotation
taken from four great caliphs'es wise sayings also
constitutes one of these literary genres. In this work, a
poetical translation and critised text of a hundered wise
sayings which might be related to Caliph Ali and which is
rumoured that famous Arabian scholar Cahız (ö. 255/
869) selected these wise sayings is introduced and presented
accordingly. In the hand written sample of these
literary works, the name of translator and the translation
date is not determined. According to these samples, the
poet who translated the “Sad Kelime” to the Turkish in a
poetic way did not add the introduction, the reason of
writing and the epilogue to the literary sample. Furthermore,
poet only translated a hundred Arabian aphorism
to the Turkish with quatrain of each. Moreover, the oldest
sample and characteristics of the language of these translation
gives the clue of it might be written in the begining
of 15. or 16. centuries. In the three of these known translations
there are Persian quatrains can be found.
These quatrains are the poems from Residüddin Vatvat’s
book of “Matlûbu Külli Tâlib Min Kelâmi Emîri’lmü’minîn
Alî bin Ebî Tâlib” which is translation and
annotation related to Caliph Ali’s a hundered wise
sayings. The unknown poet translated the Persian
quatrains to the Turkish without translating the Arabian
and Persian prosaic interpretations which are related to a
hundered wise sayings.
Keywords
Caliph Ali, A Hundred Word, Câhız, Reşîüddîn Vatvat, Turkish.