VI

Quoniam permultis ac diversis ydiomatibus negotium exercitatur humanum, ita quod multi multis non aliter intelligantur verbis quam sine verbis, de ydiomate illo venari nos decet quo vir sine matre, vir sine lacte, qui nec pupillarem etatem nec vidit adultam, creditur usus.

In hoc, sicut etiam in multis aliis, Petramala civitas amplissima est, et patria maiori parti filiorum Adam. Nam quicunque tam obscene rationis est ut locum sue nationis delitiosissimum credat esse sub sole, hic etiam pre cunctis proprium vulgare licetur, idest maternam locutionem, et per consequens credit ipsum fuisse illud quod fuit Ade.

Nos autem, cui mundus est patria velut piscibus equor, quanquam Sarnum biberimus ante dentes et Florentiam adeo diligamus ut, quia dileximus, exilium patiamur iniuste, rationi magis quam sensui spatulas nostri iudicii podiamus. Et quamvis ad voluptatem nostram sive nostre sensualitatis quietem in terris amenior locus quam Florentia non existat, revolventes et poetarum et aliorum scriptorum volumina quibus mundus universaliter et membratim describitur, ratiocinantesque in nobis situationes varias mundi locorum et eorum habitudinem ad utrunque polum et circulum equatorem, multas esse perpendimus firmiterque censemus et magis nobiles et magis delitiosas et regiones et urbes quam Tusciam et Florentiam, unde sumus oriundus et civis, et plerasque nationes et gentes delectabiliori atque utiliori sermone uti quam Latinos.

Redeuntes igitur ad propositum, dicimus certam formam locutionis a Deo cum anima prima concreatam fuisse. Dico autem ‘formam’ et quantum ad rerum vocabula et quantum ad vocabulorum constructionem et quantum ad constructionis prolationem: qua quidem forma omnis lingua loquentium uteretur, nisi culpa presumptionis humane dissipata fuisset, ut inferius ostendetur.

Hac forma locutionis locutus est Adam; hac forma locutionis locuti sunt omnes posteri eius usque ad edificationem turris Babel, que ‘turris confusionis’ interpretatur; hanc formam locutionis hereditati sunt filii Heber, qui ab eo dicti sunt Hebrei.

Hiis solis post confusionem remansit, ut Redemptor noster, qui ex illis oriturus erat secundum humanitatem, non lingua confusionis, sed gratie frueretur.

Fuit ergo hebraicum ydioma illud quod primi loquentis labia fabricarunt.

VII

Dispudet, heu, nunc humani generis ignominiam renovare! Sed quia preferire non possumus quin transeamus per illam, quanquam rubor ad ora consurgat animusque refugiat, percurremus.

O semper natura nostra prona peccatis! O ab initio et nunquam desinens nequitatrix! Num fuerat satis ad tui correptionem quod, per primam prevaricationem eluminata, delitiarum exulabas a patria? Num satis quod, per universalem familie tue luxuriem et trucitatem, unica riservata domo, quicquid tui iuris erat cataclismo perierat, et [que] commiseras tu animalia celi terreque iam luerant? Quippe satis extiterat. Sed, sicut proverbialiter dici solet ‘Non ante tertium equitabis’, misera miserum venire maluisti ad equum.

Ecce, lector, quod vel oblitus homo vel vilipendens disciplinas priores, et avertens oculos a vibicibus que remanserant, tertio insurrexit ad verbera, per superbam stultitiam presumendo.

Presumpsit ergo in corde suo incurabilis homo, sub persuasione gigantis Nembroth, arte sua non solum superare naturam, sed etiam ipsum naturantem, qui Deus est, et cepit edificare turrim in Sennaar, que postea dicta est Babel, hoc est ‘confusio’, per quam celum sperabat ascendere, intendens inscius non equare, sed suum superare Factorem.

O sine mensura clementia celestis imperii! Quis patrum tot sustineret insultus a filio? Sed exurgens non hostili scutica sed paterna et alias verberibus assueta, rebellantem filium pia correctione nec non memorabili castigavit.

Siquidem pene totum humanum genus ad opus iniquitatis coierat: pars imperabant, pars architectabantur, pars muros moliebantur, pars amussibus regulabant, pars trullis linebant, pars scindere rupes, pars mari, pars terra vehere intendebant, partesque diverse diversis aliis operibus indulgebant; cum celitus tanta confusione percussi sunt ut, qui omnes una eademque loquela deserviebant ad opus, ab opere multis diversificati loquelis desinerent et nunquam ad idem commertium convenirent.

Solis etenim in uno convenientibus actu eadem loquela remansit: puta cunctis architectoribus una, cunctis saxa volventibus una, cunctis ea parantibus una; et sic de singulis operantibus accidit. Quot quot autem exercitii varietates tendebant ad opus, tot tot ydiomatibus tunc genus humanum disiungitur; et quanto excellentius exercebant, tanto rudius nunc barbariusque locuntur.

Quibus autem sacratum ydioma remansit nec aderant nec exercitium commendabant, sed graviter detestantes stoliditatem operantium deridebant. Sed hec minima pars, quantum ad numerum, fuit de semine Sem, sicut conicio, qui fuit tertius filius Noe: de qua quidem ortus est populus Israel, qui antiquissima locutione sunt usi usque ad suam dispersionem.

– – –

The myth of Babel tells of the loss of the earth’s one language and one speech, and the confusion of languages. Suddenly every object and every idea assumed a plurality of names, and the oversized tower, symbol of human imagination and hubris, was abandoned within the shadow foreboding its destruction. With an unprecedented series of correlated texts, Specimen explores these magnificent ruins, hearing echoes of the multiplicity of languages and the birth of translation. This collection includes texts about Babel, translation or language, and special translations. In September 2021, 20 years after 9/11, the Babel festival will focus on the multiplication of languages and the present diaspora from the regions of ancient Babylon – the scattering of the children of men over the face of all the earth. >> www.babelfestival.com

VI

Since human affairs are now carried on in so many different languages, so that many people are no better understood by others when they use words than when they do not, it behooves us to hunt for the language believed to have been used by the man who never had a mother nor drank her milk, the man who never saw either childhood or maturity.

In this, as in many other matters, Pietramala is a great city indeed, the home of the greater part of the children of Adam. For whoever is so misguided as to think that the place of his birth is the most delightful spot under the sun may also believe that his own language–his mother tongue, that is–is pre-eminent among all others; and, as a result, he may believe that his language was also Adam’s.

To me, however, the whole world is a homeland, like the sea to fish–though I drank from the Arno before cutting my teeth, and love Florence so much that, because I loved her, I suffer exile unjustly–and I will weight the balance of my judgement more with reason than with sentiment. And although for my own enjoyment (or rather for the satisfaction of my own desire), there is no more agreeable place on earth than Florence, yet when I turn the pages of the volumes of poets and other writers, by whom the world is described as a whole and in its constituent parts, and when I reflect inwardly on the various locations of places in the world, and their relations to the two poles and the circle at the equator, I am convinced, and firmly maintain, that there are many regions and cities more noble and more delightful than Tuscany and Florence, where I was born and of which I am a citizen, and many nations and peoples who speak a more elegant and practical language than do the Italians.

Returning, then, to my subject, I say that a certain form of language was created by God along with the first soul; I say ‘form’ with reference both to the words used for things, and to the construction of words, and to the arrangement of the construction; and this form of language would have continued to be used by all speakers, had it not been shattered through the fault of human presumption, as will be shown below.

In this form of language Adam spoke; in this form of language spoke all his descendants until the building of the Tower of Babel (which is interpreted as ‘tower of confusion’); this is the form of language inherited by the sons of Heber, who are called Hebrews because of it. To these alone it remained after the confusion, so that our redeemer, who was to descend from them (in so far as He was human), should not speak the language of confusion, but that of grace.

So the Hebrew language was that which the lips of the first speaker moulded.

VII

Alas, how it shames me now to recall the dishonouring of the human race! But since I can make no progress without passing that way, though a blush comes to my cheek and my spirit recoils, I shall make haste to do so.

Oh human nature, always inclined towards sin! Engaged in evil from the beginning, and never changing your ways! Was it not enough to correct you that, banished from the light for the first transgression, you should live in exile from the delights of your homeland? Was it not enough that, because of the all-pervading lust and cruelty of your race, everything that was yours should have perished in a cataclysm, one family alone being spared, and that the creatures of earth and sky should have had to pay for the wrongs that you had committed? It should indeed have been enough. But, as we often say in the form of a proverb, ‘not before the third time will you ride’ [the third time works the charm]; and you, wretched humanity, chose to mount a fractious steed.

And so, reader, the human race, either forgetful or disdainful of earlier punishments, and averting its eyes from the bruises that remained, came for a third time to deserve a beating, putting its trust in its own foolish pride. Incorrigible humanity, therefore, led astray by the giant Nimrod, presumed in its heart to outdo in skill not only nature but the source of its own nature, who is God; and began to build a tower in Sennaar, which afterwards was called Babel (that is, ‘confusion’). By this means human beings hoped to climb up to heaven, intending in their foolishness not to equal but to excel their creator.

Oh boundless mercy of the kingdom of heaven! What other father would have borne so many insults from his child? Yet, rising up not with an enemy’s whip but that of a father, already accustomed to dealing out punishment, He chastised His rebellious offspring with a lesson as holy as it was memorable.

Almost the whole of the human race had collaborated in this work of evil. Some gave orders, some drew up designs; some built walls, some measured them with plumb-lines, some smeared mortar on them with trowels; some were intent on breaking stones, some on carrying them by sea, some by land; and other groups still were engaged in other activities – until they were all struck by a great blow from heaven. Previously all of them had spoken one and the same language while carrying out their tasks; but now they were forced to leave off their labours, never to return to the same occupation, because they had been split up into groups speaking different languages.

Only among those who were engaged in a particular activity did their language remain unchanged; so, for instance, there was one for all the architects, one for all the carriers of stones, one for all the stone-breakers, and so on for all the different operations. As many as were the types of work involved in the enterprise, so many were the languages by which the human race was fragmented; and the more skill required for the type of work, the more rudimentary and barbaric the language they now spoke.

But the holy tongue remained to those who had neither joined in the project nor praised it, but instead, thoroughly disdaining it, had made fun of the builders’ stupidity. This insignificant minority – insignificant in numbers alone – were, as I believe, of the family of Shem, Noah’s third son, from which descended the people of Israel, who used this most ancient language until the time of their dispersal.

– – –

The myth of Babel tells of the loss of the earth’s one language and one speech, and the confusion of languages. Suddenly every object and every idea assumed a plurality of names, and the oversized tower, symbol of human imagination and hubris, was abandoned within the shadow foreboding its destruction. With an unprecedented series of correlated texts, Specimen explores these magnificent ruins, hearing echoes of the multiplicity of languages and the birth of translation. This collection includes texts about Babel, translation or language, and special translations. In September 2021, 20 years after 9/11, the Babel festival will focus on the multiplication of languages and the present diaspora from the regions of ancient Babylon – the scattering of the children of men over the face of all the earth. >> www.babelfestival.com

VI

Poiché l’attività umana si esercita attraverso moltissimi e diversi linguaggi, cosicché molti realizzano altrettanta comprensione reciproca con le parole che senza parole, è opportuno mettersi alla ricerca della lingua che si pensa abbia usato l’uomo che non ebbe madre e non ricevette latte, che non conobbe età infantile né crescita.

Per questo, come per molti altri aspetti, una Pietramala è una città immensa, è la patria della maggior parte dei figli d’Adamo. Perché chiunque ragiona in modo così spregevole da credere che il posto dove è nato sia il più gradevole che esiste sotto il sole, costui stima anche il proprio volgare, cioè la lingua materna, al di sopra di tutti gli altri, e di conseguenza crede che sia proprio lo stesso che appartenne ad Adamo.

Ma noi, la cui patria è il mondo come per i pesci il mare, benché abbiamo bevuto nel Sarno prima di mettere i denti e amiamo Firenze a tal punto da patire ingiustamente, proprio perché l’abbiamo amata, l’esilio, noi appoggeremo la bilancia del nostro giudizio alla ragione piuttosto che al sentimento. Certo ai fini di una vita piacevole e insomma dell’appagamento dei nostri sensi non c’è sulla terra luogo più amabile di Firenze; tuttavia a leggere e rileggere i volumi dei poeti e degli altri scrittori che descrivono il mondo nell’assieme e nelle sue parti, e a riflettere dentro di noi alle varie posizioni delle località del mondo e al loro rapporto con l’uno e l’altro polo e col circolo equatoriale, abbiamo tratto questa convinzione, e la sosteniamo con fermezza: che esistono molte regioni e città più nobili e più gradevoli della Toscana e di Firenze, di cui sono nativo e cittadino, e che ci sono svariati popoli e genti che hanno una lingua più piacevole e più utile di quella degli italiani.

Tornando dunque all’assunto, diciamo che in una con la prima anima fu creata da Dio una ben determinata forma di linguaggio. E dico “forma” sia riguardo ai vocaboli che indicano le cose, sia riguardo alla costruzione dei vocaboli, sia riguardo alle desinenze della costruzione: ed è precisamente di tale forma che farebbero uso tutti i parlanti nella loro lingua, se essa non fosse stata smembrata per colpa dell’umana presunzione, come si mostrerà più sotto.

In questa forma di linguaggio parlò Adamo; in questa parlarono tutti i suoi posteri fino alla costruzione della torre di Babele – che viene interpretata come “torre della confusione”; questa forma di linguaggio fu quella che ereditarono i figli di Eber, che da lui furono chiamati Ebrei. Ad essi soli rimase dopo la confusione, affinché il nostro Redentore, che per il lato umano della sua natura doveva nascere da loro, fruisse non di una lingua della confusione, ma di una lingua di grazia.

Fu dunque l’idioma ebraico quello che plasmarono le labbra del primo parlante.

VII

Che vergogna, ahimè, rinnovare ora l’ignominia del genere umano! Ma poiché non possiamo procedere oltre senza passare per questa strada, percorriamola, benché il rossore monti al viso e l’animo ne rifugga.

O natura di noi uomini sempre pronta a peccare! O natura scellerata, fin dal principio e senza mai fine! Non era bastato per correggerti che, privata della luce a causa della prima prevaricazione, fossi stata bandita dal paradiso delle delizie? Non era bastato che, per l’universale lussuria e barbarie della tua gente, tutto ciò che era in tuo dominio – tranne una sola famiglia che si salvò – fosse perito nel cataclisma, e che gli animali del cielo e della terra avessero già pagato il fio delle colpe da te commesse? Davvero doveva bastare. Ma, come si dice nel diffuso proverbio, “Non monterai a cavallo prima della terza volta”, preferisti, sciagurata, affrontare un infausto cavallo.

Ed ecco, lettore, che l’uomo, dimentico o sprezzante dei castighi precedenti, e distogliendo gli occhi dai lividi che gli erano rimasti, si levò per la terza volta a provocare le percosse, nella sua superba e sciocca presunzione.

Così l’uomo, inguaribile, presunse in cuor suo, sotto l’istigazione del gigante Nembròt, di superare con la sua tecnica non solo la natura ma lo stesso naturante, che è Dio, e cominciò a costruire una torre nella zona di Sennaar, che poi fu chiamata Babele (cioè “confusione”), con la quale sperava di dar la scalata al cielo, nell’incosciente intenzione non di eguagliare, ma di superare il suo Fattore.

O sconfinata clemenza del regno celeste! Quale padre avrebbe sopportato dal figlio tanti insulti? E invece quel Padre, levandosi con una sferza non ostile ma paterna, e già abituata altre volte a colpire, castigò il figlio ribelle con una punizione pietosa e insieme memorabile.

Certo è che quasi tutto il genere umano si era dato convegno per l’iniqua impresa: chi comandava i lavori, chi progettava le costruzioni, chi erigeva muri, chi li squadrava con le livelle, chi li intonacava con le spatole, chi era intento a spaccare le rocce, chi a trasportar massi per mare e chi per terra, e altri a diversi gruppi attendevano a diversi altri lavori; quando furono colpiti dall’alto del cielo da una tale confusione che, mentre tutti si dedicavano all’impresa servendosi di una sola e medesima lingua, resi diversi da una moltitudine di lingue dovettero rinunciarvi, e non seppero più accordarsi in un’attività comune.

Infatti solo a coloro che erano concordi in una stessa operazione rimase una stessa lingua: per esempio un’unica lingua per tutti gli architetti, una per tutti quelli che rotolavano massi, una per tutti quelli che li apprestavano; e così accadde per i singoli gruppi di lavoratori. E quante erano le varietà di lavoro in funzione dell’impresa, altrettanti sono i linguaggi in cui in questo momento si separa il genere umano; e quanto più eccellente era il lavoro svolto, tanto più rozza e barbara è la lingua che ora parlano.

Ma coloro a cui rimase la lingua sacra non erano presenti ai lavori né li lodavano, anzi li esecravano severamente, deridendo la stoltezza degli addetti. Questa piccolissima parte – piccolissima quanto a numero – fu, secondo la mia congettura, della stirpe di Sem, il terzo figlio di Noè: da essa ebbe appunto origine il popolo d’Israele, che si servì di quell’antichissima lingua fino alla sua dispersione.

– – –

The myth of Babel tells of the loss of the earth’s one language and one speech, and the confusion of languages. Suddenly every object and every idea assumed a plurality of names, and the oversized tower, symbol of human imagination and hubris, was abandoned within the shadow foreboding its destruction. With an unprecedented series of correlated texts, Specimen explores these magnificent ruins, hearing echoes of the multiplicity of languages and the birth of translation. This collection includes texts about Babel, translation or language, and special translations. In September 2021, 20 years after 9/11, the Babel festival will focus on the multiplication of languages and the present diaspora from the regions of ancient Babylon – the scattering of the children of men over the face of all the earth. >> www.babelfestival.com

VI

بمَا أنَّ الشُؤُون الإنْسَانيَّة تُقَام الآن بلُغَاتٍ مُختَلِفة عَديدَة، بحَيث أنَّ الكثيرَ مِن النَاس لا يُفهَموا بشَكلٍ أفْضَل مِن قِبَل الآخرين حين يَستخْدِموا الكلِمَاتَ عمَّا لَو لَمْ يستَخْدِمُوها، يَدفعُنا ذَلك لاسْتِقْصَاء اللغة التي يُعتَقَد أنَّها اُستُخدِمَت مِن قِبَل الرجُل الذي لم يَكُن لدَيه أبدًا أمٌّ ولا شَرِبَ مِن لبَنُها، الرجُل الذي لمْ يَرَ أبدًا طُفُولَةً ولا نُضُوج. فِي هَذَا، مِثل أمُورٍ أُخرَى عَديدَة، ‘بِيترَامَالا’ مَدِينَةٌ عَظِيمةٌ بالفِعْل، بيتُ القِسْط الأكبَر من أبنَاء آدم. لمَن هو مُضَلَّل للغَايَةِ أنْ يَظُنَّ مَكَان مَولِده هو أكثَر مَوقِع بَهيجِ تَحْت الشَمْس، فرُبَّمَا يَعْتَقِد أيضًا أنَّ لُغَتِه الخَاصَة – أيْ لُغَتِه الأم– تَفُوقَ كُل الأُخرَيَات؛ و، كنَتِيجَةٍ، رُبَّمَا يَعْتَقِد أنَّ لُغَتِه هي لُغَة آدم. بالنِّسبَة لي، على أيَّة حَال، العالمُ كُلَّه وَطَنٌ، مِثل البَحرِ للسَمَكَةِ – على الرَغْم أنِّي شَرِبتُ مِن ‘آرْنُو’ قَبل أنْ أُسنِّن، وأُحِبُّ ‘فلورنسا’ للغَايَة إلى حَدْ أنِّي، بسَبَبِ أنِّي أحْبَبْتُها، أُعَانِي النَفْي ظُلمًا – وسأزِنُ حُكمي بالمَنْطِق أكثَر مِن العَاطِفَة. وبالرَّغم أنَّه لا يُوجَد مَكَانٌ أكثَر قُبُولاً عَلَى الأرضِ مِن ‘فلُورَنْسَا’ لمُتْعَتِي (أو بالأحْرَى لإشبَاعِ رغبَتي)، فَحِين أقلِّب صَفَحات كُتُب الشُعَرَاءِ والكُتَّابِ الآخرَين، الذِينَ عَبرَهُم وُصِفَ العَالمَ بشَكْلٍ كُلِّيِّ وفِي أجْزَاءِه المُكَوِّنِة، وَحِينَ أتَأمَّلُ بَاطِنيًا مَوَاقِعَ الأمَاكِنَ المُخْتَلِفَةِ فِي العَالَمِ، وعِلاقَتِهِم بالقُطْبَيِنِ والدَائِرَةِ عِنْدَ خَطْ الاسْتِوَاءِ، أقتَنِعُ، وأقِرُّ بُوضُوحٍ، أنَّ هُنَاكَ مَنَاطِق ومُدُن عَديدَة أكثَر نُبْلاً وبَهْجَة مِن ‘تُوسْكَانِي’ و‘فلُورَنْسَا’، حَيثُ وُلِدْتُ وتَوطَّنْتُ، وأُمَمٌ وشُعُوبٌ عَديدَة يتحدَّثونَ لُغَةً أكثَر أنَاقَة وعَمَليَّة مِن الإيطَاليين. بالعَوْدَةٍ، إذًا، لموْضُوعِي، أقولُ إنَّ شَكلاً مَا مِن اللُغَة خَلَقَه الله مَع الرُّوح الأولَى؛ أقُولُ ‘شَكلاً’ بالإحَالَةِ إلى الكَلِمَات المُسْتَخْدَمَة للأشْيَاءِ، وبِنَاء الكَلِمَاتِ، وتَرْتِيب البِنَاء مَعًا؛ وكَانَ لِهَذَا الشَّكْل مِن اللُغَة الاسْتِمْرَارُ فِي اسْتِخْدَامِه مِن قِبَل كُلِّ المُتَحَدْثِينَ، لَو أنَّه لَمْ يُهشَّم عَبْرَ خَطَأ الافْتِرَاض الإنْسَانيّ، كَمَا سَيُبيَّن بالأسْفَل. فِي هَذا الشَّكْل مِن اللُغَة تَحَدَّثَ آدمُ؛ فِي هَذا الشَّكْل مِن اللُغَة تَحَدَّثَ كُلُّ نَسْلِه حَتَّى بِنَاء بُرْجِ بَابِل (الذي تُرْجِمَ بـ ‘بُرْج البَلْبَلَة’)؛ هَذَا هُو شَكْل اللُغَة المَوْرُوُث مِن قِبَل أبْنَاء ‘عِبر’، الذين دُعِيوا عِبرَانِيين لأجل ذلك. لِهَؤلاء فَقَطْ بَقِيَتْ بَعد البَلْبَلَة، كَي لا يَتَحدَّث مُخلِّصنَا، الذي كَانَ لِيَنْحَدِر مِنْهُم (بِمِقْدَار مَا كَان إنْسَانًا)، لُغَة البَلْبَلة، بَل النِعْمَة. لِذَا كَانَت اللُغَة العِبْريَّة هِي التي شَكَّلتْهَا شِفَاهُ المُتَحدِّث الأوَّل.

VII

واأَسَفَاه، كَم يُخْجِلَنِي الآن تَذَكُّر خِزْيَان الجِنْس البَشَرِيّ! لَكِنْ بِمَا أنَّه لا يُمْكِنَنِي أنْ أُحْرِزَ تَقَدُمًا دُونَ المُرُور بِهَذَا الطَرِيق، بالرَّغْم مِن أنَّ حُمْرَةً تَكْسُو وِجْنَتِي ورُوحِي تَجْفُلُ، يَنْبَغِي عليَّ أنْ أُهِمُّ بِفِعْل ذَلِك. آه أيَّتُهَا الطَبِيعَة البَشَرِيَّة، تَمِيلِين دَوْمًا تِجَاه الخَطِيئَةِ! مُتَوَرِطَة فِي الشَّرِ مِن البِدَايَة، وَلَا تُغَيِّريِن أَبَدًا سُبُلكِ! ألَمْ يَكُنْ كَافِيًا لِتَقْوُيِمِكِ أنَّ، مَنْفِيَّة مِن النُّوُر بِسَبَبِ انْتِهَاكُك الأوَّل، عَلَيِكِ العَيِش فِي مَنْفَى مِن مَسَرَّات وَطَنِكِ؟ ألَمْ يَكُنْ كافيًا أنَّ، بِسَبَب الشَّهْوَة والقَسْوَة التِي تَشْمَل جِنْسَك كُلَّه، كُلَ شَيءْ كَانَ لَكِ هَلَكَ فِي طُوفَانٍ، وعَائِلَة وَحِيدَة نَجِيَت، وأنَّ مَخْلُوقَاتَ الأرْضِ والسَمَاءِ كَانَ عَليِهَا أنْ تَدْفَع ثَمَنَ الأخْطَاءِ التِي ارْتَكَبْتِهَا؟ بالفِعْل كَانَ يَنْبَغِي أنْ يَكُون كَافِيًا. لَكِن، كَمَا أعْتَدْنَا القَوْل فِي صُوْرَة مَثَل، ‘لَيْسَ قَبْل المَرَّة الثَالِثَة سَتمْتَطِي’ [الثَالِثَة ثَابِتَة]؛ وأنْتِ، أيَّتُهَا الإنْسَانِيَّة التَعِسَة، أخْتَرْتِ أنْ تَعْتَلي فَرَسًا حَرُونًا. ولِذَا، أيُّهَا القَارِئ، الجِنْس البَشَرِي، إمَّا نَاسِيًا أو مُحتَقِرًا العُقُوبَات السَابِقة، ومُبْعِدًا عَيْنَيه مِن الكَدَمَاتِ البَاقِيَة، أتَى للْمَرَةِ الثاَلِثَة ليستَحِق الضَرْب، واضِعًا ثِقَتَه فِي كِبْرِيَائِه الأحْمَق. ظَنَّتْ فِي قَلْبِهَا إذًا، الإنْسَانيّة غَير القَابِلَة للصَلَاح، بِتَضْلِيل مِن العِمْلاق ‘نَمرود’، أنْ تَتَخَطَّى فِي المَهَارَة لَيْس فَقَط الطَبِيعَة بَلْ مَصْدَر طَبِيعَتُها نَفْسَهَا، الذِي هُو الله؛ وَشَرُعَتْ فِي بِنَاء بُرجٍ فِي ‘شِنعار’، التِي سُمِّيَتْ بَعْد ذَلِك ‘بَابِل’ (الذِي هُو ‘بَلْبَلَة’). بِهَذِه الوَسِيلَة تَمَنَّى البَشَرُ التسَلُّقَ إلى الجَنَّةِ، عَازِمِين فِي حُمْقِهِم لا أنْ يَتَسَاوُوا بَل يَتَخَطُّوا خَالِقِهِم. آه يا رَحْمَة مَمْلَكَة الجَنَّة التِي لا حَدَ لَهَا! أيُّ أبٍ آخَرٍ كَانَ ليِتَحَمَّل كُلَّ هَذِه الإهَانَات مِن أبْنِه؟ مَع ذَلِك، همَّ لا بسوط عَدُو لَكِن أبٍ، مُعْتَادٍ بالفِعْل عَلَى إنْزَالِ العِقَابَ، أدَّب ذُرِّيَّته المُتَمَرِدَة بِدَرْسٍ مُقدَّسٍ كَمَا هُو جَدِيرٍ بالتَذَكُّر. تَعَاوَنَ الجِنْس البَشَرِي بأكْمَلِه تَقْرِيبًا فِي عَمَلِ الشَّرِ هَذَا. البَعْضُ أعْطَى الأوَامِرَ، البَعْضُ رَسَمَ التصَامِيمَ؛ البَعْضُ بَنَى الحُوَائِطَ، البَعْضُ قَاسُوهُم بِمَطَامِيرِ، البَعْضُ دَهَنُوا المَلَاطَ عَلِيهم بالمَوالِجِ؛ البَعْضُ كَانَ مُنْكَبًّا عَلَى تَكْسِير الحِجَارَةِ، البَعْضُ عَلى حَملِهُم مِن البَحْرِ، البَعْضُ مِن اليَابِسَةِ؛ ومَجْمُوعَاتٌ أُخْرَى أيضًا اشْتَرَكَتْ فِي أنْشِطَةٍ أُخْرَى – حَتَّى أصَابَتْهُم جَمِيعَهُم ضَرْبَةٌ هَائِلَة ٌمِن السَمَاء. قَبل ذَلِك، تَكَلَمُوا كُلَهُم اللُغَةَ الوَاحِدَة نَفْسُهَا، بَيْنَمَا يَقُومُون بِمَهَامِهِم؛ لَكِن الآن أُجْبِرُوا عَلَى تَرْكِ أعْمَالِهِم، وألَّا يَعُودُوا أبَدًا إلَى ذَاتِ الشُّغْل، لأنَّهُم قَدْ انْقَسَمُوا إلَى جَمَاعَات تَتَحدَّث لُغَاتً مُخْتَلِفَة. فَقَط مِن بَين هَؤلاءِ الذِين قَامُوا بِنَشَاطٍ مُعَيَّن بَقِيتْ لُغَتِهِم غَير مُتغيِّرة؛ لِذَا، عَلَى سَبِيل المِثَال، هُنَاك وَاحِدٌ لِكُل المِعْمَارِيين، وَاحِدٌ لِكُل حَامِلِي الحِجَارَةِ، وَاحِدٌ لِكُل كَاسِرِي الحِجَارَةِ، وَهَكَذَا لِكُل العَمَلِيَّاتِ المُخْتَلِفَة. بِعَدَدِ أنْوَاعِ الأعْمَالِ المُتَضَمِّنَة فِي المِشْرُوعِ، كَانَ هُنَاك لُغَات تَفَرَّقَ بِهَا الجِنْس البَشَرِي؛ وكُلَّمَا زَادَتْ المَهَارَةُ المَطْلُوبَةُ لنُوعٍ مِن العَمَلِ، زَادَتْ بِدَائيَّةُ وبَرْبَرِيَّةُ اللُغَةِ التِي يَتَحَدَّثُون بِهَا الآن. لَكِن اللِسَانُ المُقَدَّسُ بَقِيَ للذِين لَمْ يَنْضَمُّوا للمَشْرُوعِ وَلا مَدَحُوه، بَلْ عِوَضًا، ازْدَرُوه تَمَامًا، وسَخِرُوا مِن غَبَاءِ البنَّائِين. هَذِه الأقلِّيَّة المُتَوَاضِعَة –مُتَوَاضِعَة العَدَدِ فَقَطْ– كَانَت، كَمَا أعْتَقِدُ، عَائلِة سَامْ، ابن نُوح الثَالِث، الذِي أنْحَدَرَ مِنْه شَعْبُ إسْرَائِيل، الذِين اسْتَخْدَمُوا اللُغَةَ الأقْدَمَ هَذِه حَتَّى زَمَنِ تَشَتُّتِهِم.

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The myth of Babel tells of the loss of the earth’s one language and one speech, and the confusion of languages. Suddenly every object and every idea assumed a plurality of names, and the oversized tower, symbol of human imagination and hubris, was abandoned within the shadow foreboding its destruction. With an unprecedented series of correlated texts, Specimen explores these magnificent ruins, hearing echoes of the multiplicity of languages and the birth of translation. This collection includes texts about Babel, translation or language, and special translations. In September 2021, 20 years after 9/11, the Babel festival will focus on the multiplication of languages and the present diaspora from the regions of ancient Babylon – the scattering of the children of men over the face of all the earth. >> www.babelfestival.com