Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Najwan Darwish

A CLARIFICATION

Judas did not mean to “betray” me—
he never even knew such a big word
He was simply “a man of the market”
and all he did—when the buyers came—
was sell me

Was the price too low?
Not at all. Thirty silver coins
are no small matter
for a man made of dirt

My dearest friends were all Judases
they were all
men of the market

Verklaring

Judas wilde mij niet “verraden”– hij kende deze grote woorden niet
Gewoon gezegd, hij was “een jongen van de markt” en alles wat hij deed, was mij verkopen toen er kopers kwamen
 
Was de prijs te laag?
Zeker niet, dertig zilverlingen is niet niks voor een mens gemaakt van stof
 
Judas waren al mijn toegewijde, dierbare vrienden: jongens van de markt!

Close

A CLARIFICATION

Judas did not mean to “betray” me—
he never even knew such a big word
He was simply “a man of the market”
and all he did—when the buyers came—
was sell me

Was the price too low?
Not at all. Thirty silver coins
are no small matter
for a man made of dirt

My dearest friends were all Judases
they were all
men of the market

A CLARIFICATION

Judas did not mean to “betray” me—
he never even knew such a big word
He was simply “a man of the market”
and all he did—when the buyers came—
was sell me

Was the price too low?
Not at all. Thirty silver coins
are no small matter
for a man made of dirt

My dearest friends were all Judases
they were all
men of the market
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