Mak Dizdar (1917-1971)

DARK BLUE RIVER

None can say where it is found
We know little but tis known
Beyond mountain, beyond valley
Beyond seven, beyond eight
And still sadder and still madder
Over weary, over bitter
Over hawthorn, over thornbush
Over drought and over hindrance
Over dread and over doubt
Beyond nine and beyond ten
There below beneath the earth
Over yonder beneath the sky
And still deeper and still fiercer
Beyond silence, beyond nightfall
Where the roosters do not crow
And the horns voice is unknown
And still sadder and still madder
Beyond mind and beyond God
For there is a dark blue river
It is broad and it is deep
It is broad one hundred years
A thousand summers is its depth
And its length not to be thought
Murk and darkness unrelenting
For there is a dark blue river
For there is a dark blue river
And that river we must cross
---------------------------------------------in original language:

MODRA RIJEKA
Nikto ne zna gdje je ona
Malo znamo al je znano
Iza gore iza dola
Iza sedam iza osam
I jo hue i jo lue
Preko gorkih preko mornih
Preko gloga preko drae
Preko ege preko stege
Preko slutnje preko sumnje
Iza devet iza deset
Tamo dolje ispod zemlje
I onamo ispod neba
I jo dublje i jo jae
Iza utnje iza tmae
Gdje pijetlovi ne pjevaju
Gdje se ne zna za glas roga
I jo hue i jo lue
Iza uma iza boga
Ima jedna modra rijeka
iroka je duboka je
Sto godina iroka je
Tisu ljeta duboka jest
O duljini i ne sanjaj
Tma i tmua neprebolna
Ima jedna modra rijeka
Ima jedna modra rijeka
Valja nama preko rijeke