Translated Texts: Sultan Bayazid el segundo i los djudios desterados de Espanya
Translation of Albert Levy’s piece about the expulsion of Jews from Spain and their reception by Sultan Bayazid. Translated by Ashley Bobman.
Los mas venturozos delos egzilados,
djudios dela Espanya desterados;
fueron los ke se avrigaron en Turkia,
leshos dela muerte i la tirania.
El gloriozo Sultan Bayazid el segundo,
famozo estonses, en todo el mundo;
resivio los djudios a plantas de mano,
en las tieras del Imperio Otomano.
Sultan Bayazid, se mostro piadozo,
mas intelijente, prudente i injenyozo;
de todos los prinsipes kristianos,
konsernando la vida de nuestros ermanos.
Entendio la valor delos desfortunados,
los trezoros ke tenian guadrados;
no en sus bulsas ni en sus intestinos,
ma en los kashones de sus meoyos finos.
El realizo el provecho bien serio,
ke iva ser para su imperio;
el progreso i la prosperidad,
ke iva rezultar en kada sivdad.
El se burlava dela absurda idea,
dela inkezision maldicha i fea;
dela reyna, del papas Torkemada,
por sus terivle i mala pensada.
Del Rey Ferdinando el se burlava
por loke alos djudios desterava;
un puevlo intelijente i provechozo,
un puevlo fiero i laboriozo.
Sultan Bayazid siempre remarkava
i asu korte esto deklarava:
“Ferdinando su propio paiz emprovisio
i el mio, mas muncho enrikesio.”
Los djudios davan alavasiones i loores
a este monarka, por sus favores;
derechos i privilidjios les akordava.
i kon ojos de piadad los mirava,
el mando un “firman” ofisial,
asus provensias Evropeas en djeneral;
komandando a todos los governadores,
de no ronjar a los resfuidos espanyoles
de resivirlos kon dulsor i afavilidad,
darles avrigo, en kualonke sivdad;
tratarlos komo sivdadinos pazeguozos,
porke bivyeran kontentes i orozos.
Ansi donke, grasias a este soverano,
tan bueno, dulse i muy umano;
los djudios de Espanya ronjados,
empesaron a bivir, dias mijorados.
Miles se estabilisieron en Turkia,
formando una grandioza famia;
organizandosen en varias komunidades,
i despiegando esforsos i aktividades
avrieron eskolas, keilot fondaron,
varias institusiones organizaron;
en poko tiempo, se vido sukseso,
realizando un senyalado progreso.
Los djudios en el Imperio Otomano,
izieron un esforso sovre-umano;
eyos krearon una Espanya orientala.
en sus vida partikulara i nasionala
saliendo dela Espanya de el inferno,
avrigados basho un piadozo governo;
eyos progresaron, suvieron de grados,
ganando postos bastante elevados.
La Espanya de oy, siente regreto,
por el terivle “desteramiento,”
por la inkezision de maldicha memoria,
ke kedo preta en la istoria.
La Espanya de oy, realiza el yero,
i lo proklama kon korason sinsero;
ke los djudios su paiz emprovisieron,
dezde ke en Turkia se establisieron.
La Espanya de oy, tiene fuerte dezeo,
de ver a el puevlo ebreo;
returnar en su paiz komo antes,
i realizar progresos djigantes.
Asta agora numerozas tantativas,
seriozas repetadas i bivas;
fueron echas por politisianos,
por el returno de nuestros ermanos.
El Rey Alfonso, monarka aktualmente,
ansi ke “Pulido” senator intelejente;
tienen echo yamadas repetadas,
a personas sefaradim bien konsideradas.
El Rey Alfonso, ultimamente,
deklaro a Senyor “Rozanes” lo sigiente:
“es mi dezeo ke los djudios egzilados
returnen en mis tieras, bivan repozados.”
“Eyos son fieles, aktivos i zelozos,
deven olvidar, los rekordos doloriozos:
vinir en Espanya, bivir en pas,
sin tener trobles, ni dolores mas.”
Despues de mas de 4 siekolos desterados,
los sefaradim, oy somos yamados,
pero, la triste i maldicha inkezision,
no se puede embarar dela nasion.
Avlamos espanyol, esto konservimos
uzos i kostumbres guadremos;
pero, lo pasado es inolvidavle,
siendo fue un kulpo formidavle.
Alberto Levi
The more fortunate of the exiled,
the Jews expelled from Spain,
sheltered themselves in Turkey,
away from death and tyranny.
The glorious Sultan Bayazid II,
famous then in all the world,
received the Jews “with open arms”
in the lands of the Ottoman Empire.
Sultan Bayazid showed himself to be pious,
more intelligent, prudent, and ingenious,
than all the Christian princes
concerning the life of our brothers.
He understood the value of the unfortunate ones,
the treasures that they had preserved,
neither in their bags nor in their stomachs,
but in the drawers of their fine minds.
He realized the very serious benefit
that it was going to be for his empire,
the progress and the prosperity
that was going to result in each city.
He made fun of the absurd idea
of the accursed and ugly inquisition,
of the queen, of the priest Torkemada,
for their terrible and bad decision.
Of the King Ferdinand he made fun
for exiling the Jews,
an intelligent and beneficial people,
a proud and hardworking people.
Sultan Bayazid always remarked
and to his court this he declared,
“Ferdinand impoverished his own country,
and mine he very much enriched.”
The Jews praised and lauded
this monarch for his favors,
rights, and privileges accorded to them,
and he looked upon them with eyes of piety.
He sent an official “decree”
to the European provinces, in general,
commanding all of the governors
to not expel the Spanish refugees,
to receive them with sweetness and affability,
to give them shelter in any city,
to treat them as peaceful citizens
so that they live happily and with content.
Therefore, thanks to this sovereign,
so good, sweet, and very humane,
the expelled Jews from Spain
began to live better days.
Thousands established themselves in Turkey,
forming a grand family,
organizing themselves in various communities,
and displaying effort and activity.
They opened schools, they founded synagogues,
they organized various institutions;
in short time they witnessed success,
making noteworthy progress.
The Jews in the Ottoman Empire
made a super-human effort;
they created an Eastern Spain
in their private and national lives.
Leaving Spain, leaving the inferno,
sheltered under the pious government,
they progressed, their status rose,
earning quite elevated positions.
The Spain of today feels regret
for the terrible expulsion,
for the inquisition of accursed memory
that remains blackened in history.
The Spain of today realizes the mistake
and it proclaims with a sincere heart
that their country was impoverished
since the Jews established themselves in Turkey.
The Spain of today has a strong desire
to see the Hebrew people
return to their country, like before,
and make huge progress.
Until now numerous attempts,
serious, repeated, and enthusiastic,
were made by politicians
for the return of our brothers.
King Alfonso, the current monarch,
as well as Pulido, the intelligent senator,
have made repeated calls
to well considered Sephardic people.
King Alfonso recently
declared to Mr. Rozanes that which follows:
“it is my desire that the exiled Jews
return to my lands, [and] live restfully.”
“They are faithful, active, and zealous;
they should forget the tragic memories:
come to Spain, live in the peace,
without having troubles or more anguish.”
Even after more than four centuries of exile,
the Sephardim, as we are known today,
cannot erase the sad and accursed inquisition
from the nation.
We speak Spanish, this we maintain,
we keep traditions and customs,
but, the past is unforgettable,
since it was a tremendous blow.
Albert Levy