The Farsi translator of “A Tale of Two Cities” and “Spartacus” has died. I am sure many of you have read at least one, or several, of his numerous translations. Ebrahim Younesi, renowned Persian literary figure and translator, died on February 8, 2012, at the age of 85.
He was born in 1926-27 (exact day and month is unknown) in "Bahe" (بانه), in the province of Kurdistan, near Iran-Iraq border.
Before the August 19, 1953 Iranian coup d'etat, Younesi was an officer in the secret Tudeh Party Military Organization of Iran (سازمانِ نظامیِ حزبِ تودهِ ایران). After the coup and overthrow of the Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, he was arrested and sentenced to death by execution; however his execution sentence was reduced to life imprisonment because he had lost one of his feet while serving in the military in the freezing cold of Orūmīyeh. He spend many years in prison, including one year in solitary confinement. While he was in prison he learned the French language from his fellow prison-mates.
After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, he was appointed as the governor (استاندار) of Kurdistan Province during Mehdi Bazargan interim government, but three months later, Younesi resigned from this post.
Younesi has written several books in the Persian language, translated eighty books from English to Farsi, and one book from French to Farsi. Most of the books he translated are world renowned masterpieces (see a partial list below).
A couple of years ago, he was inflicted with Alzheimer disease and spent the rest of his life in need of care, which in that regard he said, "I have no money to spend on medical treatment abroad. I only receive a meager retirement pension."
Iran has lost another one of its treasures.
A partial list of his literary translations:
"A Tale of Two Cities" and "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
"Spartacus" by Howard Fast
"A Pair of Blue Eyes", "Far From The Madding Crowd", "Jude The Obscure", and "The Return Of The Native" by Thomas Hardy
"A History of Russian Literature", in ten volumes, by D. S. Mirsky (Dmitry Petrovich Svyatopolk-Mirsky)
Sources:
Mehr News Agency (ابراهیم یونسی, نویسنده و مترجم) >>>
Iran Book News Agency >>>
Wikipedia >>>
BBC >>>
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by yolanda on Thu Feb 16, 2012 10:15 AM PSTWow! He was quadrulingual! Amazing!
His legacy lives on!
I have not been on IC very much lately 'cause I am following "Linsanity" of New York Knicks!
I am looking forward to Oscar! Less than 10 days away!
Thank you all for the funeral photos!
Younesi's funeral pictures.
by Esfand Aashena on Thu Feb 16, 2012 07:31 AM PST//www.mehrnews.com/fa/newsdetail.aspx?NewsID=1535619
Everything is sacred
آگاهیهای ترحیم یونسی در تهران in PDF
Esfand AashenaMon Feb 13, 2012 06:20 AM PST
//www.ettelaat.com/ethomeedition/todaypdf/p15.pdf
Click on page 15 of the below link:
//www.ettelaat.com/etHomeEdition/Sunday/sun.htm
The ad is good for few days, if not just today.
Everything is sacred
At least he knew 4 languages
by Multiple Personality Disorder on Fri Feb 10, 2012 09:22 AM PST,,, Kurdish, Farsi, English, and French. He might have know Azari also, but I couldn't verify it.
Thank you all for reading and your comments.
I found a picture of his funeral here:
//azarakhshcan.blogspot.com/2012/02/blog-post...
...........
by yolanda on Thu Feb 09, 2012 11:17 PM PSTThank you, MPD, for your blog! Wow! The guy was trilingual and a prolific translator. To translate 80 books was a lot of work! I read a little bit of "A Tale of 2 cities" in high school, the book was thick!
His life story is shocking! Apparently executions are commonplace & routine in Iran! Very sad! I am glad the guy dodged a bullet and lived a long life and accomplished a lot!
Thank you for sharing!
Rest in peace
by divaneh on Thu Feb 09, 2012 05:40 PM PSTThanks MPD jaan for this obituary and reminding everyone of the services that Mr Younesi did for his society.
Thank you MPD For the blog about Mr. Yunesi
by Mehrban on Thu Feb 09, 2012 06:48 AM PSTI didn't know him but I know what great debt of gratitude we owe to our erudite translators to have made great works of literature accessible to us. May he rest in peace.
RIP.
by Roozbeh_Gilani on Thu Feb 09, 2012 04:57 AM PST"Personal business must yield to collective interest."
Didn't know him but sounds like he had an interesting life.
by Esfand Aashena on Thu Feb 09, 2012 04:54 AM PSTMay he rest in peace.
Everything is sacred
MPD, Thank you for
by Maryam Hojjat on Thu Feb 09, 2012 04:14 AM PSTShort bio of this Great literary Iranian.