Horrific accident in troublous times

Within a month, one thing after another has happened that shouldn't have happened.

In early December 2024, the head of State, fearing paralysis of the national politics, declared the emergency martial law, only to lift it after six hours in the face of nationwide backlash.

The President was then impeached and removed from office, and the Prime Minister took over as acting president, only to be impeached by the majority opposition in the National Assembly.

Then, in late December, a passenger plane crashed after hitting a bird, killing all the people who had traveled abroad for Christmas and New Year's.

Throughout a week in the following year, the President, who had been accused of rebellion, refused to be investigated, and the once quiet region at Hanam-dong was plunged into chaos as citizens desperate to protect him from an illegal investigation surrounded the presidential residence.

 

What a troublesome age we live in, and the powerless people are suffering!
O Lord, have mercy on us. 

 

* 렘브란트, 갈릴리 바다의 폭풍

 

난세기(亂世記)  - 정봉렬

Chronicle of Turbulent Age    by Chung Bong-ryeol

 

어떻게 살아가나 난세를 만났으니

무엇을 해야 하나 영웅의 꿈을 꾸랴

도적이 권세를 쥐는

천하대란 요지경

How can I live, now that I've met a turbulent age.

What should I do - dream of a hero?

A rogue holds power

As the world is falling apart.

원칙이 무너지고 상식도 사라지고

입법 행정 사법 언론 역도들이 활개친다

가진 자 부화뇌동하고

배운 자 곡학아세(曲學阿世)

Since principles collapse, and common sense disappears,

Evil villains grab and shake legislative, administrative, judicial and media powers.

Those who have money follow others blindly, and

The learned are willingly change their scholarly integrity.

근본을 잃지 않은 필부의 단심으로

목불인견 망국지사 한 자 한 올 풀어내어

오는 봄 태평가(太平歌)를 꿈꾸며

난세가(亂世歌)를 부른다

As a writer who hasn't lost his roots with single-mindedness,

To inscribe records one by one of the unbearable troublesome affairs,

I sing the song of the turbulent world

Dreaming of the peaceful world in coming spring.

 

* 남해 한려수도의 아침

 

동이 트기 시작하면 섬들도 함께 깨어난다.

아침 바다 위로 떠오르는 태양은 희망을 속삭인다.

바다라고 늘 거센 바람과 파도가 이는 것만은 아니다.

가까이 있는 다른 섬들이 폭풍과 풍랑을 막아줄 때가 많다.

크고 작은 섬이 어울려 한 폭의 아름다운 그림을 만들기도 한다.

바로 오늘이 그날이다.

 

 

작은 위로  - 이해인

A Little Consolation    by Lee Hae-in

 

잔디밭에 쓰러진

분홍색 상사화를 보며

혼자서 울었어요

Looking at the red flowers

which collapsed on the grass,

I cried alone.

쓰러진 꽃들을

어떻게

위로해야 할지 몰라

하늘을 봅니다

I don’t know

how to comfort

the fallen flowers.

I look up the sky.

비에 젖은 꽃들도

위로해 주시구요

아름다운 죄가 많아

가엾은 사람들도

더 많이 사랑해주세요

Please comfort

the rain-soaked flowers.

There are poor people

with many beautiful sins.

Please love them more.

보고 싶은 하느님

오늘은 하루 종일

꼼짝을 못하겠으니

Dear God whom I want to see.

Today, all day long

I can't move a inch.

어서 저를

일으켜주십시오

지혜의 웃음으로

저를 적셔주십시오

Rush to me, and

raise me up.

With the smile of wisdom

Bless me from head to toe.