Comparing Translations: Godaan

Roadarmel:

Hori Ram finished feeding his two bullocks and then turned to his wife Dhaniya. 'Send Gobar to hoe the sugar cane. I don't know when I'll be back. Just get me my stick.'

Dhaniya had been making fuel-cakes, so her hands were covered in dung. 'First eat something before you leave,' she said. 'What's the big hurry?'

A frown deepened the wrinkles on Hori's forehead. 'All you think about is food. But I have to worry that I may not even get to see the master if I reach there late. Once he starts his bathing and prayers I'll have to wait around for hours.'

'That's exactly why I'm suggesting you first have something to eat. And what harm would be done by not going at all today? You were just there two days ago.'

'Why do you go poking your nose into things you don't understand?'

Jai Ratan and P. Lal translation (1957)

After serving the two bullocks with feed and water Hori Ram said to his wife, Dhania, 'Send Gobar to hoe the sugar cane. I am going out and may return late. Hand me the staff.'

Dhania had been making cow-dung cakes and her hands were smeared with the dung. 'What's the hurry' she said, 'Have something before you go.'

Hori puckered up his wrinkled brow. 'Yout talk about refreshments when I am worried about the delay. If I am late I won't be able to meet the Master. If he sits down to his prayers I may have to wait for hours.'

'That's why I say have something,' Dhania said. 'Besides, what's the harm if you don't go today. You went to him only the day before yesterday.'

Why do you try to meddle with things which are beyond you?'

And the original Hindi:

होरीराम ने दोनों बैलो को साने-पानी देकर अपनी स्त्री धनिया से कहा--गोबर को ऊख गोदने भेज देना. में न जाने कब लौटू. ज़रा मेरी लाठी दे दे.

धनिया के दोनों हाथ गोबर से मरे थे. उपले पाथकर आएई थी. बोली--अरे, कुछ रस-पानी तो कर लो. ऐसी जल्दी क्या है.

होरी ने अपने झुरियो से भरे ही साथे को सिकोड़कर कहा--तुझे रस-पानी की पडी है, मुझे यह चिंता है की अबेर हो गई तो मालिक से भेट न होगा. इस्नान-पूजा करने लगेंगे, तो घंठे बीत जायगा.

एईसी से तो कहती हूँ, कुछ जलपान कर लो. और आज न जाओगे, तो कोण हरज होगा; अभी तो परसों गये थे.

तू जो बात नही समझतो, उसमे टांग क्यों अदातो है भाई!

It does seem that the Roadarmel is slightly more precise (for instance, he renders 'pooja-isnaan' as bathing and prayers, while the Ratan/Lala translation simply says "prayers").