The Book of Words by celebrated Kazakh poet, composer and philosopher Abai Kunanbaev has been published in Việt Nam. — Photo laodong.vn

HÀ NỘI — A book featuring the philosophies of celebrated Kazakh poet, composer and philosopher Abai Kunanbaev (1845-1904) has been translated into Vietnamese.

The launching ceremony for the book, entitled Những Lời Răn Của Abai (The Book of Words), was held on Thursday by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Việt Nam in co-ordination with the Abai Science and Culture Centre in Vietnam of Ha Noi National University of Education.

It is an activity to commemorate the 175th birth anniversary of Kunanbaev, who is considered the great thinker or enlightener of the Kazakh people.

Opening the ceremony, Professor Đỗ Việt Hùng, representative of the university, said the publication is an event of great significance in the co-operation between by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Việt Nam and the university.

“Many works of the great poet Abai have become the cultural heritage of the people of this Central Asian country. Therefore, the translation of the book into Vietnamese as well as the launch of the translated version is an opportunity to learn more about the country, people and culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan,” he added.

According to the ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Việt Nam, Yerlan Baizhanov, The Book of Words is the second Kazakh literary work published in Việt Nam.

The first by another Kazakh author was released in the 1970s and also featured Kunanbaev's life and career.

The ambassador said Kunanbaev had a great influence on Kazakh history and culture, and The Book of Words is an educational work for all the people of Kazakhstan though many significant historical milestones.

Speaking at the ceremony, Associate Professor, Dr Hoàng Văn Nghĩa said the Hồ Chí Minh National Academy of Politics would widely introduce the book, contributing to strengthening the friendship between the two countries and two peoples.

Besides poems and educational works, Kunanbaev is also the author of many famous Kazakh songs which have become considered the folk songs of the country.

The Book of Words features 45 short prose philosophies by Kunanbaev, addressing the issues of education, morality, rule of law and the history of the Kazakh people.

The book has been translated into various languages, including Russian, Chinese, France, English, Korean, Turkish, Mongolian and others.

According to one of its translators, Lê Đức Mẫn, deputy director of the fund for promoting Vietnamese and Russian literature, Kunanbaev's philosophies clearly correspond to the humanistic ideology of President Hồ Chí Minh – full of affection and concern for all classes of people.

“Our ultimate goal is to open the door for the Vietnamese to absorb the best cultural achievements of other peoples. And the translated version of Abai's work is an important part of this noble cause,” the translator wrote in the foreword of the book. — VNS