Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Translations
Register Help/FAQ Community Calendar Today's Posts Search PenpalsTranslator


Help with song lyrics translation

 

If you need help translating a sentence or longer piece of text, use this forum. For translations or definitions of a single word or idiom, use the vocabulary forum.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old August 02, 2013, 11:52 AM
jedi5384 jedi5384 is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Delaware, USA
Posts: 4
Native Language: English
jedi5384 is on a distinguished road
Help with song lyrics translation

Hello everyone, and buenos días a todos.

I'm trying to translate the song "Hamlet" by the band Tierra Santa from Spanish to English and I am having trouble with a few lines. Here are the relevant parts and my attempts to translate:

Letra original:
Se finge loco y en su mente oculta
un odio eterno hacia su madre y su rey
Bajo la pena esconde la vergüenza
que el luto de su padre clama en él

My translation:
He feigns insanity and conceals in his mind
eternal hatred toward his mother and his king
beneath the sorrow hides shame
at mourning for his father crying out within him

Letra original:
Llegó el final, se acerca la venganza
su brazo en duelo por su padre hablará
la ira justa de un castigo errante
que abrió la herida que hoy se ha de cerrar

My translation:
The end is here, revenge draws near
his arm hurting for his father
righteous anger will speak of an errant punishment
that opened the wound that is to be closed today

I've italicized the specific lines I don't understand. I don't want to fill this post up with the whole song, and I'm not sure of the rules about links but if anyone wants to see the whole translation I'd be happy to post.

Thanks and muchas gracias!
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #2  
Old August 02, 2013, 02:01 PM
pjt33's Avatar
pjt33 pjt33 is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Valencia, España
Posts: 2,600
Native Language: Inglés (en-gb)
pjt33 is on a distinguished road
Translating poetry is always hard.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jedi5384 View Post
Bajo la pena esconde la vergüenza
que el luto de su padre clama en él

beneath the sorrow hides shame
at mourning for his father crying out within him
It's ambiguous as to whether Hamlet is hiding the shame or the shame is hiding itself. Either way, the most natural reading of the structure would be that the shame is the object of the crying out. I'm going to leave this for someone else.


Quote:
Letra original:
Llegó el final, se acerca la venganza
su brazo en duelo por su padre hablará
la ira justa de un castigo errante
que abrió la herida que hoy se ha de cerrar

My translation:
The end is here, revenge draws near
his arm hurting for his father
righteous anger will speak of an errant punishment
that opened the wound that is to be closed today
En duelo isn't in pain but in a duel. I think it makes most sense to take the order around abrió as SVO, so

His duelling arm will speak on his father's behalf the righteous anger of a wandering punishment which opened the wound which must be closed today.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old August 02, 2013, 02:19 PM
jedi5384 jedi5384 is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Delaware, USA
Posts: 4
Native Language: English
jedi5384 is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by pjt33 View Post
Translating poetry is always hard.
Yes, I've translated other songs into English before, and I try to keep the same verse structure when I can, but many times that just isn't possible.

Quote:
Originally Posted by pjt33 View Post
It's ambiguous as to whether Hamlet is hiding the shame or the shame is hiding itself. Either way, the most natural reading of the structure would be that the shame is the object of the crying out. I'm going to leave this for someone else.
So how about:
Beneath the sorrow, hides the shameful cry of mourning for his father

Quote:
Originally Posted by pjt33 View Post
En duelo isn't in pain but in a duel. I think it makes most sense to take the order around abrió as SVO, so

His duelling arm will speak on his father's behalf the righteous anger of a wandering punishment which opened the wound which must be closed today.
Thank you! That verse is much clearer to me now.
Reply With Quote
Reply

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Some lyrics in this song wafflestomp Grammar 3 June 14, 2011 04:55 PM
Song Lyrics Elena Translations 6 September 07, 2009 09:13 PM
Song lyrics cmon Practice & Homework 5 April 04, 2009 08:58 AM
Song lyrics tacuba Translations 15 March 28, 2009 01:07 AM
Song Lyrics Translation sanderson28025 Vocabulary 3 August 18, 2007 01:41 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:49 AM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X