Rudyard Kipling's If

[JPablo]

Does anybody know of any good (or the best) translation into Spanish of the poem "If" by Rudyard Kiplling?

(I'll do my own search, but if you already know the best translation, I'd be glad to know where to find it...) Thanks!

[poli]

I found one
http://agutie.homestead.com/files/ifkip_1sp.html

[Perikles]

New post: I'm fascinated by the grammatical construction of this poem, which consists of endless conditional clauses followed by two main clauses.

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by poli

I found one
http://agutie.homestead.com/files/ifkip_1sp.html

Thank you Poli, nice site. (Nice creation too, even if the translation of the poem itself has some 'errata' to fix, in the form of missing accents, etc. overall captures the spirit of the original...)

Originally Posted by Perikles

New post: I'm fascinated by the grammatical construction of this poem, which consists of endless conditional clauses followed by two main clauses.

It is fascinating indeed... If I only had learned the little English I know to be able to read this in its original form, it would have been worth the effort!

(And not to underrate any efforts to translate it, but the original will always be the best!) Thank you!

[ookami]

Really nice poem

Originally Posted by JPablo

(And not to underrate any efforts to translate it, but the original will always be the best!) Thank you!

I've always considered a translation as a new writing("escrito"?), different from the one it has been inspired for.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by ookami

Really nice poem

I've always considered a translation as a new writing("escrito"?), different from the one it has been inspired for.

So does the law, to a certain extent. If the original is in copyright then you need permission from the author to translate it, but you then own the translation.

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by pjt33

So does the law, to a certain extent. If the original is in copyright then you need permission from the author to translate it, but you then own the translation.

That's right, pjt33. Yes, it is a good point, and as a matter of fact, to translate poetry you have to be quite a poet to begin with, and be able to "re-create" the exact same concept in a different "cast", in a different form... It seems actually more difficult than to write a 'plain' sonet in your native tongue...

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by JPablo

Yes, it is a good point, and as a matter of fact, to translate poetry you have to be quite a poet to begin with, .

I would say that poety as something which by definition is untranslatable, so you are on a loser for a start.

[sosia]

the same one, more clear
http://www.am.ub.es/~carrasco/rudyard.html

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by Perikles

I would say that poetry as something which by definition is untranslatable, so you are on a loser for a start.

Well, I would modify your statement to "untranslatable with an exact 100% precision and accuracy"... but if you take the viewpoint of ACHIEVING A COMMUNICATION of the same basic concept you can win on the game. That is, ART is the quality of communication. The important thing is always the RESULTING COMMUNICATION, and second is the technical perfection. You can always improve your technical perfection, but never at the expense of the communication. If one tries to climb the Everest, without any training, he's going to kill himself and lose all the way... if one starts hiking to the nearest hill... and keeps increasing his gradient... gradually... well... the sky is the limit. To the degree there is understanding, full understanding of CONCEPTS, one can always convey these concepts, and win in the process...

Originally Posted by sosia

the same one, more clear
http://www.am.ub.es/~carrasco/rudyard.html

Very nice and clear version, Sosia. As Perikles says, re: "being a loser from the start" as poetry is "untranslatable"... however, there are nice attempts, maybe valiant attempts, that are good enough for someone who doesn't know the original language, to get some of the spirit, some of the energy, some of the concept from the original creator... enough to imbue the energy and passion in another... and so help him/her to improve in his/her life, just by making the person more aware of his/her true potentials...

IF one thing we could get out of this poem (or at least I get) is to be able to keep our integrity, and treat success and failure in any endeavor just the same (If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same)

Or at least, try to do it... Nobody says it is an easy thing, to go from the theory into practice... but that's what this is all about! (Man!)

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by JPablo

(If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same)

Did you know that this line is enscribed over the door to the changing rooms at Wimbledon Tennis club? (I think)

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by Perikles

Did you know that this line is inscribed over the door to the changing rooms at Wimbledon Tennis club? (I think)

Wow, no, I had no idea... but it makes sense... At least for Federer, Nadal... lately... will be rather helpful, no?
(I use the Spanish 'no?' Rafa Nadal normally uses when interviewed in English...)

[alex tarnopolsky]

I think the best rendition of If in Spanish is found in:
acuarela.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/si-rudyard-kipling

[JPablo]

Thank you, Alex, yes that rendition is actually very good. (I just read it without reference to the English, and by itself holds rather well!)

Thank you (and welcome to the forums, by the way!)