Looking for English translation of "El otro, el mismo" by Borges (or just the poem "Dónde estarán...
Thread poster: Timothy Barton
Timothy Barton
Timothy Barton
Local time: 07:13
French to English
+ ...
Nov 28, 2005

..los siglos". I'm translating a play for a friend of mine. It starts with a quote of this poem. The only translation I can find is one signed at the bottom "Translation by Google.com"! As you can imagine, it makes no sense. If there is no translation already done, I guess I'll just have to do it myself.

 
RHELLER
RHELLER
United States
Local time: 23:13
French to English
+ ...
is this it? Nov 29, 2005

Instantes (Instants)

If I were able to live my life anew,
In the next I would try to commit more errors.
I would not try to be so perfect, I would relax more.
I would be more foolish than I've been,
In fact, I would take few things seriously.
I would be less hygienic.
I would run more risks,
take more vacations,
contemplate more sunsets,
climb more mountains, swim more rivers.
I would go to more places where I've
... See more
Instantes (Instants)

If I were able to live my life anew,
In the next I would try to commit more errors.
I would not try to be so perfect, I would relax more.
I would be more foolish than I've been,
In fact, I would take few things seriously.
I would be less hygienic.
I would run more risks,
take more vacations,
contemplate more sunsets,
climb more mountains, swim more rivers.
I would go to more places where I've never been,
I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans,
I would have more real problems and less imaginary ones.

I was one of those people that lived sensibly
and prolifically each minute of his life;
Of course I had moments of happiness.
If I could go back I would try
to have only good moments.

Because if you didn't know, of that is life made:
only of moments; Don't lose the now.

I was one of those that never
went anywhere without a thermometer,
a hot-water bottle,
an umbrella, and a parachute;
If I could live again, I would travel lighter.

If I could live again,
I would begin to walk barefoot from the beginning of spring
and I would continue barefoot until autumn ends.
I would take more cart rides,
contemplate more dawns,
and play with more children,
If I had another life ahead of me.

But already you see, I am 85,
and I know that I am dying.

(Translated from Spanish by myself)

Jorge Luis Borges
http://www.poemhunter.com/p/m/poem.asp?poet=3027&poem=1123989

El Instante

Dónde estarán los siglos, dónde el sueño
de espadas que los tártaros soñaron,
dónde los fuertes muros que allanaron,
dónde el Árbol de Adán y el otro Leño?
El presente está solo. La memoria
erige el tiempo. Sucesión y engaño
es la rutina del reloj. El año
no es menos vano que la vana historia.
Entre el alba y la noche hay un abismo
de agonías, de luces, de cuidados;
el rostro que se mira en los gastados
espejos de la noche no es el mismo.
El hoy fugaz es tenue y es eterno;
otro Cielo no esperes, ni otro Infierno.

Jorge Luis Borges
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Aurora Humarán (X)
Aurora Humarán (X)  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 02:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
Hi, Timothy Nov 29, 2005

Timothy Barton wrote:

..los siglos". I'm translating a play for a friend of mine. It starts with a quote of this poem. The only translation I can find is one signed at the bottom "Translation by Google.com"! As you can imagine, it makes no sense. If there is no translation already done, I guess I'll just have to do it myself.




El otro, el mismo is, in fact, a book of poems which was published in 1964. This link has some of the poems in that book (in Spanish.)

The poem El instante is the one Rita has just posted. I am trying to get a translation into English for you.

Au


 
Aurora Humarán (X)
Aurora Humarán (X)  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 02:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
Some poems from <i>El otro, el mismo </i> Nov 29, 2005

http://www.literatura.us/borges/elotro.html

 
Aurora Humarán (X)
Aurora Humarán (X)  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 02:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
Not by Borges Nov 29, 2005

Rita Heller wrote:

Instantes (Instants)

If I were able to live my life anew,
In the next I would try to commit more errors.
I would not try to be so perfect, I would relax more.
I would be more foolish than I've been,
In fact, I would take few things seriously.
I would be less hygienic.
I would run more risks,
take more vacations,
contemplate more sunsets,
climb more mountains, swim more rivers.
I would go to more places where I've never been,
I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans,
I would have more real problems and less imaginary ones.

I was one of those people that lived sensibly
and prolifically each minute of his life;
Of course I had moments of happiness.
If I could go back I would try
to have only good moments.

Because if you didn't know, of that is life made:
only of moments; Don't lose the now.

I was one of those that never
went anywhere without a thermometer,
a hot-water bottle,
an umbrella, and a parachute;
If I could live again, I would travel lighter.

If I could live again,
I would begin to walk barefoot from the beginning of spring
and I would continue barefoot until autumn ends.
I would take more cart rides,
contemplate more dawns,
and play with more children,
If I had another life ahead of me.

But already you see, I am 85,
and I know that I am dying.



Hi, Rita.

I don't know who the author of this poem is, but Jorge Luis Borges is not the author.

Au


 
RHELLER
RHELLER
United States
Local time: 23:13
French to English
+ ...
sorry Nov 29, 2005

just trying to help

 
Aurora Humarán (X)
Aurora Humarán (X)  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 02:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
Hola Nov 29, 2005

Rita Heller wrote:

just trying to help


No need to apologize, Rita!

Au


 
Timothy Barton
Timothy Barton
Local time: 07:13
French to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I think it is Borges... Nov 29, 2005

Aurora Humarán wrote:

Hi, Rita.

I don't know who the author of this poem is, but Jorge Luis Borges is not the author.

Au


According to this page it is Borges: http://www.poemhunter.com/jorge-luis-borges/poems/poet-3027/page-1/

But the poem is the translation of Instantes, whereas I'm looking for the translation of El Instante (which is the only poem on the above list that hasn't been translated). I think I'm just going to have to translate it myself. I've searched the British Library catalogue for "El otro, el mismo", and only the original is found, so I doubt there's an English translation of the book in print. And I've searched the Internet, and can't find anything.


 
Aurora Humarán (X)
Aurora Humarán (X)  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 02:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
Not Borges, sorry Nov 29, 2005

Timothy Barton wrote:

According to this page it is Borges: http://www.poemhunter.com/jorge-luis-borges/poems/poet-3027/page-1/



Trust me, Timothy. This is not Borges for many reasons. First of all because it is not in any of his books (I have them all and have read them more than once, I can certify this). Second, (and most important) anybody who knows Borges' writing can tell immediately that this is not his style. (You can also search the Internet for some debate on this nice piece falsely attributed to him.)


But the poem is the translation of Instantes, whereas I'm looking for the translation of El Instante (which is the only poem on the above list that hasn't been translated).



Yes, this is what I told you above. 'El instante' (the one you are looking for) is the other poem Rita posted (an obvious Borges, because of the words, the themes, the metric...) and there seem to be no translations in the Internet.

This poem is in the second volume of Borges' Complete Works (I have the most updated version which includes his Prefaces to other authors' books). This does not mean that there are no translations of this book. There must be written translations. Hopefuly another prozian will have any of the translations into English and will be able to copy it from the book (I have some of his books translated into English by Norman Di Giovanni, his 'official' translator: The book of Sand, The Aleph and a couple more, but I do not have El otro, el mismo. It would be great if you could get Di Giovanni's rendering, in my opinion, his best translator into English.)

Yesterday I sent a mail to a friend of mine who is also a big Borges fan (and expert!) He is the author of: Borges Profesor. He might have a translation.

Regards,

Au


 
Cecilia Vela Segovia-Frund, CT
Cecilia Vela Segovia-Frund, CT  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 02:13
Member (2003)
English to Spanish
AN UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION Nov 29, 2005

This is an unofficial translation found in the Internet (just to inspire you).


The Instant

Where are the centuries, where is the dream
of sword-strife that the Tartars entertained,
where are the massive ramparts that they flattened?
Where is the wood of the Cross, the Tree of Adam?

The present is singular. It is memory
that sets up time. Both succession and error
come with the routine of the clock. A year
i
... See more
This is an unofficial translation found in the Internet (just to inspire you).


The Instant

Where are the centuries, where is the dream
of sword-strife that the Tartars entertained,
where are the massive ramparts that they flattened?
Where is the wood of the Cross, the Tree of Adam?

The present is singular. It is memory
that sets up time. Both succession and error
come with the routine of the clock. A year
is no less vanity than is history.

Between dawn and nightfall is an abyss
of agonies, felicites, and cares.
The face that looks back from wasted mirrors,
the mirrors of night, is not the same face.
The fleeting day is frail and is eternal;
expect no other Heaven, no other Hell.

Jorges Luis Borges

http://www.onlineclarity.co.uk/I_Ching_community/messages/786/1138.html?1067988209

Saludos,

Cecilia


[Edited at 2005-11-29 11:57]
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Looking for English translation of "El otro, el mismo" by Borges (or just the poem "Dónde estarán...







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