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Oct 11, 2013 19:04
10 yrs ago
9 viewers *
French term

en regard d’un ciel où s’élever à hauteur d’Homme.

French to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
I would welcome suggestions for the phrase "en regard d’un ciel où s’élever à hauteur d’Homme." It is from a text on the Breton poet Guillevic.

I almost wonder if there is a mistake in the original.

This is the whole paragraph:

Tenaillés qu’ils sont par leur poiein, leur « faire » perpétuels, dans le même respect de leur nature et de cet appel de l’originel qui exige d’eux, qu’au long de leurs journées, ils s’expliquent et se confrontent à tous les éléments terrestres, en regard d’un ciel où s’élever à hauteur d’Homme.

Thank you in advance.
Proposed translations (English)
3 contemplate a higher reality elevating them to universal Human values
3 +2 faced with the heavens within which they can ascend only to mankind's height
3 in comparison with a sky where they can raise/elevate themselves to the level of Mankind
3 compared to a sky that ascends to the heights of mankind
1 looking up to the sky, towards which to elevate themselves a man's height (above the ground)

Discussion

Jocelyne Cuenin Oct 14, 2013:
J'ai trouvé ceci qui me semble parlant Dans ses nouvelles, Bovard décrit des existences clouées au sol, retenues par la peur, la convention, la prudence helvétique qui est une variété de nanisme moral (lire Nains de jardin, Campiche, 1996). Dans ses romans, il montre en revanche une métamorphose possible: un chemin pour s’élever un peu au-dessus de soi-même, à hauteur d’homme, rien de plus...
la volonté de «ne plus jamais se rasseoir dans sa médiocrité».
C'est au sujet d'un autre Roman, mais peut-être que c'est la même idée dans votre cas
http://www.campiche.ch/pages/oeuvres/lesbeauxsentiments.html

Proposed translations

19 hrs
Selected

contemplate a higher reality elevating them to universal Human values

In their daily confrontations with the terrestrial elements they contemplate "a sky" - a higher reality that elevates them to the universal quality of being human.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I think this is the closest to the meaning. "
44 mins

in comparison with a sky where they can raise/elevate themselves to the level of Mankind

a fairly literal first attempt. I'm sure you can improve on this to make it more literary/poetic. I could too, if I had the time!

It seems they're expected to spend all day debating and contemplating the terrestrial elements, in relation to the sky in/to/where which they can elevate themselves to the level of Mankind...

Well, it's a stab at making sense of it - the literary bit comes later! It's then up to the Asker to find the perfect turn of phrase that will make it fit in with the rest of the target text
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+2
17 hrs

faced with the heavens within which they can ascend only to mankind's height

This is my understanding of it. The 'only' being implied by the context. i.e. they are constrained by being human.

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Note added at 17 hrs (2013-10-12 12:46:14 GMT)
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I am sure you could make this sound more poetic.
Note from asker:
Thank you everyone for your help.
Peer comment(s):
agree Jocelyne Cuenin : sans only, je pense : à hauteur d'homme = où ils peuvent se redresser de toute leur taille (le contraire de courbé)
2 days 1 hr
Thanks, Petitavoine. It seems to me that they can only aspire to human height, rather than that of the angels, for instance. They are constrained by their human stature.
agree James Nixon : Although would change the end to 'the height of mankind' personally
2 days 9 hrs
Thanks, James - I guess it is a question of taste and how it best fits in the full context.
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11 hrs

compared to a sky that ascends to the heights of mankind

In my reading, the first part of the text refers to the tribulations that man faces in life. He is tormented by his "perpetual work/deed"? and is confronted by all earthly matters. I definitely think there is a mistake in the text, as I could not find "poiein" anywhere.

The sky is introduced as an element of transcendence - it towers above man and thus cannot raise itself to his level. It must rise above him. The fact that Homme is capitalized substantiates this theme. Here we are talking about the greatness that man can achieve, if not for all his earthly trials.




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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2013-10-12 20:12:09 GMT)
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Thanks to David's comment, I agree that it is not the sky but man who attains a level of greatness . So,perhaps, " facing a sky where they ascend to the heights of mankind."

The sky being the heavens.
Peer comment(s):
neutral David Sirett : "poiein" is in the Wikipedia entry on "Poésie", and has several hundred other Ghits. And I don't think its the sky doing the rising.
4 hrs
Thanks David. In re-reading the text, I agree that it is not the sky but man who attains a level of greatness . So,perhaps, " facing a sky where they ascend to the heights of mankind." The sky being the heavens.
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3 days 14 hrs

looking up to the sky, towards which to elevate themselves a man's height (above the ground)

Not really a finished translation, but I just wanted to note down the light that finally dawned on me after reading this for the umpteenth time, and realizing that in addition to 'where', 'où' can also mean 'to(wards) where'.
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