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  • Mario Benedetti

    Corazón Coraza → English translation

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Heart Armour / Armoured Heart

Because I have you and I don’t,
because I think about you,
because the night is young,
because the night passes and I speak (of) love,
because you have come to take your image,
and you are better than all your images,
because you are beautiful from your foot to your soul (your being)
because you are good from your soul (your being) to me
because you hide your sweet self in pride
small and sweet
armoured heart.
 
Because you are mine
because you are not mine
because I look at you and I die,
and worse than dying (is),
if I do not see you, love,
if I do not see you.
 
Because you are always everywhere,
but you are better where I love you,
because your mouth is blood (life)
and you are cold
I have to love you, love
I have to love you,
even though this wound hurts twice as much (like two,)
even though I search for you and do not find you
and even though the night passes
and I have you,
and I don’t.
 
Original lyrics

Corazón Coraza

Click to see the original lyrics (Spanish)

Mario Benedetti: Top 3
Comments
Aussie2468Aussie2468
   Thu, 11/06/2015 - 07:24

Thanks to those who replied to my request for help. I really appreciate it.
Since I'm new, however, I may have listed the poem and/or translation attempt wrongly.
If I have, I apologise and thank you for your patience.

roster 31roster 31
   Thu, 11/06/2015 - 19:27

Don't worry about it. I hope I didn't force you to submit your translation.
I'll read it, and see if I have any suggestions.

Aussie2468Aussie2468
   Fri, 12/06/2015 - 13:05

Thank you so much. I would really appreciate it. :)

cat27292cat27292    Sat, 13/06/2015 - 03:49

I think you did a great job at translating this :D Well done! Especially for your first translantion. I am a naive Spanish speaker and believe you caught the essence of the song well.

Aussie2468Aussie2468
   Sun, 14/06/2015 - 23:34

Thank you so much for your kind words. Is the best translation of the title¨Armoured Heart¨?

roster 31roster 31
   Sat, 13/06/2015 - 12:49

I agree with cat: I think you did a good job. I,personally, don't work with poems; I think they loose in translation, and I don't see why you shouldn't be literal, particularly in a case like this where the poet expresses things his own way, not necessarily interpretative, or grammatically correct.

I don't give you suggestions for corrections, although I would say certain things in a different way, just as a matter of style. In any case, my language is Spanish, you are the English one.

Thank you for your work. Keep it up!

Aussie2468Aussie2468
   Sun, 14/06/2015 - 23:43

Thanks so much for your comments. As I asked Cat27292, is the best translation of the title¨Armoured Heart¨or perhaps ¨Heart Armour¨?

roster 31roster 31
   Mon, 15/06/2015 - 19:47

I didn't make any comments before but, now that you ask, I will:
1. I don't quite get the intention of the title. To me, a 'coraza' is something strong and protective, and the song says she is "small and sweet', still, if she 'hides her feelings in pride' maybe that's the purpose of the 'coraza', to protect her heart. The name is also applyed to men, in the medieval ages, that fought without lances. At any rate, since the author uses two substantives, I would do the same, and say, "Armour Heart".
2. I would make the two first verses a little more poetic (?) by saying, "Because I have you and I have you not", and finish the poem the same way.
3. The verse "because you are beautiful from your foot to your soul (your being)", i think it would be better "because you are beautiful from foot to soul", and I never use parenthesis in the lyrics, let the readers interpret it; you can always write foot notes.
4. "if I do not see you", the original says, "if I do not look at you".
5. "but you are better where I love you" could it be "but you are better where I want you"?
6. "and you are cold" = "and it is cold".

As I told you before, my suggestions are a matter of style; you are the author.

Aussie2468Aussie2468
   Tue, 16/06/2015 - 05:07

Thank you so very much roster31 for taking the time to help me. I really appreciate your detailed response because, as I mentioned earlier, I am new to this site and am learning Spanish. Thanks again. :) :)

roster 31roster 31
   Thu, 18/06/2015 - 13:06

Thank you for your nice words. Sorry I couldn't be of more help but, if you have any questions about Spanish, just ask.