• María Dolores Pradera

    Lágrimas negras → English translation→ English

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Black tears

Although you
have left me in abandon,
although you
have let die all my illusions,
instead of execrating you
with just rancour,
in my dreams, I heap upon you,
in my dreams I heap upon you
blessings.
 
I suffer the immense distress of your straying,
feel the profound pain
of your departure
and I cry without you knowing
that my crying
has black tears,
has black tears
like my life.
 
You want to abandon me,
I do not want to go,
I leave with you my lover
even if it costs me my life.
 
I no longer want to cry,
I no longer want to suffer,
I leave with you my dark lover
even if it costs me my life.
 
I suffer the immense distress of your straying,
feel the profound pain
of your departure
and I cry without you knowing
that my crying
has black tears,
has black tears
like my life.
 
Original lyrics

Lágrimas negras

Click to see the original lyrics (Spanish)

Comments
Valeriu RautValeriu Raut
   Sun, 24/02/2013 - 16:45
5

I think it is a very good translation.
Thank you Robert !

roster 31roster 31
   Sun, 24/02/2013 - 23:00

¡Qué bonito! ¡Qué sentido! I love these old-classic songs. Thank you for bringing them to possible popularity.

Opinion:
In the first stanza last line, I, personally, would say:
"in my dreams, I over flow you with blessings", or "I over flow blessins upon you".
At the end, wouldn't you like "to die" instead of "my life"?

There is an anusual expression that gives special feeling to the lyrics.
The singer says, "has muerto todas mis ilusiones". We know "muerto" means "dead". The translation uses the appropiated form, "to kill". Although correct in regular language, it takes away that special feeling I was talking about. Could you figure out a way to say it closer to the original?

Thanks again

robert.tucker.794robert.tucker.794
   Mon, 25/02/2013 - 09:24

In English "to heap blessings on" is a fairly standard phrase though in the translation I have used a somewaht unusual word order (for the sake of "parallelity"). I would prefer "I overflow with blessings for you" for a female singer ... but accuracy of translation would be lost here?

The original male version seems to have "has matado mis ilusiones". For a female singer "have let die all my illusions" would sound better to me in English, if that would be more correct.

roster 31roster 31
   Sun, 24/02/2013 - 23:17

The original rendition is sung by a man. It says: "Contigo me voy mi negra". In those days, in Cuba, "negra" was an affectionate way to name your woman. (I don't know whether it will be allowed today).

robert.tucker.794robert.tucker.794
   Mon, 25/02/2013 - 09:24

In the male original I see "santa" replaces "negra" in one of the verses.

roster 31roster 31
   Tue, 26/02/2013 - 23:13

Robert, by mistake, I sent my response to Valeriu.
Repito, he oído lo de "santa" que, seguramente es para evitar lo de "negra".

Valeriu RautValeriu Raut
   Mon, 25/02/2013 - 08:15

Hola Rosa y gracias por tus apreciaciones.
No olvides de apretar el botón Thanks!

roster 31roster 31
   Mon, 25/02/2013 - 13:06

Male or female singer, I like "have let die all my illusions".

And Valeriu, you are wright, I have heard "santa". That,s the replacement for the original "negra".

robert.tucker.794robert.tucker.794
   Mon, 25/02/2013 - 15:17
roster 31 wrote:

Male or female singer, I like "have let die all my illusions".

Edited

Valeriu RautValeriu Raut
   Tue, 26/02/2013 - 22:19

Rosa, no te equivoques de varón.
Yo no he dicho nada de 'santa' o de 'negra'.
Te he acordado (para Robert) de apretar el botón Thanks!
Gracias,
Valerio

roster 31roster 31
   Tue, 26/02/2013 - 23:15

¿De qué botón me hablas?

Valeriu RautValeriu Raut
   Wed, 27/02/2013 - 07:50

Rosa,
Debajo de la letra de la canción hay un botón en el cual está escrito: Thanks!
Por favor, hazte la costumbre de apretarlo. Gracias.
Me da pena de ver que solamente una persona haya apretado este botón para la traducción presente.

roster 31roster 31
   Wed, 27/02/2013 - 19:43

Apreté el botón. Creí que mis comentarios favorables serían suficiente, y fíjate que le di las cinco estrellas!í

robert.tucker.794robert.tucker.794
   Wed, 27/02/2013 - 21:25

Thank you very much for your comments and rating roster 31.

IdarmiIdarmi    Sat, 08/11/2014 - 15:57

The phrases, mi negra/o, mi santo/a, mi chino/a, etc. are all terms of endearment in Cuban jargon. Not sure if the same in other Latin countries but I can only speak for my Cuban heritage. I don't know how these phrases were originated, but they do not have any racial or ethnic connotation when used affectionately. Cubans address these phrases to any person, irrespective of race, age, gender, relationship, etc. I grew up hearing my dad call me "mi negra" affectionately and my parent's endearment to each other was "mi chini", with no allusion to race or ethnicity. It is just a colloquialism of the Cuban culture. The words are personalized by adding "mi" (my), i.e., mi corazon (another endearment not to be taken literally as my heart, but rather my love). In this song, whether mi negro or mi santo is used, it has the same sentiment.

Valeriu RautValeriu Raut
   Sun, 09/11/2014 - 05:48

Muy valioso comentario, gracias Idarmi.
Hoy día hay palabras tabú que la gente común no usa, por miedo de ofender a alguien: negro, gitano, judío, comunista.
Hay también palabras panaceas, siempre buenas, que la gente usa a menudo sin saber que significan; por ejemplo: democracia, paz, bienestar.
Y si un político tiene gran éxito, pero no estás de acuerdo con él, llámalo populista. (le pegues una etiqueta)
Un idioma tiene todas clases de palabras; y un buen traductor las usa casi todas.