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    Свобода → Tradução para Inglês

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Freedom

It’s only when you swim against the tide,
you understand the price of freedom of speech.
The chain links merge into long pieces,
and the lifeline becomes just a point.
 
Words and days, stitch after stitch,
sew your files with soul and sparks.
Here, behind the bars, the colonel’s the boss,
and all my freedom - a radio receiver.
 
I am free like a bird in the sky.
I am free, I forgot what fear is.
 
To be different means to be always alone.
Choose what you prefer, homelessness or prison.
Nobody gets their freedom just like that,
you can't simply leave or enter it.
 
Baking soda is to make the tea blacker.
Got it? Then pour yourself a cup.
I'm taking part in some sitting marathon.
At least I have a radio-cassette player.
 
I am free like a bird in the sky.
I am free, I forgot what fear is.
 
Tea, stubs, answers to questions,
interrogations, and then some more to come.
My radio is a one-way communication,
Morse's code, jail argot.
 
I cannot have my say but I can hear,
I saw a rat turning into a mouse.
Something that cannot be erased, no matter how hard you rub,
is freedom - 'cause it's deep inside me.
 
I am free like a bird in the sky.
I am free, I forgot what fear is.
 
Freedom is what’s deep inside me.
 
Letras originais

Свобода

Clique para ver a letra original (Russo)

Comentários
sandringsandring    Terça-feira, 05/06/2018 - 17:23

Why, that's a very precise translation! I don't see anything disturbing about it. I may suggest a few stylistic nuances to have my finger in your well-deserved pie. Чтобы примазаться к твоей славе! *devil_smile*

1. сума is about poverty, basking, begging in the street. "Choose what's for you - poverty or prison"
2. Nobody gets their  freedom just because
3. Baking soda is to make tea blacker
4. Some sitting-in marathon (it's a kind of strike)
5. Andrzej, please, no fags for prison. We have American users, they'' ll be shocked. A fag is not about cigarettes. it's about having a puff rather. Just cheap cigarettes will do.
6. interrogations, and then some more to come
7. I cannot have my say but I can hear
8. A rat turning into a mouse (otherwise I see some spy device of a sabre-toothed design :)
9. That's something that cannot be erased, no matter how hard you rub
     Freedom is what's deep inside me.

You know, Andrzej, if I had my way I'd make the Russian Language Hall of Fame with you, Pierre, Amr, WwWw being the Honorary Presidents. And I'll be a door attendant. But I'll get the tips!!! :)
 

AldefinaAldefina
   Quarta-feira, 06/06/2018 - 18:32

Thank you very much, Nadia, but I’m afraid in this Hall of Fame my part would be the one of the door attendant and you should be the President. :)

As for your suggestions:

1. “Сума” means simply “bag” referring to someone who has nothing, so as a result of his poverty he has no home and/or is a vagabond. If you go by dictionary “poverty” is of course a correct translation (употребляется как символ нищеты, нищенства), but I like more what I wrote. Mind you, prison also means poverty – you won’t be rich because you sit in jail, so “poverty or prison” means a very limited choice. On the other hand you don’t live on the street and they give you some food, so my comparison seems to be making more sense. I’ll stick to it.

2. I wrote something different, have a look.

4. I understand that “сидячий марафон” means he’s simply sitting endlessly in jail. “Sitting marathon” is a commonly used expression. Why “a kind of strike”?

5. If you’re an American you’re going to understand it differently than it was in the original, but it would still make sense, even if a different one. ;) I thought about “butts”, but I realized it would be a similar story. ;) How about “stubs”?

9. Much too long. I wrote something shorter. I escaped from the original meaning, but now it’s even more descriptive and for me sounds logical.

You have not comment it, but the most strongly interpreted line was “Тире и точки, арабская вязь”. The first part was easy, the second very difficult, ‘cause any literal translation would sound out of context.

sandringsandring    Quarta-feira, 06/06/2018 - 19:43

Andrzej, as I said your previous translation looked absolutely all right to me. As for арабская вязь it may be "Arabic ornament" or the way you wrote it. It doesn't vex me in any way. Good job, thank you! :)