nos lados do sul ... tristemente azul

13:13 Jan 28, 2019

This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other

Portuguese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Fernando Pessoa

Portuguese term or phrase: nos lados do sul ... tristemente azul

It seems like the shorter the poems the harder to rhyme. I sort of gave up rhyming this one. I find the word "coração", for example, very versatile. It rhymes with any word ending in "ão" (canção, emoção, comunicação, and the list goes on) whereas "heart" has very limited rhyming possibilities in English. So I started to hate every time I come across the word "coração". Oh, well, languages are what they are. Anyway, I'm trying to find a way to compensate this stanza for the lack of rhyming in translation. I thought an alliteration in "s" might do the trick. Not sure whether to say "side of the south" or "southside". Any further suggestions are much appreciated.

"As nuvens são sombrias
Mas, nos lados do sul,
Um bocado do céu
É tristemente azul."

This is what I have so far:

"The clouds are somber
But, on the side of the south,
A little bit of the sun
Has a bluish sadness."

-- Fernando Pessoa

Oliver Simões KudoZ activity Questions: 1104 (2 open) (3 without valid answers) (227 closed without grading) Answers: 3434 United States
Local time: 06:10

Summary of answers provided

4 +1

But by the south, a great bit of the sky, has a bluish sadness

Vinícius da Silva

on the south side...so sadly blue

Katarina Peters

Discussion entries: 1

Answers

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

But by the south, a great bit of the sky, has a bluish sadness

Explanation:
"Bocado" means more than just a little, and "céu" means "sky".
It is really hard to find someting that rhymes here, so i think your ending suits well.

Vinícius da Silva
Brazil
Local time: 10:10
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: Portuguese
PRO pts in category: 2

14 hrs confidence:

on the south side...so sadly blue

Explanation:
my suggestion:

The clouds are somber
But on the south side
Small bits of the sky
Are so sadly blue

Katarina Peters
Canada
Local time: 09:10
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Hungarian,

English
PRO pts in category: 76

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