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Apr 14, 2022 13:08
2 yrs ago
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Portuguese term
United States
BA in Transl., MA in ESL, 15 yrs of exp.
Native in: Portuguese 
Works in: English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English, Spanish to Portuguese, and 2 more.
lE, sem querer, tem dó.
Portuguese to English
Other
Poetry & Literature
Lyrical poetry
This is the last line of the second stanza. So far, the hardest to translate.
sem querer: unintentionally (?)
dó: loss / death / mourning (?)
It looks like "dó" is used in opposition to immortality ("não tem fim"). Things are starting to make sense now.
dó: 2. Sentimento de pesar pela morte de alguém. = LUTO
3. Cortejo mortuário.
"dó", in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa [em linha], 2008-2021, https://dicionario.priberam.org/dó [consultado em 14-04-2022].
Cai chuva. É noite. Uma pequena brisa
Substitui o calor.
P'ra ser feliz tanta coisa é precisa.
Este luzir é melhor.
O que é a vida? O espaço é alguém para mim.
Sonhando sou eu só.
A luzir, em quem não tem fim
E, sem querer, tem dó.
Extensa, leve, inútil passageira,
Ao roçar por mim traz
Uma ilusão de sonho, em cuja esteira
A minha vida jaz.
Barco indelével pelo espaço da alma,
Luz da candeia além
Da eterna ausência da ansiada calma,
Final do inútil bem.
Que se quer, e, se veio, se desconhece
Que, se for, seria
O tédio de o haver... E a chuva cresce
Na noite agora fria
18-9-1920
-- Fernando Pessoa
L2: EN-US
Register: poetic
sem querer: unintentionally (?)
dó: loss / death / mourning (?)
It looks like "dó" is used in opposition to immortality ("não tem fim"). Things are starting to make sense now.
dó: 2. Sentimento de pesar pela morte de alguém. = LUTO
3. Cortejo mortuário.
"dó", in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa [em linha], 2008-2021, https://dicionario.priberam.org/dó [consultado em 14-04-2022].
Cai chuva. É noite. Uma pequena brisa
Substitui o calor.
P'ra ser feliz tanta coisa é precisa.
Este luzir é melhor.
O que é a vida? O espaço é alguém para mim.
Sonhando sou eu só.
A luzir, em quem não tem fim
E, sem querer, tem dó.
Extensa, leve, inútil passageira,
Ao roçar por mim traz
Uma ilusão de sonho, em cuja esteira
A minha vida jaz.
Barco indelével pelo espaço da alma,
Luz da candeia além
Da eterna ausência da ansiada calma,
Final do inútil bem.
Que se quer, e, se veio, se desconhece
Que, se for, seria
O tédio de o haver... E a chuva cresce
Na noite agora fria
18-9-1920
-- Fernando Pessoa
L2: EN-US
Register: poetic
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 | And, without notice, is compassionate |
Fernanda Viana
|
| 3 +1 | And, unwittingly, pity shows |
Simone Taylor
|
| 3 | and has pity, by chance. |
Katarina Peters
|
Proposed translations
24 mins
Fernanda Viana
Brazil
Brazil
Native in Portuguese
Brazil
Business and Academic translator
Native in: Portuguese (Variant: Brazilian)
Works in: English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English, Portuguese, and 5 more.
And, without notice, is compassionate
Brazilian Portuguese native speaker who also translates some poetry for fun, and who has learned about this author in High School and College here! hahaha...
The whole stanza has the following meaning in English: "What is life? The (outer) space is someone for me. [When I'm]dreaming, it's just me. Shining on who's endless, and, without notice, is compassionate/sorry."
In Portuguese (and although I'm not from Portugal, like Fernando Pessoa, I have already found out that this definition I'll give is true for both countries) people use the word "Dó" to describe a feeling that is both compassion, sadness, regret, piety, and so on.
When we say "Tenho dó de você", we're saying that your situation is so poor that we're sad for you and wish we - or someone - can do something to relieve this. In the whole context of the poem, the author is talking about someone bigger than anyone else but is also capable of looking at people and feeling something for them. A feeling that is not exactly a happy one, but still a feeling.
The whole stanza has the following meaning in English: "What is life? The (outer) space is someone for me. [When I'm]dreaming, it's just me. Shining on who's endless, and, without notice, is compassionate/sorry."
In Portuguese (and although I'm not from Portugal, like Fernando Pessoa, I have already found out that this definition I'll give is true for both countries) people use the word "Dó" to describe a feeling that is both compassion, sadness, regret, piety, and so on.
When we say "Tenho dó de você", we're saying that your situation is so poor that we're sad for you and wish we - or someone - can do something to relieve this. In the whole context of the poem, the author is talking about someone bigger than anyone else but is also capable of looking at people and feeling something for them. A feeling that is not exactly a happy one, but still a feeling.
Example sentence:
Estou com dó dela; Tenha dó!
I'm sorry for her; Be compassionate!/Be merciful!
Note from asker:
| I respect your interpretation, but I disagree. This is not the usual meaning of "dó". We are talking about FP, and there's nothing usual about him. To me, It makes more sense to think of "dó" in the sense of "luto" (mourning). That's what makes more sense in opposition to immortality ("não tem fim"). Thank you, anyway. I'll stick to my interpretation. I only need to find a poetic way of expressing it. |
30 mins
Katarina Peters
Canada
Canada
Native in English
Specializes in field
Canada
Accuracy and A1 presentation
Native in: Hungarian 
, English (Variant: US)
Works in: English to Portuguese, Portuguese to English, Hungarian to English, and 13 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
76
and has pity, by chance.
still speaking about Life...
a bit awkward, but that is what he means.
a bit awkward, but that is what he means.
Note from asker:
| Hmmm. Not sure. To me, it makes more sense to interpret "dó" as "death / loss / morning" as opposed to immortality. |
+1
2 hrs
Simone Taylor
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in Portuguese
&
English
Specializes in field
United Kingdom
ITI/SUBTLE affiliate BRPTEN
Native in: Portuguese (Variant: Brazilian) , English (Variant: British)
Works in: Portuguese to English, English to Portuguese
Related KudoZ points
:
8
And, unwittingly, pity shows
Minha sugestâo baseada na minha interpretação do original e estudo das rimas.
What is life? The void is someone to me.
Dreaming I am on my own
Shining, upon whom is infinite
And, unwittingly, pity shows
What is life? The void is someone to me.
Dreaming I am on my own
Shining, upon whom is infinite
And, unwittingly, pity shows
Note from asker:
| Simone, como eu disse à outra colega, não acredito que "dó" seja no sentido mais literal da palavra. Se você analisar melhor, vai perceber que este poema é altamente existencialista, em que ele contrapõe vida e morte. Como disse o colega José Patrício num outro comentário, Pessoa era o tipo de poeta que sempre procurava uma maneira "invulgar" de expressar suas ideias. Isso ocorre na maioria da sua obra. Estamos diante de um gênio da literatura. Mantenho a minha interpretação. Obrigado de qualquer forma. |
Discussion
vida: espaço, luzir, extensa, leve, inútil passageira, ilusão de sonho
morte: final do inútil bem (o final da vida ulitiária), noite, eterna ausência da ansiada calma, fim; dó (i.e., pesar, luto)
quem não tem fim: quem é imortal (i.e., o ideal da imortalidade presente em todas as culturas através da História)
dó: sentimento de pesar pela morte de alguém (definição no. 2 do Priberam)