translation exercise: Soledad y el Mar by Natalia Lafourcade
As a Spanish practice exercise, I’ve been translating songs into English.
Today I’ll share with you my translation of Soledad y el Mar (Solitude and the Sea) by Natalia Lafourcade.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| En el canto de las olas encontré un rubor de luz. | In the song of the waves I found a blush of light. |
| Por un canto de gaviotas supe que allí estabas tú. | By a song of seagulls I knew you were there. |
| Despidiendo últimamente todo lo que sucedió, hoy saludo mi presente y gusto de este dulce adiós. | Lately letting go of everything that happened, today I greet my present and taste of this sweet goodbye. |
| Voy a navegar en tu puerto azul. | I’m going to sail in your blue harbour. |
| Quisiera saber de donde vienes tú. | I would like to know where you come from. |
| Vamos a dejar que el tiempo pare, | Let’s let time stop, |
| ver nuestros recuerdos en los mares y esta soledad tan profunda | see our memories on the seas and this solitude so deep |
| que en el canto de las olas me quisiera sumergir, | that I’d like to submerge myself in the song of the waves, |
| embriagándome en su aroma algo nuevo descubrir. | discover something new by becoming intoxicated by its aroma. |
| Voy a navegar en tu puerto azul. | I’m going to sail in your blue harbour. |
| Quisiera saber de donde vienes tú. | I would like to know where you come from. |
| Vamos a dejar que el tiempo pare, | Let’s let time stop, |
| ver nuestros recuerdos en los mares y esta soledad tan profunda | see our memories on the seas and this solitude so deep |
| que me cante el mar un bolero de soledad, | that the sea sings me a bolero1 of solitude, |
| que me cante el mar, | that the sea sings to me, |
| que ando sola, con soledad, | that I walk alone, with solitude, |
| que me cante el mar un bolero de soledad, | that the sea sings me a bolero of solitude, |
| que ando sola, con soledad. | that I walk alone, with solitude. |
| Soledad y el mar. | Solitude and the sea. |