Literary
Translation
I recently tried Literary Translation for the first time and immediately fell in love with it. As an Irish and French student, I believe that translating extracts is how we truly learn to fully understand a language.
My first piece of Literary Translation was published in Trinity Journal of Literary Translation in November 2021. Unfortunately, JOLT is the only Irish journal dedicated solely to translation.
I hope to share all of my translations here in several languages. Of course, as translation is generally up to the impression of the translator I am open to suggestions and corrections.
'Póg'
by Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill
Irish to French Translation
Póg
Do phóg fear eile mé
i lár mo bheola,
do chuir sé a theanga
isteach i mo bhéal.
Níor bhraitheas faic.
Dúirt leis,
“Téir abhaile, a dheartháirín,
tánn tú ólta
is tá do bhean thall sa doras
ag fanacht.”
Ach nuair a chuimhním
ar do phógsa,
critheann mo chromáin
is imíonn
a bhfuil eatarthu
ina lacht.
La Bise
Je l’ai ken avec un autre homme
claquement dans les lèvres
il a mis sa langue
dans ma bouche.
Rien n’a été ressenti.
Il a dit
« Rentre chez-toi, frérot,
tu est faya
et ta meuf
attente. »
Cela va de soi, quand je me souviens
tes bécots
ma teuch titille
et grand frisson
du jouissance
la dose
entre eux.
'Hymn to a Broken Marriage'
by Paul Durcan
English to Irish Translation
Hymn to a Broken Marriage
Dear Nessa – Now that our marriage is over
I would like you to know that, if I could put back the clock
Fifteen years to the cold March day of our wedding,
I would wed you again and, if that marriage also broke,
I would wed you yet again and, if it a third time broke,
Wed you again, and again, and again, and again, and again:
If you would have me which, of course, you would not.
For, even you – in spite of your patience and your innocence
(Strange characteristics in an age such as our own)
– Even you require to shake off the addiction of romantic love
And seek, instead, the herbal remedy of a sane affection
In which are mixed in profuse and fair proportion
Loverliness, brotherliness, fatherliness:
A sane man could not espouse a more faithful friend than you.
Iomann do Phósta Bhriste
A Neasa, anois agus ár bpósadh atá thart
Ba mhaith liom a fhios agat gur, dá mbeadh mé in ann an chlog a chur siar
Cúig bhlian déag go lá Márta fuar lánár bpósadh
Pósfainn thú arís, agus dá é a bhriseann freisin,
Pósfainn thú arís eile, agus dá é a bhriseann don dtríú uair,
Pósfainn thú arís, ‘is arís, ‘is arís, ‘is arís, ‘is arís;
Dá mbeiféá mise agat sa chás sin, ar ndóigh, ní bheiféa
De, fiú amháin tusa, d’aineonn do fhoighne agus do neamhchiontacht
(Tréithe aite san aois mar ár gceann-na)
Fiú teastaíonn tú a chroitheadh d’andúíl de grá rómánsúil
Agus a lorg, ina ionad sin, an leighead luibhne den ngean stuama.
Sa chás sin atá measctha i bhfairsing agus i gcion cothrom
‘Leannánach’, ‘deathrúilacht’, ‘aithriúlacht’;
Ní fhéadfadh fear stuama cara níos pearsanta a tacaigh ná leatsa.
'Vikings'
Anonymous
The Vikings
Is acher ingáith innocht.
fufuasna faircggae findfolt
ni ágor réimm mora minn
dondláechraid lainn oua lothlind.
Irish (9th century) to French Translation
with reference from Paul Muldoon's English translation of the poem featured in his 2021 collection 'Howdie-Skelp'
Les Vikings
Le vent ce soir est aussi passionné que le fil d'une épée.
La criniére est un choc indiscipliné de blanc
Cela signifie que raid des Nordiques
Serait presque certainement dévié de sa route.
'He visits my town once a year'
by Amir Khusro
He visits my town once a year
He visits my town once a year
He fills my mouth with kisses and nectar.
I spend all my money on him.
Who, girl, your man?
No, a mango.
English to Irish Translation
Tugann sé cuairt orm uair sa bhliain
Tugann sé cuairt orm uair sa bhliain
Dalladh póg agus neachtar a thabhairt dom.
Caithim mo chuid airgid air.
Cé, a ghirseach, d'fhear féin?
Beag ná mór, aon mhangó amháin.
'harvesting vellum'
by Doireann Ní Ghríofa
English to Irish Translation
harvesting vellum
peel away layers of skin
and find again
the hidden digits
once written on this wrist
blue ink on flesh, blue ink
over skin and vein,
blue ink of a number, a name
it's still there, just as under layers
of lip
lies the fossil
of a first kiss.
bailiú veilleam
sraitheanna craiceann imigh i dtreo eile
agus aimsigh arís
na digití ceilteacha
scríofa ar rosta seo fadó
dúch gorm ar fheoil, dúch gorm
ar chneas agus ar fhéith,
dúch gorm d'uimhir, ainm
tá sé ann fós, díreach mar atá faoi sraitheanna de liopa
luíonn an iontaise
de chéad póg.