The other day I was talking about translation, and I didn’t mention what is, in my opinion, the true beauty of translating things: the possibility of crosschecking meanings. When you are translating, you understand things better, ‘cause you have to dig deeper into the meaning to better explain an idea. That’s something you may not need to do very often when you are using only one language, especially if that’s your native one.
A good example of that situation is a national anthem. Here’s my point: I am Brazilian, and, as a Brazilian person, I’m used to listen to my national anthem since I was a little boy. It’s stuck to my brain in some kind of subconscious level, so I don’t have to think about it that deeply, ‘cause the lyrics usually pop up in my mind as I sing along; as a Brazilian, I don’t have to actually process the words. And I imagine it’s the same with other people when it comes to their own national anthems. But once you are translating it, you do have to think about them and crosscheck the meaning in Portuguese and in the other language – English, in this case. Sometimes you don’t even need to think about the word itself, but about its inner meaning, the true abstract concept behind the letters and the grammar. And then, as you go deeper, you understand it more.
Oh, and since I mentioned the Brazilian anthem, here’s its English version as I translate it. (And I do think it’s one of the most beautiful anthems, since it talks about love and peace – things that other anthems don’t always care about. But that, as everything else, is my opinion, and that’s a topic to de discussed another time.) Here we go!
Brazilian National Anthem
(Original lyrics by Joaquim Osório Duque Estrada)
The calm riverbanks of the Ipiranga river
heard the blaring yell of heroic people,
and the sun of freedom, with shining light beams,
has shone in the homeland’s sky at that moment.
If this equality pledge
we were able to conquer with strong arms,
oh, freedom, in your chest,
you defy our chest to death!
Oh, beloved homeland,
idolized homeland,
hail, hail!
Brazil, an intense dream, a powerful gleam
of love and hope comes down to earth,
if in your beautiful, smiling and clear sky
the image of the Cross glows.
Giant by nature,
You are beautiful, strong, a brave colossus,
And thy future mirrors this greatness.
Beloved homeland,
among other thousand,
it is you, Brazil,
oh, beloved homeland,
to the sons of this land you are a gentle mother,
beloved homeland,
Brazil!
Eternally laying down on a magnificent crib,
among the sound of the sea and under the light of deep sky,
you shine, oh Brazil, America’s jewel,
enlightened by the light of the New World.
In comparison to the most elegant land,
your smiling beautiful fields have more flowers,
“Our woods have more life,”
“Our life,” within your chest, “has more love.”
Oh, beloved homeland,
idolized homeland,
hail, hail!
Brazil, may the starry flag you show
be a symbol of eternal love,
and may the green-laurel of this flag say:
“Peace in the future and glory in the past.”
But, if you raise the mace of justice,
you will see that thy sons do not flee from a fight
nor fears their own death the ones who adore you.
Beloved homeland,
among other thousand,
it is you, Brazil,
oh, beloved homeland!
to the sons of this land you are a gentle mother,
beloved homeland,
Brazil!
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