I decided to translate Federico Garcia Lorca's "Córdoba" into Japanese. It's a Spanish poem that I studied in my high school Spanish classes. I enjoyed it when I first read it in Spanish, so I thought that it would be interesting to translate it into Japanese. I often point out how Japanese, at times, feels very similar to Spanish to me, which contributed to the decision. After translating the poem, I found that the general cadence and other particularities were similar between my translation and the original Spanish. My translation, the original Spanish, and an English translation are below for those interested.
コルドバ
遠くて、一人で。
くろいしゅんそく、大きな月。
サドルバッグの中にオリーブがある。
道を知っていても
コルドバにぜったいに着かない。
のはらを、風を、
くろいしゅんそく、赤の月。
コルドバのとうから
死神がぼくを見つめている。
ああ、長い道かな！
ああ、いさましいしゅんそくかな！
ああ、死神が待っている、
ぼくがコルドバに着く前に。
コルドバ
遠くて、一人で。
Córdoba
Distant and lonely.
Black steed, big moon,
and olives in my saddlebag.
Although I know the roads
I will never reach Córdoba.
Across the plains, through the wind
Black steed, red moon.
Death is staring at me
from the towers of Córdoba.
Oh, how long the road is!
Oh, my valiant steed!
Oh, death awaits me,
before I reach Córdoba.
Córdoba.
Distant and lonely.
Córdoba
Lejana y sola.
Jaca negra, luna grande,
Y aceitunas en mi alforja.
Aunque sepa los caminos
yo nunca llegaré a Córdoba
Por el llano, por el viento
Jaca negra, luna roja.
La muerte me está mirando
desde las torres de Córdoba.
¡Ay qué camino tan largo!
¡Ay mi jaca valerosa
¡Ay que la muerte me espera,
antes de llegar de Córdoba!
Córdoba.
Lejana y sola.
