Monday, November 9, 2009

Shakespeare's Sonnet 46 Translatio

Shakespeare's Sonnet 46 Original Early Modern English
Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war,
How to divide the conquest of thy sight,
Mine eye, my heart thy picture's sight would bar,
My heart, mine eye the freedom of that right,
My heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie,
(A closet never pierced with crystal eyes)
But the defendant doth that plea deny,
And says in him thy fair appearance lies.
To side this title is impanelled
A quest of thoughts, all tenants to the heart,
And by their verdict is determined
The clear eye's moiety, and the dear heart's part.
As thus, mine eye's due is thy outward part,
And my heart's right, thy inward love of heart.

Deutsch
Mein Auge und Herz beim großen Krieg sind,
Wie man scheidet die Warmherzigkeit von deinem Gesicht,
Mein Auge, mein Herz dein Bildnis Gesicht würde beenden,
Mein Herz, mein Auge die Freihet dieses Recht,
Mein Herz bittet dich in ihm zu leihen,
(Ein Schrank hat nie mit kristallen Augen aufgespießt)
Aber der Angeschuldigte wird die Bitte bestreiten,
Und sagt in ihm dein schönes Gesicht bleibt.
Zu diese Seite hat diesen Titel als Geschworenen eingesetzt
Eine Suche durch Ideen, der Inhaber des Herzes,
Und durch sein Urteil hat angesetzt
Die Hälfte des klare Auge, und der Part des lieben Herzes.
Und so, der Anteil meines Auges ist dein ausser Anteil,
Und meine Herzes Berechtigung, deine innerhin Herzes Innigkeit.

Present Day English
My eye and heart are in a great war
How one chooses the affection from your face
My eye, my heart would stop the portrait of your face
My heart, my eye the freedom of this right
My heart begs you to lie in him
A closet has never pierced with crystal eyes
But the defendant will deny the plea
And says in him your beautiful face stays
To this side has this title been placed in the jury
A quest through thoughts, the tenant of the heart
And through his verdict was determined
The moiety of the clear eye, and the part of the dear heart
And so, the part of my eye is your outer part
And my heart’s right, your inward heart’s love

2 comments:

  1. Very good TRanslatio. The German sounds as elegant as the Early Modern English. Was it hard to transfer any of the French or Latin lexical items? You may wish to mention that the sonnet is from Shakespeare?

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  2. I love how it translates over, I think it really helps us get a feel for the meaning and beauty of the sonnet.

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