É quel che é

[shygirl78]

É quel che é

É assurdo/ dice la ragione
É quel che é/ dice l’amore
É infelicitá/ dice il calcolo
Non é altro che dolore/ dice la paura
É vano/ dice il giudizio
É quel che é/ dice l’amore
É ridicolo/ dice l’orgoglio
É avventato/ dice la prudenza
É impossibile/ dice l’esperienza
É quel che é/ dice l’amore

A favourite of mine by Erich Fried, simple but beautiful.

Ten out of ten for translation and meaning

[Peter Connelly]

Here’s an attempt at a (sort-of) Tom Leonard-influenced translation wot I just done:


Whit it is.

S’mental, sais reason.
It’s jist whit it is, sais love.
It’s unhappiness, sais caution,
It’s nothin’ nor pain, sais fear,
It’s futile, sais intuition,
It’s whit it is sais love
It’s daft, sais pride,
It’s chancy, sais prudence,
It’s nae possible, sais experience,
It’s whit it is, sais love.



Which is to say, I think, that love is about acceptance, about not succumbing to over-analysis, to fear, to over-caution, to nihilism.

[shygirl78]

Bravo tanto P! Great translation, think I may even like your Scots version more than the Italian version which says a lot given my passion for the Italian language. And ten out of ten for meaning, couldn't have put it better myself.

[Peter Connelly]

Thank you, M. : )

[khartoumteddy]

Old Norfolk Saying

Faint Heart Never Kissed A PIG

not quite as pretty but effective

TEDDY

[shygirl78]

Yes, definitely not as pretty.

And what is your personal interpretation of this saying?

[khartoumteddy]

you cant assess any situation till its tried and tested