"The Ultimate Translation"

La Dernière Translation

by Millôr Fernandes

translated from Brazilian Portuguese by Clifford E. Landers

When an old translator dies

Does his soul, alma, anima,

Free now of its wearisome craft

Of rendering

Go straight to heaven, ao céu,

al cielo, au ciel, zum Himmel,

Or to the hell – Hölle – of the great

traditori?

Or will a translator be considered

In the minute hierarchy of the divine

(himmlisch)

Neither fish, nor water, ni posson ni l’eau

Nem água, nem piexe, nichts, assolutamente

niente?

What of the essential will this

mere intermediary of semantics, broker

of the universal Babel, discover?

Definitive communication, without words?

Once again the first word?

Will he learn, finally!,

Whether HE speaks Hebrew

Or Latin?

Or will he remain infinitely

In the infine

Until he hears the Voice, Voz, Voix, Voce,

Stimme, Vox,

Of the Supreme Mystery

Coming from beyond

Flying like a birdpássarouccelapájarovogel

Addressing him in…

And giving at last

The translation of Amen?

(from E. Landers, C. 2001. Literary Translation: a Practical Guide. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters)