ON TRANSLATIONS, AND TRANSLATORS. . .

OK, I'M A LITTLE TIRED AND FED UP WITH TRANLITERATIONS THAT MAKE NO SENSE IN ENGLISH,
THUS PUTTING PORTUGUESE POETS IN A VERY BAD LIGHT, BECAUSE THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION
IS SO BAD
SO EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT A PROFESSIONAL TRANSLATOR, HERE IS MY EFFORT FOR
'POR MORRER UMA ANDORINHA'
I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE STILTED, BUT THE ENGLISH MAKES SOME SENSE

IF YOU STOPPED BEING MINE, MY SORROW
I WOULD NOT STOP BEING WHOEVER I WAS
EVEN THOUGH EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IS NEW
SO BECAUSE A SWALLOW DIES WITHOUT LOVE, SPRINGTIME DOES NOT END, THE PEOPLE SAY
SO BECAUSE A SWALLOW DIES WITHOUT LOVE, SPRINGTIME DOES NOT END, THE PEOPLE SAY
AS YOU CAN SEE, I HAVEN'T CHANGED, FORTUNATELY
AND I'M NOT EVEN UNHAPPY OR BEAT DOWN

I JUST PROTECT THE PRESENT FROM THE PAST
AND THE SAME PAST, ALWAYS PRESENT
I JUST PROTECT THE PRESENT FROM THE PAST
AND THE SAME PAST, ALWAYS PRESENT

I ALREADY GOT USED TO THIS FATE
AND THE CHANCE YOU WOULDN'T BE SINCERE IN YOUR LOVE
AND SO I'M NOT WAITING FOR AN ILLUSION I DID NOT HAVE OR WISH FOR AGAIN
IF YOU STOPPED BEING MINE, MY SORROW
I WOULD NOT STOP BEING WHOEVER I WAS
EVEN THOUGH EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IS NEW
IF YOU STOPPED BEING MINE, MY SORROW
I WOULD NOT STOP BEING WHOEVER I WAS
EVEN THOUGH EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IS NEW

I LIVE LIFE LIKE BEFORE,
SINGING, I DON'T HAVE LESS OR MORE THAN WHAT I HAD
AND THE DAYS PASS EQUALLY, NOT TO RETURN
THE DAYS THAT STAY AS DISTANT AS YOU FROM YOUR BEING MINE
AND THE DAYS PASS EQUALLY, NOT TO RETURN
THE DAYS THAT STAY AS DISTANT AS YOU FROM YOUR BEING MINE
SO THE MINUTES AND SECONDS OF THIS LIFE
FOLLOW A BURNING AND AUSTERE ORDER PRECISELY
NOBODY HERE GRABS THAT WORTHLESS CHIMERA THAT
DESTINY RULES THEIR PATH, AND IS NOT NEW

SO BECAUSE A SWALLOW DIES WITHOUT LOVE, SPRINGTIME DOES NOT END, THE PEOPLE SAY
SO BECAUSE A SWALLOW DIES WITHOUT LOVE, SPRINGTIME DOES NOT END, THE PEOPLE SAY

NOW I'M NOT A POET, MY ABILITY TO REMEMBER PORTUGUESE WORDS IS AFFECTED BY NOT
HAVING SPOKEN THE LANGUAGE FOR AT LEAST 40 YEARS, THOUGH I READ IT AVIDLY IN
ONLINE NEWS AND PORTUGUESE BLOGS, PLUS I HAVE HAD TWO STROKES
BUT IF I CAN PUT A LITTLE ELBOW GREASE INTO RESEARCH, AND WORK MY MEMORY FOR ALL IT'S WORTH, I THINK ANY TRANSLATOR SHOULD HAVE GOOD COMMAND OF BOTH THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, AND PORTUGUESE, AS WELL AS EARN THEIR SALARIES
I DON'T DO THIS FOR MONETARY GAIN, SO WHAT'S UP WITH THE MEDIOCRE TRANSLATIONS?
IF YOU CAN'T SPEAK ENGLISH WELL, OR PORTUGUESE WELL, YOU SHOULD REALLY BE CONSIDERED INCOMPETENT AS A TRANSLATOR, AND SHOULD QUIT OR BE FIRED
E AOS MEUS AMIGOS PORTUGUESES, SE NÃO CONHECEM O INGLÊS, ORA NÃO TRADUZAM, PARECE MUITO MAL, ENTÃO, E A GENTE PARECE MUITO ESTÚPIDA ESTÁ CLARO
AND, BY THE WAY, I USED THE OTHER VIDEO TO TRANSLATE THIS, NOT THIS ONE, SO DON'T NITPICK

Carlos do Carmo--Por morrer uma andorinha