"I never knew the kind of love that bends its knee, stammering pleas, meek in the face of arrogance. It was in that way, with weaknesses that still humiliate me, that in my delirium I came to love you."
Tango Decoder's English-language version of the 1941 tango Humillación is a joint effort by La Sonia, a faithful reader and friend from Tango Lyrics & Translations on Facebook. This is La Sonia's second appearance on TD. We previously collaborated on Enrique Santos Discépolo's Tormenta. Mil gracias, Sonia, for all your literary and translatory efforts, and for encouragement, inspiration, and kindness, too!
[Illus.: The Humiliation of Emperor Valerian by Shapur, King of Persia, by Hans Holbein the Younger]
Humillación (Humiliation)
Tango, 1941
Music: Rodolfo Biagi
Lyrics: Carlos Bahr
I never knew the kind of love that bends its knee,
stammering pleas, meek in the face of arrogance.*
It was in that way, with weaknesses that still humiliate me,
that in my delirium I came to love you.
Now that I'm waking up to your half-hearted* passion,
in my conscience, which felt the full force of your severity,
there springs up, despite this love that abases me,
the rebellious cry of my humiliation:
"I hate this love!"
that bent me to your whim—
"I hate this love!"
that taught me to beg.
Hopeless longing that made me kneel
under the yoke of your vanity.*
"I hate this love!"
that, vanquishing my pride,
made me stoop to begging for your affection.
[Castellano]
Yo no sabía del amor que se arrodilla
Balbuceando ruegos, manso de altiveces,
Fue de ese modo, con flaquezas que aún me humillan
Como en mi delirio, te llegué a querer.
Hoy, que despierto frente a tu liviana pasión
En mi conciencia se sintió de lleno el rigor,
Brota a despecho de este amor que me envilece
El grito rebelde, de mi humillación...
¡Odio este amor!...
Que me humilló a tus antojos.
¡Odio este amor!...
Que me enseñó a suplicar.
Ansia torpe que me arrodilló
Bajo el yugo de tu pretensión...
¡Odio este amor!...
Que al doblegar mi entereza,
Me rebajó a mendigar tu calor.
NOTES:
* Arrogance: Alitveces. Haughtiness, pride, arrogance,
* half-hearted: liviana could mean fickle, half-hearted, tepid.
* vanity: pretensión: (Latin America) vanity/arrogance
Comments