Tradução
Tradução do poema If We Must Die, de Claude Mckay
Claude Mckay was born in Sunny Ville, Jamaica, in 1889. He is an important figure in
the Harlem Renaissance. His work ranged from vernacular verse celebrating peasant life in
Jamaica to poems that protested racial and economic inequities. His most important works are
The Passion of Claude McKay: Selected Poetry and Prose (1973); The Dialectic Poetry of
Claude McKay (1972); Selected Poems (1953); Harlem Shadows (1922); Constab Ballads
(1912); Songs of Jamaica (1912); Among many other books of poetry and prose.
One of his brilliant poems is If we must die, written in 1919. It is a Shakespearean
Sonnet (14 lines - three quatrains and one couplet) and represents political resistance; as it calls for oppressed people to resist their oppressors, violently and bravely - even if they die in the
struggle. In other words, the poem is a call against anti-black racism. It doesn’t limit its call
for resistance to a specific kind of oppression, but instigate a fight for their rights and
freedom.
If We Must Die, de Claude Mckay
If we must die, let it not be like hogs A
Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, B
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, A
Making their mock at our accursèd lot. B
If we must die, O let us nobly die, C
So that our precious blood may not be shed D
In vain; then even the monsters we defy C
Shall be constrained to honor us though dead! D
O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe! E
Though far outnumbered let us show us brave, F
And for their thousand blows deal one death-blow! E
What though before us lies the open grave? F
Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, G
Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back! G
Se Temos Que Morrer, de Claude Mckay
Se temos que morrer, que não seja como porcos, A
Caçados e encurralados em um lugar ruim, B
Enquanto à nossa volta ladram os cães ferozes e sádicos A
Zombando de nosso maldito fim. B
Se temos que morrer, que morramos nobremente, C
Para que não se derrame o nosso sangue precioso D
Em vão; que até mesmo os monstros, desafiadoramente, C
Sejam forçados a nos honrar se estivéssemos mortos! (D)*
Oh, irmãos! Lutemos contra o nosso mesmo inimigo! E
Embora sejamos em menor número, apresentemo-nos com postura, F
E contra seus mil golpes revidamos com um só mortal castigo! E
Diante de nós está aberta a sepultura? F
Enfrentemos como valentes a matilha covarde que está nos matando, G
E, contra a parede, morramos, porém revidando. G
Considering that the poem's lyrical speaker takes a leading position trying to
encourage others to fight back the oppression, the tone of the poem written by Mckay is
clearly angry and fed up, but with an ironic essence that I tried to preserve in the translation.
For that reason, I chose the terms “Se temos que morrer”, instead of keeping the literal
translation of “must” (dever), in order to not associate “must” with the sense of obligation in
Portuguese.
As it is a Shakespearean sonnet, I chose to keep the rhyme scheme, except for verse 8,
which has a very large impact on changing a term that doesn’t, in fact, express the idea of the
original text if it’s translated. Another point to notice is verse 2, which has been translated
as "Caçados e encurralados em um lugar ruim” to rhyme with verse 4 “Zombando de nosso
maldito fim.”. The English terms “an inglorious spot”, from verse 2, “Hunted and penned in
an inglorious spot”, is much more imagery and positioned than in the Portuguese translation.
In this case I believe it should improve the suitability for the Portuguese language. Finally, I
highlight a more inclusive option when I use "valentes" (verse 13) to express the [sexist] idea
that “you must fight like a man”. When I say "valentes" the notion of brave people (pessoas
valentes) is implied. As I had to extend the verse to rhyme the couplet, I hid the word
"people", after all it's not just men who fight against oppression. The language, historically, is
sexist and new forms must be rethought, especially in the area of Linguistics studies.