[Julie Steiner]

This translation is sort of a companion piece to my recent "Ballade Supreme for a Supergroup" on the Met Board, although the three kings are given very different personalities here than I gave them in my poem. The mosaic I describe there has Caspar, not Balthasar, labeled as the one bringing gold, but since that detail didn't make it into the poem, it doesn't matter.


VERSE TRANSLATION — DRAFT TWO

The Three Wise Kings
Rubén Darío (Nicaragua, 1867 – 1916)

“I’m Caspar. Here, I’m bringing frankincense.
I come to say: Life’s pure — its beauties, fine.
God exists. Love’s magnitude’s immense.
All this I know because the Star’s divine!”

“I’m Melchior. My myrrh is all-perfuming.
God exists. The light of day is He.
The lily keeps its feet in mud while blooming
white. And in delight, some gloom must be!”

“I’m Balthasar. I’m bringing gold. Be sure
that God exists. It’s He, with strength and depth.
All this I know because that light-orb’s pure,
while shining in the diadem of Death.”

“Hark! Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar,
love bids you join its triumph over strife.
From chaos, Christ’s creating light once more!
He comes again — and bears the crown of Life!”


VERSE TRANSLATION — DRAFT ONE VARIANTS

In S1L2, Darío uses the same "Life's pure and beautiful" phrase as in his famous sonnet "Pegaso" ("Pegasus") so I felt obliged to keep that wording as intact as possible. But I had to tack on "and fine" here for the rhyme in English. Curious to know what people think of that decision. (Carl and Rogerbob weighed in on this, leading to the Draft Two variant above. Draft one had:

S1 was:
“I’m Caspar. Here I come with frankincense,
to say: Life’s pure and beautiful and fine.
God exists. Love’s vastness is immense.
All this I know because that Star’s divine!”

S4L1 was:
“Hush! Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar,


SPANISH ORIGINAL

Los tres reyes magos
Rubén Darío (Nicaragua, 1867 – 1916)

-Yo soy Gaspar. Aquí traigo el incienso.
Vengo a decir: La vida es pura y bella.
Existe Dios. El amor es inmenso.
¡Todo lo sé por la divina Estrella!

-Yo soy Melchor. Mi mirra aroma todo.
Existe Dios. Él es la luz del día.
La blanca flor tiene sus pies en lodo.
¡Y en el placer hay la melancolía!

-Soy Baltasar. Traigo el oro. Aseguro
que existe Dios. Él es el grande y fuerte.
Todo lo sé por el lucero puro
que brilla en la diadema de la Muerte.

-Gaspar, Melchor y Baltasar, callaos.
Triunfa el amor y a su fiesta os convida.
¡Cristo resurge, hace la luz del caos
y tiene la corona de la Vida!


LITERAL ENGLISH PROSE CRIB

The Three Wise Kings
Rubén Darío (Nicaragua, 1867 – 1916)

“I’m Caspar. Here I bring frankincense.
I come to say: life is pure and beautiful.
God exists. Love is immense.
I know all this by the divine Star!”

“I’m Melchior. My myrrh perfumes everything.
God exists. He is the light of day.
The white flower keeps its feet in mud.
And in pleasure/joy there is melancholy!”

“I’m Balthasar. I bring gold. I guarantee/swear
that God exists. He is the great and strong one.
I know all this by the pure star
that shines in the diadem of Death.”

“Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, hush yourselves.
Love triumphs and to its party it invites you.
Christ resurges/reappears/resurrects, he makes light from chaos,
and he has/possesses the crown of Life!”