Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish

Subject: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 02 Dec 01 - 01:33 PM

Tish Hinojosa sings a beautiful old Christmas song called A  La Nanita.
My Spanish is not very good, but the chorus, I think, is:

A la nanita, na na nanita, a la nanita he-ya,
Mi Jesus tienes sueños, benditos sueños  .....[something or other -- I forget].

When she sings the verses, I can decipher only part of the lyrics from my tape.  Our choir sings the song, but only the chorus.

Can someone post the entire song en Español?

Thanks,

Genie

Subject: Lyr Add: A LA NANITA NANA - verses in Spanish
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 Dec 01 - 03:08 PM

  A LA NANITA NANA
  Villancico facilitado por Ana María Faria

     

            (CORO)
            A LA NANITA NANA, NANITA EA, NANITA EA, 
            MI JESUS TIENE SUEÑO, BENDITO SEA,
            BENDITO SEA.

    

          FUENTECILLA QUE CORRES CLARA Y SONORA
            RUISEÑO EN LA SELVA CANTANDO LLORAS
            CALLAD MIENTRAS LA CUNA SE BALANCEA
            A LA NANITA NANA, NANITA EA.

    

          (CORO)

    

          MANOJITO DE ROSAS Y DE ALELIES
           ¿QUE ES LO QUE ESTAS SOÑANDO QUE TE SONRIES
            CUALES SON TUS SUEÑOS,DILO ALMA MIA MAS,
           ¿QUE ES LO QUE MURMURAS? EUCARISTIA.
    

          (CORO)

    

          PAJARITOS Y FUENTES, AURAS Y BRISAS
            RESPETAD ESE SUEÑO Y ESAS SONRISAS
            CALLAD MIENTRAS LA CUNA SE BALANCEA
            QUE EL NIÑO ESTA SOÑANDO, BENDITO SEA.

    

          (CORO).

Appears there is a MIDI if you want to e mail the webmster:
http://deportes.ole.com/personal/7sietes/nanitanana.htm

Subject: Lyr Add: A LA NANITA NANA - English translation
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 Dec 01 - 03:16 PM

And now for the Add,notes and English version:
Home: Spain
A La Nanita Nana (English version)
The Christmas Guy

Artist: sequenced by Bill Egan

Description:
A traditional Spanish carol with English lyrics by Norman Luboff. This is a very unusual carol, combining a tender lullaby with profound thought over a melody and rhythms of popular Latin authenticity. The change from a minor to a major key in the carol is a feature of certain Spanish folksongs, and is also found in some Cuban folksongs (guajira).

Lyrics:
A la nanita nana, nanita ea, nanita ea,
Sleep, sleep my little Jesus, May peace attend Thee,
May peace attend Thee.
To the world, little Savior, new hope thou'rt bringing.
All the world, little Savior, Thy praises singing,
God's angels hov'ring o'er Thee
Chant alleluia. A la nanita nana, nanita ea.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Sorcha
Date: 02 Dec 01 - 07:13 PM

Note: I forgot to put in that "nana" is lullaby, therefore, "nanita" is a little lullaby. Lo siento que mucho.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 03 Dec 01 - 01:51 AM

Muchas gracias, Sorcharita!

Juanita

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From:
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 11:43 AM

Please could you send me the MiDI for A la nanita nana, nanita ea...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 01:49 PM

Good midi at Hymns and Carols of Christmas (The Egan midi mentioned by Sorcha above):
A la nanita nana

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 02:01 PM

The midi (very good!) plays now on the other website cited by Sorcha; http://deportes.ole.com/personal/7sietes/nanitanana.htm
A la nanita nana

An excellent website for villancicos. Index 'La pagina navidena' here:

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 02:06 PM

! Hit the submit by accident!@&%!
Index to Castillian Christmas songs here: Christmas songs

Subject: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - translation of Spanish vers
From: Genie
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 02:59 PM

Thanks, everyone!

As is often the case, the English lyrics posted here don't even attempt to be a true "translation" of the Spanish.

I can an approximate translation of the Spanish, but I'm sure I miss some of the idioms and subtleties.   Would someone who's fluent in both Span. and Eng. please translate the Spanish lyrics that Sorcha posted? I don't need them to be "singable," I just want to understand clearly what I'm singing.

Thanks,

Genie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 08:44 PM

Very rough- but perhaps some help. We need Escamillo.

1. A small fountain flows, clear and sonorous,
Nightingale, singing sadly in the woods
keep quiet while the cradle is rocked
to this little lullaby.

A little bouquet of roses and wallflowers(?),
what is in his dream that makes him smile?
What are your dreams which comfort my soul,
what is that he murmurs? The Eucharist.

Little birds and fountains, breaths and breezes,
respect this dream and these smiles,
keep quiet while the cradle is rocked
so that the child sleeps, blessed is he.

Coro
To this little lullaby,
my Jesus is asleep, blessed is he, blessed is he.

Second line of verse 1-
Also written as "ruisenor q'en en la selva cantando lloras

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Sep 05 - 10:04 PM

This is one of the most haunting Christmas tunes I know. I really like it.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr Add: A LA NANITA NANA
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 12:03 AM

A longer version, Latin American.

Lyr. Add: A la Nanita Nana

Coro- after each verse.
A la nanita nana, nanita nana, nanita ea;
mi Jesús tiene sueño, bendito sea, bendito sea. (2x)

Fuentecilla que corre, clara y sonora;
Ruiseñor que en la selva, cantando llora;
calla mientras la cuna, se balancea,
a la nanita nana, nanita ea.

Pimpollo de canela, lirio en capullo,
duermete sin recelo, mientras te arrullo,
duermete que del alma mi canto brota,
y un delirio de amores es cada nota.

Manojito de rosas y de alelíes,
?Que es lo que estás soñando, que te sonries?
?Cuáles son tus ensueños? Dilo, alma mia;
Mas, ?Qué es lo que murmuras? Eucaristia.

Yo no sé lo que es eso, Niño del alma,
mas pues esa sonrisa mis penas calma,
sigue, sigue soñando, mi dulce dueño,
sin que nada ahuyente tan dulce sueño.

Pajaritos y fuentes, auras y brisas,
respetad ese sueño y esas sonrisas;
calla mientras la cuna se balancea,
el Niño está soñando, !Bendito sea!

A la nanita nana, nanita nana, nanita ea;
mi Jesús tiene sueño, bendito sea, bendito sea (bis)

http://www.geocities.com/mgiuras/canto_navideno/alnnana.html

Cancionero de la Musica Latinoamerica

Subject: can someone translate this to English
From: GUEST,Dee
Date: 22 Aug 07 - 10:24 PM

A la nanita nana nanita ella nanita ella
Mi nina tiene sueno bendito sea,bendito sea
[Marisol:]
A la nanita nana nanita ella nanita ella
Mi nina tiene sueno bendito sea,bendito sea
[Chanel & Marisol:]
Fuentecita que carre clara y sonara
Ruisenor que en la selva
Cantando illora
Calla mientras la cuna se balansea
A la nanita nana nanita ella nanita ella
A la nanita nana nanita ella nanita ella
Mi nina tiene sueno bendito
Sea, bendito sea
Fuentecita que carre clara y sonora
Ruisenor que en la selva
Cantando illora
Calla mientras la cuna se balonsea
A la nanita nana nanita ella

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Oct 07 - 01:33 PM

go onto youtube and there is a song which has the lyrics too!just type in a la nanita-spanish lullabye

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 07 - 03:02 PM

A la nanita nana nanita ella nanita ella
Mi niña tiene sueño bendito sea, bendito sea

Fuentecita que corre clara y sonora
Ruiseñor que en la selva cantando llora
Calla mientras la cuna se balansea
A la nanita nana, nanita ella

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: GUEST,me
Date: 21 Nov 08 - 04:29 PM

a la na nitana na na nita ea na nita ea
mi jesus tiane sueno bendito sea bendito sea

um i only know this part in english this is the original not the stupid cheetah girls one

fountian is running clearly
laughing and sparkling
sad nightengale is singing
deep in the forest

thats all i know sorry!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 12:02 AM

Thanks to all of you who have posted various Spanish lyrics.

I'd love to see actual translations (as distinctd from 'singable translations') to the various Spanish lyrics that have been posted.

E.g., with my very limited grasp of Spanish, I believe "Mi Jesus tienes sueños" translates to "My Jesus is dreaming," not "My Jesus is sleeping." Minor point, but I'd really like to know what the Spanish words mean.

Thanks.

Genie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Monique
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 03:14 AM

Mi Jesús tiene sueño (without "s") means My Jesus is sleepy. My Jesus is dreaming would be Mi Jesús está soñando. You wouldn't have Mi Jesús tiene sueños meaning My Jesus is dreaming –literally has dreams- unless there'd be a precision about those dreams such as in the first post "Mi Jesús tiene sueños, benditos (blessed) sueños".

Q did translate the lyrics.
Q ~ Would you agree with me about tiene sueño? (mine is Spain Spanish and there are differences in the Spanish speaking world). Btw an alelí or alhelí is indeed a wallflower (see there for the photos and switch to English for the written stuff)

Missing translations
Pimpollo de canela, lirio en capullo,
duérmete sin recelo, mientras te arrullo,
duérmete que del alma mi canto brota,
y un delirio de amores es cada nota.

Cinnamon shoot, lily in bud
Sleep without fear while I lull you
Sleep, my chant/song springs up from my soul
And every note is a frenzy of love.


Yo no sé lo que es eso, Niño del alma,
mas pues esa sonrisa mis penas calma,
sigue, sigue soñando, mi dulce dueño,
sin que nada ahuyente tan dulce sueño.

I don't know what this is, Child of my soul,
But since this smile soothes my sorrows
Go on, go on dreaming, my sweet lord
Without anything scaring so sweet dream away

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Monique
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 03:21 AM

Forgot: Bendito sea is "let him be blessed"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 08:11 AM

Gracias, Monique and Q.

G

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 09:59 AM

I don't like this version nearly as much as I like Tish Hinojosa's -- I much prefer Tish's voice and vocal styling -- but it's the best vocal audio of the song I could find to share here:

    "A La Nanita" sung by The Cheetah Girls

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 07:24 PM

Here is Tish Hinojosa's recording, thanks to YouTube:

A La Nanita - Tish Hinojosa

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: quokka
Date: 03 Jan 10 - 09:58 PM

Reading this thread has put me in mind of an Italian lullaby I used to sing for my kids when they were babies:

Fa la nana, bambino
Fa la nana, bambino
Fa la nina, fa la nana,
(not sure of the spelling of next line)
Nei breceiti della mama

Every baby I ever sang this to settled really quickly.
If anyone can correct the words I'd be grateful - I never saw them written but only heard the song on Playschool

Cheers,
Quokka

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Monique
Date: 04 Jan 10 - 06:49 AM

Fa la ninna, bambino,
Fa la nanna, bambino...
Nei braccetti della mamma

You have a lightly different version here.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Jan 10 - 02:46 PM

Tish Hinojosa, a Tejano treasure, issued a cd of songs sung mostly at Christmas- "Memoribilia Navideña". Songs are:

Arbolito- Little Tree (Christmas) in Spanish
Arbolito- Separate track, in English
Milagro
Building # 9
la Nanita nana (from Las Pasadas)
Cado niño (every child)
Everything you wish
Memoribilia (Honky-tonkers' Christmas recital)

Available from amazon.ca

Subject: A La Nanita Nana - verses in Spanish, English
From: Genie
Date: 04 Jan 10 - 06:28 PM

I have Tish's Christmas album (tape) and it's very good. Especially her Spanish songs.

It seems we have translations of some of the verses to this song but not all of them. (Neither the Cheetah Girls nor Tish sing more than a verse or two.)

Here is what I've been able to come up with by way of a translation of the whole song. Please correct any mistranslations.


A LA NANITA (TO THE LITTLE LULLABY)

Coro:
A la nanita, nana, nanita ella, nanita ella
Mi jesus tiene sueño. Bendito sea, bendito sea.
(bis)

[Chorus:
To this little lullaby my Jesus falls asleep.
Blessed be He, blessed be He.]

1. Fuentecita que corre clara y sonoram
Ruiseñor que en la selva cantando llora
Calla mientras la cuna se balansea
A la nanita nana, nanita ella. (Coro)

[Little spring that flows clear and sonorous,
Nightingale singing in the forest weeping,
Keep it quiet while the cradle is rocked
to this little lullaby. (Cho.) ]

2. Pimpollo de canela, lirio en capullo,
duérmete sin recelo, mientras te arrullo,
duérmete que del alma mi canto brota,
y un delirio de amores es cada nota. (Coro)

[Cinnamon sprig, budding lily,
Sleep without fear while I lull you.
Go to sleep as the song springs from my soul
And every note is a frenzy of love. (Cho.) ]

3. Manojito de rosas y de alelíes,
?Que es lo que estás soñando, que te sonries?
?Cuáles son tus ensueños? Dilo, alma mia;
Mas, ?Qué es lo que murmuras? Eucaristia. (Coro)

[Little handful of roses and wallflowers,
What are you dreaming of, what makes you smile?
What are your dreams? Tell me, my soul.
And what are you whispering? Communion (Eucharist).   (Cho.) ]

4. Yo no sé lo que es eso, Niño del alma,
mas pues esa sonrisa mis penas calma,
sigue, sigue soñando, mi dulce dueño,
sin que nada ahuyente tan dulce sueño. (Coro)

[I don't know what this is, Child of the soul,
But since your smile soothes my pain,
Dream on, my sweet Lord,
With nothing scaring away such a sweet dream. (Cho.) ]


5.   Pajaritos y fuentes, auras y brisas,
respetad ese sueño y esas sonrisas;
calla mientras la cuna se balancea,
El Niño está soñando, !Bendito sea! (Coro)

[Little birds and fountains, auras and breezes
Fulfill that dream and those smiles.
Hush while the cradle rocks,
The (Holy) Child is dreaming! May He be blessed! (Cho.) ]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Monique
Date: 04 Jan 10 - 06:58 PM

My note about "Mi Jesús tiene sueño" meaning "My Jesus is sleepy", not "My Jesus falls asleep" still holds. "To fall asleep" translates as "dormirse"

verse 5: "respetad" means "respect" imperative tense, 2nd pers. plural.

Btw, ¿ is Alt 168 or Alt 0191, the html coding being &-iquest; without the dash

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 04 Jan 10 - 08:29 PM

The reason I translated the idiom as "falls asleep" is that in English we generally say someone "falls asleep to" something (e.g., the radio or a song or a lullaby), not "sleeps to" something.
I have never heard anyone in English say "the baby sleeps to that song."
It may not be a literal translation, but it seems like that's what the song is conveying: that Baby Jesus is lulled to sleep by this little lullaby.

In any case, the lullaby is doing what lullabies are supposed to do. : D

I've found "respetad" translated, most literally, as "respect" but also as other synonyms and related terms, e.g., in this context, "fulfill. I'm really not sure what the songwriter meant that the little birds, fountains, auras, and breezes do in relation to the baby's dreams - respect them, honor them, fulfill them, etc.??


I'm also wondering if there's a better English translation for "alèlies" than "wallflowers" -- especially since we hardly ever hear the word "wallflower" used in English except to refer to a plain or socially withdrawn woman.


As for the punctuation and diacritical marks, I use a Mac, and sometimes what shows up clearly and accurately on my screen and on other Macs comes out differently on Windows computers, and vice versa.   They are correct on my screen.
I wish there were some way to be sure they would appear the same on both kinds of operating system.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 04 Jan 10 - 09:46 PM

tiene sueño = is sleepy. This is what the line says.

respetad = honor as well as respect; it seems the best equivalent.

Wallflowers are widely grown; the most popular species of Cheiranthus comes from the Mediterranean area. It belongs to the mustard family. Many varieties and hybrids, many fragrant.
Also species of Erysimium are called wallflowers.
Surprised you do not know these flowers; in all flower seed catalogues.

Do you use the HTML system for diacritical marks? It works with both Mac and Windows supported systems.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 04 Jan 10 - 10:11 PM

I think I like "honor" better than "respect," in the context. The song is about the Christ Child, and it seems like the concept is that theittle birds and fountains, auras (I'm not sure this is the ideal translation) and breezes are paying homage to him and his dreams.

I agree that "is sleepy" is the literal translation, but in English we would not say "the baby is sleepy to the lullaby." Maybe we should translate the line "the little lullaby makes the baby sleepy."

Lots of times literal translations from one language to another miss the concept or sentiment that the text was conveying.


As for wallflowers, botanists and flower garden afficionados may be familiar with the term, but I have never heard that term used except to describe a woman (and I am a flower lover and gardener ).   I just think that "wallflower" has a very common usage and connotation to Americans that's not botanical.


I can't use HTML it with Safari the way I used to be able to with Netscape composer. I can't use boldface, italics, or other formatting either.
All I can do is type text, including diacritical marks and other symbols. But if someone else's system doesn't recognize them (or vice versa) it can be a problem.

Sometime when I read things posted by others, the apostrophes come out as question marks or other strange symbols. DK why.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 01:58 AM

When I said "Lots of times literal translations from one language to another miss the concept or sentiment that the text was conveying," perhaps I should have said that often a literal, word-for-word translation sounds awkward in the language it's translated to.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Monique
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 03:13 AM

But Genie, "A la nanita, nana, nanita ella, nanita ella , mi Jesús tiene sueño" doesn't mean "mi Jesús tiene sueño a la nanita nana. ..", "my Jesus is sleepy to the lullaby" doesn't make sense in Spanish either. "A la nanita nana" is a set expression to lull the babies, so the whole stuff means "little lullaby, lullaby, little lullaby eya, little lullabye eya, my Jesus is sleepy" -or however you want to spell "ella" (I heard it sung/written "eya" too, which avoids a possible confusion with ella = she/her).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 04:30 AM

I wondered about that "eya" too, Monique. When it was spelled "ella," I saw it translated as "it."    I've also seen "A La Nanita" translated as "To the Little Lullaby," but your translation makes more sense. I.e., it's not a whole sentence, just
Little lullaby, lullaby, little lullaby, my Jesus is sleepy." Is the "eya" just sort of a nonsense syllable like "la la la?"
I just wondered what the "A" was supposed to mean if it's not a preposition.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Monique
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 01:38 PM

"eya" has no meaning. I love Nana de la mora in which you can find "ea" instead. The lyrics are by José Ángel Valente (1929-1980) and the music by Paco Ibañez (1934- ) so it's under copyright and will be during our life time. It's on YouTube too. I'm adding this link in case someone is interested in listening other songs by Paco Ibañez.
"eya/ella/ea" is a sort of humming "la la la", yes.

"A la nanita nana" has been translated as "Rock-a-bye Baby" on Hilary Field & Patrice O'Neill's cd Siente. Let's say that "a" being a proposition and this "a" linking "a la nanita nana" to "mi Jesús tiene sueño" with the meaning that Jesus is sleepy because of the lullaby are two different things. Look a the ones on page 85 (= page 86 printed on the document). You also find "a la nana" and this "a" isn't used to link "la nana" to anything.

Subject: Lyr Add: A LA NANITA (LITTLE LULLABY) (Spanish+Eng
From: Genie
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 01:39 PM

Here is the whole song, with what it seems is a good translation (per Monique and Q and other sources).    Some phrases can probably be worded more simply in English without losing the meaning (e.g., "Let Him be blessed" is pretty much the same thing as "Bless Him" and we might find a better English word for "delirio" than either "delirium" or "frenzy") but those little variations probably don't matter.   A "singable translation" would be another matter, and some songs don't lend themselves well to "translations" that rhyme and also scan with the cadence of the music.

A LA NANITA (LITTLE LULLABY)

Coro:
A la nanita, nana, nanita eya, nanita eya.
Mi jesus tiene sueño. Bendito sea, bendito sea.
(bis)

[Chorus:
Little lullaby, lullaby, little lullaby eya, little lullaby eya.
My Jesus is sleeping.
Let Him be blessed. Let Him be blessed.]

1. Fuentecita que corre clara y sonora,
Rui señor que en la selva cantando llora
Calla mientras la cuna se balansea
A la nanita nana, nanita eya. (Coro)

[Little spring that flows clear and sonorous,
Nightingale singing mournfully in the forest,
Keep it quiet while the cradle rocks
to this little lullaby. (Cho.) ]

2. Pimpollo de canela, lirio en capullo,
duérmete sin recelo, mientras te arrullo,
duérmete sue del alma mi canto brota,
y un delirio de amores es cada nota. (Coro)

[Cinnamon sprig, budding lily,
Sleep without fear while I lull you.
Sleep, as my song springs up from my soul
And every note is a frenzy of love. (Cho.) ]

3. Manojito de rosas y de alelíes,
?Que es lo que estás soñando, que te sonries?
?Cuáles son tus ensueños? Dilo, alma mia;
Mas, ?Qué es lo que murmuras? Eucaristia?. (Coro)

[Little handful of roses and wallflowers,
What are you dreaming of, what makes you smile?
What are your dreams? Tell me, my soul.
And what are you whispering? The Eucharist?   (Cho.) ]

4. Yo no sé lo que es eso, Niño del alma,
mas pues esa sonrisa mis penas calma,
sigue, sigue soñando, mi dulce dueño,
sin que nada ahuyente tan dulce sueño. (Coro)

[I don't know what this is, Child of my soul,
But since this smile soothes my sorrows,
Dream on, dream on, my sweet Lord,
With nothing scaring away such a sweet dream. (Cho.) ]


5.   Pajaritos y fuentes, auras y brisas,
respetad ese sueño y esas sonrisas;
calla mientras la cuna se balancea,
El Niño está soñando, !Bendito sea! (Coro)

[Little birds and fountains, auras and breezes
Honor that dream and those smiles.
Hush while the cradle rocks,
The (Holy) Child is dreaming. Let Him be blessed.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 05:44 PM

The translation seems pretty good to me. You are quite right that literal translations can miss the meaning; they are the bare bones on which to build a meaningful translation (I remember my German teacher saying that).

I don't know much Spanish (and that border Mexican) but suggestions on a couple of words-

delirio- frenzy; I agree it doesn't quite fit; in English we generally mean something else by it than the meaning wanted here- here it means each word is full of meaning, love, honor, adoration, all together. Now a word to condense all that?? Roget's Thesaurus may help.

(In Spanish slang, delirio also means nonsense, according to an entry in Velasquez, but that is not the meaning here either). Also used in idioms like Me gusto con delirio- I'm crazy about it. con delirio- madly.
A Spanish-English (or....) dictionary can't show all the implications a word may have.

Ruiseñor is one word.
(In Spanish dialect it may be 'Ruiseñol- note by Victoria de los Angeles to some of the folk songs she sang.)

Wallflowers are known to any flower gardener, they are quite hardy souls in most temperate areas, and often appear in border plantings.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Monique
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 06:04 PM

Jesusito is still sleeping and not sleepy.

Q - I like the way your German teacher put it. Well, when I talk about a literal translation, for me it means "what it means" without trying to find a nice way to put it or to find rhymes but not word for word translation either. Every time I post a translation on Mudcat, it's "what it means"-only, unless I say otherwise (which happens "at every Pope's death" as we say here -word for word translation!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 10:11 PM

That was a typo, Monique. I meant to type "sleepy." I'll see if a clone can fix it.

I found Rui señor printed as two words elsewhere and thought perhaps it was either correct or acceptable.   If it's supposed to be one word, I'll ask the "Elf" to fix that too.

No problem with word-for-word translation - sometimes. But most words have more than one connotation or synonym even in their own language, and the word in another language that sounds most like the one being translated doesn't always convey the meaning the best. "Delirio" translated as "delirium" would be a good example.   
Another good example is the word "treu" in the first line of O Tannenbaum. The English word "true" does not really convey all that "treu" means in that context.

You're right that sometimes we need a good thesaurus.

As I mentioned above, while "wallflower" may be a term familiar to most American florists and gardeners, it definitely has a more common, non-botanical association. Just saying that if we had another English word for that kind of flower, I'd probably prefer to use it. I just don't know that we do.

I'm wondering about the best translation of "Eucaristia" in the context of this song.
When I saw the lyrics posted, there was no question mark before or after the word "Eucaristia,"   Is the mother asking "What are you murmuring (whispering)? and then answering, "The Eucharist." Or is she guessing, "the Eucharist?"
And doed "Eucharistia" here mean the liturgy of the Communion sacrament (as in a Catholic mass) or does it mean "communicating with God?"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 12:04 AM

OK, just to complicate things (or is it to make them clearer?), here is another translation I found online for this song from a "Spanish course."

Nanita Nana


A la nanita nana, nanita ea, nanita ea,
mi Jesús tiene sueño,
Bendito sea, bendito sea. (bis)

(A la nanita nana, nanita ea, nanita ea,
My Jesus is tired, may he be blessed,
may he be blessed.) (x2)

...........................

Fuentecilla que corres clara y sonora,
ruiseñor que en la selva cantando lloras,
callad mientras la cuna se balancea
a la nanita nana, nanita ea.
...........................
Little fountain, clear and melodic,
Nightingale, you are singing and crying in the forest,
Be quiet as long as the cradle swings
A la nanita nana, nanita ea.

(Coro)
...........................
Manojito de rosas y de alelies
¿qué es lo que estás soñando que te sonríes?
cuales son tus sueños, niño alma mía mas,
¿qué es lo que murmuras?
Eucaristia.

(Little hand of roses and gillyflower,
What is it you are dreaming of, what makes you smile?
What are your dreams, child of my soul,
What is it you murmur?
Eucharist.)

(Coro)
...........................

Pajaritos y fuentes, auras y brisas
respetad ese sueño y esas sonrisas
callad mientras la cuna se balancea
que el niño esta soñando, bendito sea.

(Birds and fountains, mist and breeze
respect this dream and this smile,
be quiet while the cradle swings,
because the child is dreaming; may he be blessed. )

(Coro)


------
They don't have all the verses, but I like their translation of "auras" as "mist."   "Auras" as in
"I have seen your aura and it's ugly" doesn't seem to make sense to me in context of this song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Monique
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 03:20 AM

This "lloras cantando" is tricky because it means "you cry when you're singing" while "you are singing and crying" are not obligatorily simultaneous, they can alternate.

Something was puzzling me because in Occitan "aura" is the cold Winter wind. So I checked and...
"Aura": "1. f. Viento suave y apacible. U. m. en leng. poét." from the Diccionario de la Real Academia (link to the "aura" page, there are different meanings). So it's not misty it's windy, which makes more sense in this context. Would "zephyrs" fit?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 04:40 AM

That's interesting about "auras," Monique. I was tempted to translate it as "airs" - as in breezes - because I found one Spanish-English dictionary that gave both "aura" and "air" as English translations of the Spanish word "aura." So I guess either "zephyrs" or "winds" would do.

Yes, I sort of understood "cantando lloras" to mean something like "singing weepingly" or "singing as it cries" or "singing, crying" (simultaneously). Several of the translations we've mentioned would seem to convey that.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Monique
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 05:18 AM

Q translated "auras" as "breaths" in his 29 Sep 05-08:44 PM post but I hadn't read it again when I wrote my previous post "at dawn", i.e. when I wake up whatever time it may be.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 02:04 PM

Velasquez defines aura in the poetic sense as "a gentle breeze." Thus zephyr would fit.

Dictionario de la lengua Española (Real Acad. Española), aura:
"Viento suave y apacible. U. m. en leng. poet."
(This agrees with Velasquez. Then it defines the other meanings).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 02:42 PM

Thanks, M and Q.

I'm still trying to find a substitute word for "wallflowers" because I really don't think to the average non-flower-gardener (at least in the US) that word evokes an image of any particular kind of blossom or flower.    Many varieties of wallflower do grow wild, so "wildflowers" might be a better word - a general category instead of the specific.
The botanical name "erysimum" could also be used, if it's important to be literal.

My preference is to render "Manojito de rosas y de alelies" as "Little bunch of roses and wildflowers."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 03:03 PM

Hmmm. Velasquez says alelies also used for violets and gillyflowers.
"gillyflower" is more English than American, but usually is applied to pinks, dianthus, carnations and the like.

In other words, wildflower is not too much of a stretch, since several kinds of flowers can be meant.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Genie
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 03:10 PM

Thanks, Q.
I kind of like "roses and violets."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: GUEST,Sten Neiker, Swedish voice teacher
Date: 06 May 17 - 09:49 AM

The original poem:

La Nana
(1899)

                ¡A la nanita, nana, nanita ea!
                Mi Jesús tiene sueño:
                ¡Bendito sea!

I

        Pimpollo de canela, lirio en capullo;
        duérmete, vida mía, mientras te arrullo.
        Duérmete, que del alma mi canto brota,
        y un deliquio de amores es cada nota.

        ¡0h Niño, en cuyos ojos el sol fulgura!
        cerrarlos es cercarme de noche oscura;
        Pero cierra, Bien mío, los ojos bellos,
        aunque tu Madre muera, sin verse en ellos.

        Fuentecilla que corre clara y sonora…
        Ruiseñor que en la selva, cantando llora..
        ¡Callen, mientras la cuna se balancea!
        ¡A la nanita, nana, nanita, ea!

II

        ¡Ay qué manos tan bellas las de mi Niño!
        Suavidad y blancura tienen de armiño.
        ¡Qué dolor tan de muerte para esta Madre,
        Cuando fiero verdugo me las taladre!

        
        Sienes de leche y rosas, sienes divinas.
        Qué habéis de ser punzadas por mil espinas;
        Dejadme, blancas sienes, que os bese ahora,
        Con la piedad del Angel, que á Dios adora.

        Y tú, triste presagio que me torturas,
        Almáciga de penas y de amarguras;
        ¡Huye, mientras la cuna se balancea!
        ¡A la nanita, nana, nanita, ea!

III

        Boquita de amapolas y de claveles,
        Que has de ser impregnada De amargas hieles;
        Llega, boca divina, Llega á este seno,
        De leche, de dulzuras y amores lleno,

        ¡Por Dios, Hijito mío, No abras los brazos!
        Qué, al abrirlos, el alma Me haces pedazos;
        Pues me imagino verte Cadáver yerto,
        Colgante, desangrado y el pecho abierto…

        ¡Pero huid, negras sombras De mis dolores!
        ¡No me, nubléis el Cielo De mis amores!
        Huid, mientras la cuna Se balancea:
        ¡A la nanita, nana, Nanita, ea:

IV

        Manojito de rosas y de alhelíes;
        ¿Qué es lo que estás soñando, Que te sonríes?
        ¿Cuáles son tus Jensueños? Dilo, alma mía;
        Mas... ¿Qué es lo que murmuras?... –¿Eucaristía?–
        
        Yo no sé lo que es eso, Niño del alma;
        Más, pues esa sonrisa Mis penas calma,
        Sigue, sigue soñando, Mi dulce Dueño,
        Sin que nada te ahuyente Tan grato ensueño.
        
        Pajaritos y fuentes, Auras y brisas,
        ¡Respetad ese ensueño y esas sonrisas!
        Callad mientras la cuna Se balancea:
        ¡A la nanta, nana, Nanita, ea!

                TEXT: Juan Francisco Muñoz y Pavón (1866-1920)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: GUEST,Sten Neiker, Swedish voice teacher
Date: 06 May 17 - 01:51 PM

You can find the music composed by José Ramón Gomis (1856-1939) at"http://missjacobsonsmusic.blogspot.se/2011/11/la-nanita-nana-song-history.html"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: A La Nanita - verses in Spanish
From: Monique
Date: 06 May 17 - 02:32 PM

I could be consulted and downloaded at the National Library of Spain for a while but as the music isn't in the public domain and won't be before 01/01/2020, it's been removed from free consulting.