Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

his rod

French translation:

sa houlette

Added to glossary by Stéphanie Soudais (X)
Aug 16, 2007 15:01
17 yrs ago
1 viewer *
English term

to reck his rod

English to French Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
God's Grandeur by G.M. Hopkins

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
And wears man's smudge shares man's smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs -
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.



J'ai trouvé que The line "reck his rod" uses the word "reck" to mean "listen to" or "consider" or "obey"; think "reckon", and the "rod" could be the rod of authority,or it could be a reference to Christ, God's son or "rod". It's similar, in concept, to the phrase, "rod of Jesse", a "rod" off the vine or root. So the line "why do men then now not reck his rod?" can be taken to mean, "why do men not obey his authority?", or "why do men not listen to his son?"


Mais j'hésite toujours sur le choix des mots en Français :

"reck" : prendre garde, reconnaitre, obéir, se soucier ?
"rod" : sceptre ? verge? foudre au masculin ? pieu/épieu (pour rimer avec Dieu au premier vers?)

Des idées?

Proposed translations

+2
1 hr
Selected

agiter sa houlette

Le bâton de berger s'appelle la houlette, d'où l'expression "être sous la houlette de qq'un". C'est comme pour la cognée du bucheron pour la hâche.
Peer comment(s):

agree Tony M : Excellent ! But perhaps not 'agiter' for 'reck'?
55 mins
"Prendre garde" comme tu dis.
agree Manon J. Caron : brandir sa houlette ou élever - 2 synonymes
1 hr
Merci Manonjo. Bonne journée/soirée// Ou menacer de sa houlette ?
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3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Merci Alain, je cherche encore le verbe idéal..."
+2
18 mins

just some ideas [NFG]

For 'to reck' here, I would look at suitable translations for 'to heed' — as far as I can see, 'obéir' is the least-worst option

As for 'rod', I would consider a synonym of 'staff' (though cf. the 23rd Psalm: "Thy rod and staff, they comfort me" — i.e. they are regarded there as 2 different things).

I favour 'perche', or perhaps 'bâton', as that is used as a symbol of authority (bâton de commandement) and a religious symbol (bâton pastoral)

Thanks for bring Gerald Manley Hopkins works back to my attention, I was a great fan in my younger, happy hippy days!
Note from asker:
Merci beaucoup Tony
Peer comment(s):

agree Alain Berton (X) : C'est "ton" bâton de berger qui ma fait penser à la houlette.// Le prob avec "bâton de berger", c'est qu'il fait penser au fameux saucisson de Maclas, dans la Loire (très beau coin entre parenthèses).
1 hr
Merci, Alain ! Oui, c'est vrai, j'avais pas pensé...
agree Claire Chapman : A rod is also a scepter (sceptre GB) :-)
13 hrs
Thanks, Claire! Yes, the King of Heaven and all that...
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+2
3 hrs

pourquoi les hommes ne se courbent ils plus devant la houlette de Dieu

just trying to please everyone
Note from asker:
Merci Jean-Jacques
Peer comment(s):

agree Tony M
26 mins
muchissimas gracias senor Tony, from a pro such as you it goes straight to my heart
agree Alain Berton (X) : Devant Dieu, les hommes jouent à la houlette russe (ou à la houlette du casino). Pardonnez le pauvre d'esprit que je suis.
2 hrs
Thanks, mais attention surtout à la houlette du dentiste
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