Aug 2, 2007 19:38
17 yrs ago
English term
pure gold delights in the fire
Non-PRO
English to French
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
A friend is like gold. Trouble is like fire.
Pure gold delights in the fire.
J'hésite sur le choix du verbe, merci
Pure gold delights in the fire.
J'hésite sur le choix du verbe, merci
Proposed translations
(French)
Proposed translations
49 mins
Claire Chapman
Native in English
All things textile
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, English to French, English
Related KudoZ points
:
24
Selected
l’or pur s’amuse au feu
The pure gold takes pleasure in/enjoys the fire...
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Note added at 1 hr (2007-08-02 20:48:02 GMT)
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l'or pur s'amuse dans le feu
Delight can be a noun or a verb in English. This could be a delight, of pure gold, inside the fire. So, as a poetic term, it could be referring to a golden joy within the fire. Or, it could be a pure gold that enjoys/delights in[with] the fire. Or both.
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Note added at 19 hrs (2007-08-03 15:31:46 GMT)
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The nature of poetry is that it is subjective and each reader does come away with a personal vision. While the phrase says to me that a friend is happy to stand by a friend in trouble, it is up to the reader to infer that from the whole passage. And so far, everyone is coming away with a slightly different impression, which is what poetry does.
The original version is delightfully ambiguous, leaving itself open to many interpretations. My concern is that the French version carries the multiple layers of meaning that the original English does. While we are all concentrating on the verb for this line, there is also the matter of the two meanings of delight:
1. delights = verb : l’or pur prend plaisir dans le feu
2. delights = noun : les plaisirs d’or pur dans le feu
To me, the first one evokes the idea of a friend is happy to stand by a friend in trouble and how fires of troubles purifies a friendship. And the second evokes the idea of the warmth and play of the flames of a hearth fire and the joys and pleasures of a friendship through troubles.
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Note added at 19 hrs (2007-08-03 15:34:11 GMT)
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I meant to say "how the fires of troubles purify and refine a friendship."
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Note added at 21 hrs (2007-08-03 17:27:52 GMT)
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What a lovely new dimension "s'épanouir" adds to the poem!
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Note added at 4 days (2007-08-07 14:16:27 GMT) Post-grading
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You're welcome, Stéphanie, and thank you :-)
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Note added at 1 hr (2007-08-02 20:48:02 GMT)
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l'or pur s'amuse dans le feu
Delight can be a noun or a verb in English. This could be a delight, of pure gold, inside the fire. So, as a poetic term, it could be referring to a golden joy within the fire. Or, it could be a pure gold that enjoys/delights in[with] the fire. Or both.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 19 hrs (2007-08-03 15:31:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
The nature of poetry is that it is subjective and each reader does come away with a personal vision. While the phrase says to me that a friend is happy to stand by a friend in trouble, it is up to the reader to infer that from the whole passage. And so far, everyone is coming away with a slightly different impression, which is what poetry does.
The original version is delightfully ambiguous, leaving itself open to many interpretations. My concern is that the French version carries the multiple layers of meaning that the original English does. While we are all concentrating on the verb for this line, there is also the matter of the two meanings of delight:
1. delights = verb : l’or pur prend plaisir dans le feu
2. delights = noun : les plaisirs d’or pur dans le feu
To me, the first one evokes the idea of a friend is happy to stand by a friend in trouble and how fires of troubles purifies a friendship. And the second evokes the idea of the warmth and play of the flames of a hearth fire and the joys and pleasures of a friendship through troubles.
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Note added at 19 hrs (2007-08-03 15:34:11 GMT)
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I meant to say "how the fires of troubles purify and refine a friendship."
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 hrs (2007-08-03 17:27:52 GMT)
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What a lovely new dimension "s'épanouir" adds to the poem!
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Note added at 4 days (2007-08-07 14:16:27 GMT) Post-grading
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You're welcome, Stéphanie, and thank you :-)
Note from asker:
| Thanks very much for this detailed explanation, GWC. I still don't know which verb I should choose. I thought of "s'épanouir", too. |
3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Merci à tous (mais toujours pas choisi mon verbe!); comme je ne peux pas partager les points, je choisis l'explication de texte ..."
38 mins
l'or pur adore le feu
..
11 hrs
c'est dans le feu que l'on voit que l'or est pur
ok, la forme est pas terrible, mais l'idée c'est que dans le feu, de l'or ne subsiste que le plus pur.
Bon courage Stéphanie !!
Bon courage Stéphanie !!
+2
45 mins
Manon J. Caron
Canada
Canada
Native in French
Works in field
Canada
French Canadian Certified Translator
Native in: French
Works in: English to French, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
4
l'or pur .... voir ci-dessous plusieurs propositions
*** l'or pur scintille au contact du feu...
*** l'or pur est aux anges près du feu...
*** l'or pur chante délicieusement auprès du feu
*** l'or pur se délecte auprès du feu...
*** l'or pur s'emballe dans le feu
*** l'or pur se repaît dans le feu
*** l'or pur est au comble du bonheur dans le feu
*** l'or pur resplendit dans le feu
*** l'or pur s'exulte dans le feu
*** l'or pur est triomphant dans le feu...
Je crois que vous allez vous amuser et faire votre choix!!!
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Note added at 17 heures (2007-08-03 13:24:27 GMT)
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Stéphanie, j'ai compris la phrase dans le même sens que vous, mais lorsque l'on parle en parabole, il faut conserver un peu le contexte du rédacteur et laisser le lecteur faire ses propres déductions...
*** l'or pur est aux anges près du feu...
*** l'or pur chante délicieusement auprès du feu
*** l'or pur se délecte auprès du feu...
*** l'or pur s'emballe dans le feu
*** l'or pur se repaît dans le feu
*** l'or pur est au comble du bonheur dans le feu
*** l'or pur resplendit dans le feu
*** l'or pur s'exulte dans le feu
*** l'or pur est triomphant dans le feu...
Je crois que vous allez vous amuser et faire votre choix!!!
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Note added at 17 heures (2007-08-03 13:24:27 GMT)
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Stéphanie, j'ai compris la phrase dans le même sens que vous, mais lorsque l'on parle en parabole, il faut conserver un peu le contexte du rédacteur et laisser le lecteur faire ses propres déductions...
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Sylvie Updegraff
: J'aime la première idée: scintille ou resplendit au contact du feu.
43 mins
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Merci, c'est chouete de me le mentionner!
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| agree |
daruuntje (X)
: -l'or pur resplendit dans le feu- c'est parfait!
2 days 1 hr
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Discussion