La Dernière Translation

by Millôr Fernandes

When an old translator dies
Does his soul, alma, anima,
Free now of its wearisome craft
Of rendering
Go straight to heaven, ao céu,
al cielo, au ciel, zum Himmel,
Or to the hell - Hölle - of the great
traditori?
Or will a translator be considered
In the minute hierarchy of the divine
(himmlisch)
Neither fish, nor water, ni poisson ni l'eau
Nem água, nem peixe, nichts, assolutamente
niente?
What of the essential will this
mere intermediary of semantics, broker
of the universal Babel, discover?
Definitive communication, without words?
Once again the first word?
Will he learn, finally!,
Whether HE speaks Hebrew
Or Latin?
Or will he remain infinitely
In the infinite
Until he hears the Voice, Voz, Voix, Voce,
Stimme, Vox,
Of the Supreme Mystery
Corning from beyond
Flying like a birdpássarouccelopájarovogel
Addressing him in...
And giving at last
The translation of Amen?

- translated from Brazilian Portuguese by Clifford E. Landers, Literary Translation - A Pratical Guide, p. viii.