Text & Translation
Iban al pinar
Spanish source:
Luis de Góngora
iban al pinar,
unas por piñones,
otras por bailar.
Bailando y partiendo
las serranas bellas,
un piñón con otro,
[si ya no es con perlas]
de amor las saetas
huelgan de trocar:
unas por piñones,
otras por bailar,
Entre rama y rama
cuando el ciego dios
pide al Sol los ojos
por verlas mejor,
los ojos del Sol
las veréis pisar,
unas por piñones,
otras por bailar,
Going to the pine grove
English translation ©
Jacqueline Cockburn
were going to the pine grove,
some for pine nuts,
others to dance.
The fair highland girls
dance, dividing
one nut with another,
[if not with pearls]
merrily deflecting
the arrows of Cupid,
some for pine nuts,
others to dance.
Between the branches,
when the blind god
begs the sun for eyes
to see them better,
you will see them treading
on the eyes of the sun,
some for pine nuts,
others to dance.
Translations by Jacqueline Cockburn and Richard Stokes published in the The Spanish Song Companion (Gollancz, 1992)
Iban al pinar
Spanish source:
Luis de Góngora
Going to the pine grove
English source:
Jacqueline Cockburn
Serranas de Cuenca
Mountain girls of Cuenca
iban al pinar,
were going to the pine grove,
unas por piñones,
some for pine nuts,
otras por bailar.
others to dance.
Bailando y partiendo
The fair highland girls
las serranas bellas,
dance, dividing
un piñón con otro,
one nut with another,
[si ya no es con perlas]
[if not with pearls]
de amor las saetas
merrily deflecting
huelgan de trocar:
the arrows of Cupid,
unas por piñones,
some for pine nuts,
otras por bailar,
others to dance.
Entre rama y rama
Between the branches,
cuando el ciego dios
when the blind god
pide al Sol los ojos
begs the sun for eyes
por verlas mejor,
to see them better,
los ojos del Sol
you will see them treading
las veréis pisar,
on the eyes of the sun,
unas por piñones,
some for pine nuts,
otras por bailar,
others to dance.
Composer
Enrique Granados
Enrique Granados Campiña was a Spanish pianist and composer. Read more here.
