Dear Friends,
Thank you for your interest and replies to my (silly) question, thank you
for the free translation that will surely help.
It is unlikely, though, that this poem may be a version of 'IF', for the
message is clearly concentrated on the issue of paying down to the next
generation, that in 'IF' is not even suggested. Translations of If have been
around us for ages and I am annexing the most popular one that I have read.
So, If no one in this list recognises the topic, number of stanzas or choice
of metaphores, I believe that the poem I included in my first message is
someone else's and was attributed to Kipling by a Spanish Speaking editor,
based rather on reverence for than on knowledge of Kipling. The question of
whose poem it is and of whether there is an original English version
remains. If any of you has a literature student who is bilingual and with
tracking habilities who is looking for a research topic there is a good one.
Thank you again for your replies. I must have been 12 when I could recite
IF, but never had the mind to gather so much interesting information about
it as I did this time, searching, as usual, for something entirely
different.
Grace and Peace to all
Bernardo Turnbull
Si...
Si puedes mantener intacta tu firmeza
cuando todos vacilan a tu alrededor
Si cuando todos dudan, fías en tu valor
y al mismo tiempo sabes exaltar su flaqueza
Si sabes esperar y a tu afán poner brida
O blanco de mentiras esgrimir la verdad
O siendo odiado, al odio no le das cabida
y ni ensalzas tu juicio ni ostentas tu bondad
Si sueñas, pero el sueño no se vuelve tu rey
Si piensas y el pensar no mengua tus ardores
Si el triunfo y el desastre no te imponen su ley
y los tratas lo mismo como dos impostores.
Si puedes soportan que tu frase sincera
sea trampa de necios en boca de malvados.
O mirar hecha trizas tu adora quimera
y tornar a forjarla con útiles mellados.
Si todas tu ganancias poniendo en un montón
las arriesgas osado en un golpe de azar
y las pierdes, y luego con bravo corazón
sin hablar de tus perdidas, vuelves a comenzar.
Si puedes mantener en la ruda pelea
alerta el pensamiento y el músculo tirante
para emplearlo cuando en ti todo flaquea
menos la voluntad que te dice adelante.
Si entre la turba das a la virtud abrigo
Si no pueden herirte ni amigo ni enemigo
Si marchando con reyes del orgullo has triunfado
Si eres bueno con todos pero no demasiado
Y si puedes llenar el preciso minuto
en sesenta segundos de un esfuerzo supremo
tuya es la tierra y todo lo que en ella habita
y lo que es más serás hombre hijo mío....
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