| Un cosí de ma mare tenia un bufet pròsper a la ciutat,
| One of my mother's cousins had a thriving buffet in town.
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| Fa molt anys van enviar-m'hi com a jove passant d’advocat.
| I was sent there as a young lawyer a long time ago.
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| Vaig trobar una cambra senzilla: una taula, un llit, un mirall
| I found a simple room: a table, a bed, a mirror
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| I arribava que era nit tancada,
| And sometimes it was closed night,
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| Que en alguna taverna del centre s’havia fet tard.
| That it was late in some downtown tavern.
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| Al replà la senyora Manresa passava les hores cosint,
| On the landing Mrs. Manresa spent hours sewing,
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| Però aquell dia semblava alterada va apropar-se nerviosa i va dir:
| But that day she seemed upset, she approached nervously and said:
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| «Disculpi, no sap com odio venir a demanar-li favors.
| "I'm sorry, you don't know how I hate to come and ask you for favors.
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| L’inquilí del 3r aquest migdia estava com boig i ara pico i no respon…»
| The tenant of the 3rd this afternoon was like crazy and now he bites and doesn't answer… »
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| A la llum d’un immens canelobre vaig obrir-me pas en la foscor
| In the light of a huge chandelier, I made my way through the darkness
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| Avançant entre ombres de mobles repassava les habitacions.
| Advancing through the shadows of furniture, he went through the rooms.
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| Vaig sentir uns gossos que somicaven, vaig seguir la pista dels plors
| I heard some dogs dreaming, I followed the trail of cries
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| I, senyors, com sabran vaig trobar-me
| And, gentlemen, as you know, I found myself
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| Un gran heroi romàntic mort al menjador.
| A great romantic hero dead in the dining room.
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| I tenia una nota ridícula arrugada entre les mans
| And he had a ridiculous note crumpled in his hands
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| Plena de dits que jugaven amb trenes,
| Full of fingers playing with braids,
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| de postes de sol i donzelles a lloms de cavalls.
| of sunsets and maidens on horseback.
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| Poc després l’inspector s’apuntava el contacte d’un familiar,
| Shortly afterwards, the inspector noted the contact of a relative,
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| Un germà que vivia a la costa amb qui celebraven els sants.
| A brother who lived on the coast with whom the saints celebrated.
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| Van tancar-li els dos ulls amb tendresa, van tapar-lo amb un llençol blanc.
| They closed both eyes tenderly, covered him with a white sheet.
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| En silenci tothom glopejava el te verd que havia escalfat la mestra del quart.
| Everyone was silently sipping the green tea that had been warmed by the teacher in the room.
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| Un mossèn va pregar un pare nostre amb un fil de veu mort de son,
| A priest prayed to our father in a sleepy voice,
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| Al costat vam reunir-nos els homes per mirar de treure el cos.
| Next to us we gathered the men to try to get the body out.
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| I estirant d’uns turmells sense vida vaig sortir d’aquell menjador.
| And pulling out my lifeless ankles, I stepped out of the dining room.
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| La senyora Manresa patia «per l’amor de Déu, vigili’n amb els cops!»
| Mrs. Manresa suffered "for God's sake, watch out for the blows!"
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| Al carrer la carrossa esperava, el cotxer es distreia observant
| On the street the float was waiting, the coachman was distracted watching
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| Un soldats de permís que cantaven sota la llum dels fanals.
| A soldiers on leave singing in the light of the streetlights.
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| Vam contar fins a tres per fer força per pujar el cadàver a dalt.
| We counted up to three to make strength to climb the corpse up.
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| Un vent fred va gelar l’aire, un fuet petant amb mandra va fer arrancar els
| A cold wind froze the air, and a lazy whip blew them away
|
| cavalls.
| horses.
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| I seguia amb la nota ridícula arrugada entre les mans,
| And he was still with the ridiculous note crumpled in his hands,
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| Plena de crits en el buit, de desigs violents,
| Full of cries in the void, of violent desires,
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| de tempestes que enterren vaixells dins el mar.
| of storms burying ships in the sea.
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| Plena de dones rient d’ulls sanguinolents
| Lots of women laughing with bloodshot eyes
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| De bellesa que no deixa espai per pensar.
| Of beauty that leaves no room for thought.
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| Plena de muses ferides per sempre
| Full of wounded muses forever
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| Per claus rovellats en cançons de poetes vulgars.
| For rusty keys in songs of vulgar poets.
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| Plena de salts infinits on t’esperen immòbils,
| Full of endless jumps where motionless people are waiting for you,
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| Per si vols passar-hi, uns gimnastes de glaç.
| In case you want to go there, some ice gymnasts.
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| Plena de besties bavoses a punt d’enfrontar-se
| Full of drooling beasts about to face each other
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| En combat desigual amb els presos cristians.
| In unequal combat with Christian prisoners.
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| Plena de nens espantats que miren
| Lots of scared kids watching
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| Si arriben els pares sota la pluja constant.
| If parents arrive in constant rain.
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| Plena de joves erectes que arramben
| Full of erect young people climbing up
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| Pubilles guarnides pel ball del diumenge de rams.
| Puppets adorned with the Sunday dance of bouquets.
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| Plena de braços que s’alcen i paren un taxi
| Full of arms raising and stopping a taxi
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| Sortint de sopars amb amics que se’n van.
| Going out to dinner with friends who are leaving.
|
| Plena de «Creu-me ho intento, però a estones
| Full of “Believe me I try, but at times
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| Sospito, morena, que això no s’aturarà mai.» | I suspect, brunette, that this will never stop. " |