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So, I've been talking to people who actually know what they're talking about with sewing, and making myself a kirtle/cotehardie. Yes, it's European, but meh - it's good to learn with.

But there's progress! I now have a toile (look! jargon! I totally know what I'm talking about now) to base an awesome Mughal coat off (see this post.), *and* I have a vague idea of how to fasten the bloody thing. Apparently side lacing, when done carefully, and laced in a matching colour, can be all but invisible. So I think that's what I'm going to try with the coats. But first, cotehardies. Hopefully, I'll have mine done in a week or so, and can post photos.

Shakira - La Tortura

I'm not dead! I've been meaning to put some translations of my favourite songs on here so my friends can appreciate them, and I may as well start with this one. I warn you, this will be one of my dodgier translations, because I haven't been thinking about it for very long.

Lyrics from the same page as the video.

Shakira:
No pido que todos los días sean de sol
No pido que todos los viernes sean de fiesta
Tampoco te pido que vuelvas rogando perdón
Si lloras con los ojos secos
Y hablando de ella.

I don't ask that every day be sunny.
I don't ask that every Friday be a party.
Neither do I ask for you to come back praying for forgiveness
If you cry with dry eyes
And talking about her.

Ay amor me duele tanto
(Alejandro Sanz)Me duele tanto
(Shakira)Que te fueras sin decir a donde
Ay amor, fue una tortura perderte.

Ay love you hurt me so much
I hurt so much
That you leave without saying where
Ay love, it was torture to lose you.

Alejandro Sanz:
Yo se que no he sido un santo
Pero lo puedo arreglar amor

Shakira:
No solo de pan vive el hombre
Y no de excusas vivo yo.

Man doesn't live on bread alone
And I don't live on excuses.

Alejandro Sanz:
Solo de errores se aprende
Y hoy se que es tuyo mi corazón

Only from mistakes, do you learn
And today I know that my heart is yours.

Shakira:
Mejor te guardas todo eso
A otro perro con ese hueso
Y nos decimos adiós

Better that you keep all that -
Give that bone to another dog
And we say goodbye.

Alejandro Sanz:Esto es otra vez esto es otra vez no.

This is another time, it's another time - no.

Shakira:
No puedo pedir que el invierno perdone a un rosal
No puedo pedir a los olmos que entreguen peras
No puedo pedirle lo eterno a un simple mortal
Y andar arrojando a los cerdos miles de perlas

I can't ask for winter to pardon a rosebush.
I can't ask the elms to deliver pears.
I can't ask for the eternal from a simple mortal
And walk tossing pearls before pigs.

Alejandro Sanz:
Ay amor me duele tanto
Me duele tanto
Que no creas más en mis promesas
Ay amor (Shakira)
es una tortura (Alejandro Sanz)
perderte (Shakira)

Ay love, you hurt me so much.
It hurts so much
That you don't believe my promises anymore.
Ay love
It's torture
To lose you

Alejandro Sanz:
Yo se que no he sido un santo
Pero lo puedo arreglar amor

I know that I haven't been a saint
But I can fix this, love.

Shakira:
No solo de pan vive el hombre
Y no de excusas vivo yo.

Man doesn't live on bread alone
And I don't live on excuses.
Alejandro Sanz:
Solo de errores se aprende
Y hoy se que es tuyo mi corazón

Only from mistakes, do you learn
And today I know that my heart is yours.
Shakira:
Mejor te guardas todo eso
A otro perro con ese hueso
Y nos decimos adiós

Better that you keep all that -

Give that bone to another dog
And we say goodbye.
Alejandro Sanz:
No te bajes, no te rajes
Oye negrita mira, no te rajes
De lunes a viernes tienes mi amor
Déjame el sábado a mi que es mejor
Oye mi negra no me castigues más
Porque allá afuera sin ti no tengo paz
Yo solo soy un hombre arrepentido
Soy como el ave que vuelve a su nido

(This bit is hard - will add in the first two lines later - there are a lot of different connotations that it could mean.)
From Monday to Friday you have my love
Leave Saturday to me, it's what's best
Hey my black girl, don't punish me more,
Because out there, without you, I have no peace
I'm just a man repenting
I'm like the bird that returns to your nest.

Yo se que no he sido un santo
y es que no estoy hecho de cartón

I know that I haven't been a saint
And it's that I'm not made of cardboard.

Shakira:
No solo de pan vive el hombre
Y no de excusas vivo yo.

Man doesn't live on bread alone
And I don't live on excuses.
Alejandro Sanz:
Solo de errores se aprende
Y hoy se que es tuyo mi corazón

Only from mistakes, do you learn
And today I know that my heart is yours.
Shakira:
Ay ay ay ay ay
Ay, todo lo que he hecho por ti
Una tortura perderte
Me duele tanto que sea asi
Sigue llorando perdón
Yo... yo no voy
A llorar por ti ...

Ay ay ay ay ay
Ay, everything that I have done for you
It's torture to lose you
It hurts me so much that it must be this way
I keep crying for forgiveness
I... I'm not going to
to cry for you...