Today I wanted to try a new thing: translation from Spanish to English. I usually translate from English to Spanish as a part of my learning process (it's actually, at least for me, a great and enjoyable way to learn languages), and English to Japanese as my job. I rarely try vice versa, partly because I realized that I don't like my writing in English! When I write in Spanish, I can be a little bit nicer to myself and say "well, this looks terrible but I'm still learning!" but I can't say that to myself writing in English.

I tried my best, at my current comprehension level, to reconstruct the story as natural and readable as possible. I injected some phrases or sentences here and there to convey what I felt / imagined reading the passage, but I'm not sure they are correct! One thing I'm sure is that my translation could be a full unnatural expressions, so if you have any suggestions to polish them up, whether it be as a translation or more of a general proofreading, I really appreciate that!

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The Eclipse by Augusto Monterroso

As Brother Bartolomé Arrazola felt completely lost, not knowing what to do, he accepted the fact that nothing can be done to save his life. The thick woods of Guatemala has trapped him completely, cruelly, and definitely. In the face of his ignorance in topography, he sat down calmly, expecting his own death. He wanted to die there, with no hope in hand — Isolated and alone, with his thought firmly fixed in the far-away land of Spin, particularly in the convention of Los Abrojos, where Carlos V once came down from his grace to tell him that he believes in his religious dedication for the redemptive work.

When he work up, Bartolomé found himself surrounded by a group of indigenous people, with a hint of indifference, ready to sacrifice him before an altar — the exact alter which, to his eyes, looked liked a bed and used for him to take a rest. At last, he felt his fear, saw his own destiny, and thought about himself. Having spent three years in this country, Bartolomé managed to pick up a moderate command in their native language. He occasionally tried some words, being able to pull some strings which were somewhat comprehensible. Then, one idea sprung up in his mind for the sake of dignity of his own talent, his universal culture, and his solid knowledge of the works of Aristóteles. He then remembered that that day is expected to be a total solar eclipse. With the intimacy at its highest, he tried to make the use of his knowledge to deceive his oppressors and save his life. "If you kill me," he said, "I will hide the sun above your head." The natives stared at him firmly, and Bartolomé was surprised to see skepticism in their eyes. He saw there was a small council and waited confidently without any distain. Two hours later, the heart of Brother Bartolomé Arrazola was gushing his blood violently on the stone of sacrifice — twinkling under the opaque light of a solar eclipse — while one of the indigenous people recited, slowly, without a slightest change in his voice, the endless dates where they expect solar and lunar eclipses; the dates which the astronomers of the Mayan society have foreseen and annotated in their manuscripts without the valuable help of Aristoteles.

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EL ECLIPSE por Augusto Monterroso

Cuando fray Bartolomé Arrazola se sintió perdido aceptó que ya nada podría salvarlo. La selva poderosa de Guatemala lo había apresado, implacable y definitiva. Ante su ignorancia topográfica se sentó con tranquilidad a esperar la muerte. Quiso morir allí, sin ninguna esperanza, aislado, con el pensamiento fijo en la España distante, particularmente en el convento de Los Abrojos, donde Carlos V (Quinto) condescendiera una vez a bajar de su eminencia para decirle que confiaba en el celo religioso de su labor redentora. 

Al despertar se encontró rodeado por un grupo de indígenas de rostro impasible que se disponían a sacrificarlo ante un altar, un altar que a Bartolomé le pareció como el lecho en que descansaría, al fin, de sus temores , de su destino, de sí mismo. Tres años en el país le habían conferido un mediano dominio de las lenguas nativas. Intentó algo. Dijo algunas palabras que fueron comprendidas. Entonces floreció en él una idea que tuvo por digna de su talento y de su cultura universal y de su arduo conocimiento de Aristóteles. Recordó que para ese día se esperaba un eclipse total de sol. Y dispuso, en lo más íntimo, valerse de aquel conocimiento para engañar a sus opresores y salvar la vida. -Si me matáis -les dijo- puedo hacer que el sol se oscurezca en su altura. Los indígenas lo miraron fijamente y Bartolomé sorprendió la incredulidad en sus ojos. Vio que se produjo un pequeño consejo, y esperó confiado, no sin cierto desdén. Dos horas después el corazón de fray Bartolomé Arrazola chorreaba su sangre vehemente sobre la piedra de los sacrificios (brillante bajo la opaca luz de un sol eclipsado), mientras uno de los indígenas recitaba sin ninguna inflexión de voz, sin prisa, una por una, las infinitas fechas en que se producirían eclipses solares y lunares, que los astrónomos de la comunidad maya habían previsto y anotado en sus códices sin la valiosa ayuda de Aristóteles.