There are many ways to approach rendering text in a different language. From my perspective, there are three basic approaches: mechanical (computer), translation, and interpretive. 

The first is now most often done by running the text through a computer program. The results of such mechanical translations have improved significantly since I first used one in the late ’60s. In many cases, a mechanical rendering is good enough to get the author’s (general) intent across. That is particularly true for factual text such as technical writing.

The second approach to rendering text, translation, is most often done by humans, sometimes with assistance from mechanical translation programs. This style of rendering tends to be fairly close to the original text in terms of the words used. Sometimes when rendering poetry there is a similarity of rhythm and rhyme. However, often there is a better correspondence between the author’s intent and that expressed by the translator since a good translator will attempt to use words that express the translator’s understanding of the author’s intent. That is, there is some interpretive work done.

The third approach in rendering text, interpretive, provides a result that is furthest from the original text as rendered by mechanical translation. Here the translator attempts to understand the author’s intent and to render that understanding in original form. Here the translator’s intuition comes strongly into play and two translators working in this approach will often result in very different translations. On the other hand, if the interpreters/translators have a good grasp of the original author’s style and usage as well as a sense of poetry, a truly poetic and in a certain sense original piece will result.

My approach is generally speaking the latter, that is, interpretive. I do not judge the work of others, especially if I have not discussed a rendition with the translator. In my opinion, it comes down to a matter of taste on the part of the reader.

The renderings below are examples of a poem by Alejandra Pizarnik, original text in Spanish:.
Original Bob