Translation of a Song

[bliskucha]

There is a Ukrainian folk song that I've come across on an album that is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. The melody is truly hauntingly beautiful. The lyrics did not come with the CD, so I found them online. But I'm having trouble translating them into English because they're coming out too literal. So, what I need is for someone to be so kind as to translate this beautiful song for me into English. I can only imagine the beauty of the lyrics. Thank you so very much whoever can do this for me.

The title is "мiВ ЪЙЮ ЛiЯЪВМЮ," which I got from: http://www.pesnihi.com/u/ukrainskie/...misyachna.html

мiВ ЪЙЮ ЛiЯЪВМЮ, ГНПЪМЮ, ЪЯМЮЪ!
бХДМН, УНВ ЦНКЙХ ГАХПЮИ.
бХИДХ, ЙНУЮМЮЪ, ОПЮЖЕЧ ГЛНПЕМЮ,
уНВ МЮ УБХКХМНВЙС Б ЦЮИ.

яЪДЕЛН БЙСОНВЖi РСР ОiД ЙЮКХМНЧ -
I МЮД ОЮМЮЛХ Ъ ОЮМ!
цКЪМЭ, ЛНЪ ПХАНМЭЙН, - ЯПiАМНЧ УБХКЕЧ
яРЕКЕРЭЯЪ ОНКЕЛ РСЛЮМ.

рХ МЕ КЪЙЮИЯЪ, ЫН ГЛЕПГМЕЬ, КЕАЕДНМЭЙН,
рЕОКН - Мi БiРПС, Мi УЛЮП
ъ ОПХЦНПМС РЕАЕ ДН ЯБНЦН ЯЕПДЕМЭЙЮ,
ю БНМН ОЮКЙЕ, ЪЙ ФЮП.

рХ МЕ КЪЙЮИЯЪ, ЫН МiФЕМЭЙХ АНЯi©
бЛНВХЬ Б УНКНДМС ПНЯС:
ъ РЕАЕ, БiПМЮЪ, ЮФ ДН УЮРХМНМЭЙХ
яЮЛ МЮ ПСЙЮУ НДМЕЯС.

(Note: This thread was moved here from the Music & Art forum because it's more of a language thread than a music thread.)

[Ivan_Mazepa]

You might want to wait for a professional poetic translation (with rhymes) that might be out there. I can just translate the words.



How bright the night is- the stars, the Moon!
Bright enough to pick up needles.
Come out my love, tired from work,
At least for a minute into the garden.

Let's sit here together, under the kalyna*-
And I'm king of kings.
Look, my darling**, how like a silver wave,
The fog covers the land.

Don't be affraid that you're cold, my swan
It's warm- there's no wind nor a cloud,
I will embrace you, close to my heart,
Which is fiery hot.

Don't be affraid, that your feet are bare,
You can wash them in the cold dew,
I will carry you all the way home,
My virna***, on my hands.



*kalyna- traditional Ukrainian plant
**in the poem, the word 'rybon'ka' is used. It's an endearing form of the word 'fish'- 'fishie', but translating it into English, well, it's too funny.
***virna=the one who is faithful to me

[Serhii]

Sonia,

You have an excellent taste indeed - it is just wonderful and very popular Ukrainian song. Keep moving and you'll find many other treasures. Just try to listen to 'Misiac' na nebi' next...

Andrij has done an excellent job for you. The lyrics is very Ukrainian and can not be translated into English directly. Our language has many special forms which do not exist in English at all. Those different forms make Ukrainian rich and beautiful. Let's take 'Heart' - Serce for example. But in this love song you will meet the form
' Serden'ko' - little heart? dear heart ? - No. Just impossible to translate - you should feel the language from inside.

The same - 'house - hata ' but we have hatynon'ka...
' feet - nogy ' - nizhen'ky, etc.

The lyrics is as wonderful as melody.

[bliskucha]

Dear Ivan M.,

I can't thank you enough for translating the song. As far as literal versus poetic translation, this is fine, this is just wonderful. I can, from my heart, feel what is being expressed. And the lyrics are as magically beautiful as the melody...thank you again so much for taking the time.

дСФЕ дЪЙСЧ,

-Sonia in New York

[Edited by bliskucha on 5th June 2005 at 12:01]

[bliskucha]

Dear Serhii,

Thank you for your comments! Yes, it is a very moving folk song and I know there are so many other very beautiful Ukrainian folk songs--I have many albums. I've been studying the language for about 3 years on my own, and it is rich and wonderful--and some say even musical! And you're right, you do have to feel a literal translation and actually not take it literally. That is why I think I prefer a literal translation to a poetic one, because the poetic translation is actually someone's personal interpretation. Thanks for your input!

аСБЮИ,

-Sonia in New York


[Edited by bliskucha on 6th June 2005 at 08:55]

[Ivan_Mazepa]

Thanks (for the compliments) and you're welcome.

My favorite song is "Chervona ruta". Do you know it?

[bliskucha]

Ivan,

No, I'm not familiar with the song "Chervona ruta." Thanks for mentioning it though, I'll definitely try to find it!

Sonia in New York