Daina Translations
May. 23rd, 2017 05:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yami0204Repository of attempted daina translations/adaptations. It's hard to wade through old dialects of Latvian that happen to also be dead dialects, but I'm gonna try it. My translations are my best interpretations of the text given, since some of the meanings are a bit lost to history. I'll add as much detail as I can, including the daina number, but this stuff is really hard to work through. Even with a searchable "English" database, it's hard to figure out where these things come from or what they're supposed to be about. Not to mention that my grasp of the Latvian language is rudimentary at best.
"Erin's poetic versions" are me attempting to make a sensible English version of the dainas while using traditional daina format, which is 4 lines where each line contains 8 syllables.
So.
Enjoy my struggle.
Stuff about Saule:
Unnumbered
Šodien Saule, šodien Saule,
Šodien Saules meitu veda;
Šodien Saule noraudāja
Meitas greznas dāvaniņas.
The Sun today, the Sun today,
The Sun's daughter left today;
The Sun wept [for her daughter] today,
And gave [the earth] a lavish gift.
185 [Lielezerē (Ezeres pag. Kld)].
Erin's poetic version:
Saule today, Saule today
Saule's bright daughter left today;
Saule wept and wept all today
Giving the Earth her lavish gift.
Note: The gift is her amber tears.
----------
33912
Saule brauca gar kalniņu,
Apkrīt Saules kamaniņas;
Pakaļ nāca Dieva dēlis,
Paceļ Saules kamaniņas.
The Sun drove over the hill,
Around in her solar chariot;
The sons of (the sky) God came after,
To raise her solar chariot.
224 [Kabilē (Kld)].
Erin's poetic version:
Saule traveled over the hill,
Driving her solar chariot.
Dievs' sons followed after her,
Raising her chariot up high.
----------
34024
Vakar bija spoža Saule,
Šodien tāda mākulaiņa:
Vakar spīda pati Saule,
Šodien Saules kalponīte.
Yesterday the sun was bright,
Today, [that light is her] art:
Yesterday the sun shone [bright],
Today the Sunkalponīte.
3641 [Vidzemē, Kurzemē un Zemgalē].
Note: I need to figure out what kalponīte means.
----------
1
Kupla auga ābelīte
Pie brālīša namdurvīm.
Pati Saule zaros sēd,
Saules meita pazaros;
Pati Saule zīdu vērpa,
Saules meita šķeterēja.
Bushy [is the] ābelīte [tree]
At the brothers' doorstep.
The Sun sits in the branches,
Her daughter at her side [in the branches];
The Sun spun her silk[en thread],
Her daughter [gathered] the skein bark.
208 [Ēdolē (Ēdoles pag. Vp)].
Erin's poetic version:
Bushy is the small apple tree
Growing beyond the brothers' stoop.
Upon the branches sits Saule,
Her daughter seated beside her;
Saule spinning her silken thread,
While daughter gathers the skein bark.
Note: It took me forever to figure out that pazaros is actually pa zaros (by the branches) and šķeterēja is really šķete rēja (skein bark). Who even uses the word "skein" anymore??? Also, why is this not in normal daina format? Was this a later entry to the canon?
Note 2: The sun's silk is sunlight streaming through the leaves of the tree. Sunbeams to ancient Latvians looked like thread. The "skein bark" is the threads of light on the bark of the tree, which she's gathering for her mother. I wish the sun's daughter had an actual name in Latvian lore like she does in Lithuanian lore.
----------
28137
Z'eme z'eme, saul'e saul'e
Dūd augl'eigu vasareņu.
Saul'e sylda, z'eme pylda
Maizis pylnu orūd'eņu.
Earth earth, sun sun
Pours of herbs in the summer.
The sun is warming, the earth is filling
The woods are full of water.
435 [Latgalē].
From ZEMKOPĪBA, Volume IX
Erin poetic version:
The earth, the earth; the sun, the sun,
The world now green with winter gone.
The sun grows warm, the earth in bloom,
The forest trees now wet with dew.
Note: It's in Latgalian, so it was a little tricky to figure out, what with Latgalian being a dead language. The piece itself is quite straight-foward.
----------
6846
Svētījiet, jaunas meitas,
Kamēr saule norietēja,
Kamēr saule nosapēra
Sudrabiņa pirtiņā.
Bless the young daughters
While the sun was crying
While the sun was tired
[The daughters let the sun bath in a] Silver bath
325 [Secē (Seces pag. Jk)].
From 4. Svētdienas un svētu vakaru nesvētīšana nevaļas dēļ, Volume III
Erin's poetic version:
Blessings upon the young daughters,
While Saule was sad and weeping,
While Saule was drained and tired,
They drew Saule a silver bath.
Notes: A lot of liberties with this one because it requires knowing quite a bit about Latvian lore to make this work. Saule, at the end of the year, is reborn inside a silver cup. Depending on the story, she is either reborn completely, or she is placed inside the silver cup to sleep (die) and her daughter becomes the new Saule. This is basically a daina about Saule reaching the end of her life at the winter solstice and the silver bath is the cup she's laid to rest in.
----------
Lauma/fairy lore:
[Untitled] 7
Es iestādu vilkābeli
Savā govju laidarī,
Lai tās laumas, raganiņas
Jāņu nakti bakstījās.
I joined the hawthorn
In its pasture of cows
Of fairies and witches
Digging on Midsummer’s night
401 [Slokas pagastā Rg (Antiņciemā, Bigauņciemā, Kaugurciemā, Lapmežciemā)].
From Volume XI, Gada svētki un svinamas dienas; Jāņi, g) Līdzekļi pret raganām, burvjiem, skauģiem, kas Jāņu nakti sevišķi darbīgi
Erin's poetic version:
Midsummer I joined the hawthorn
In its cow pasture home and dug
Midsummer night I was digging
Searching for fairies and witches
Notes: Had to take a lot of artistic license to this one because WOW. Just. WOW.
55117.
Man uzauga pucenītis
Zirgu staļu galiņā;
Ikvakarus Laumas māte
Gaŗām skrēja raudādama.
I grew up doing my best
Keeping the horse stall;
Every evening Lauma māte
Ran past weeping.
93 [Dundagas Vp].
From Volume XI, Mītiskas dziesmas. Debess draudze. Dabas priekšmetu un dabas parādību personifikācija un dievināšana; Mātes: Meža māte, Vēja māte, Velna māte, Ceļa māte u. t. t.
Erin's poetic version:
Every day as I was growing up
I tended to the horse stable;
Every evening, mother Lauma
Ran past the stable as she wept.
----------
Moon stuff:
33852.
1. Mēnestiņš nakti brauca,
Es Mēneša ormaniņš;
Mēness ģērba zelta svārkus,
Man iedeva sudrabiņa.
The Moon road out tonight,
And I was his steward.
The Moon wore a golden shirt,
And I wore a silver shirt.
394 [Vidzemē, Kurzemē un Zemgalē].
33929.
Saule leca, Mēness leca,
Spīd Saulīte, spīd Mēness;
Tik pie mums nespīdēja
Aiz lieliem led's kalniem.
The Sun jumps, the Moon jumps,
The Sun is shining, the Moon is shining;
They didn't shine so much for us,
Because we were in the mountain's shade.
75 [Ērgļos (Ērgļu pag. C)].
55084.
Saules meitai kāzas dzēra,
Mēness jāja vedējos;
Dieva dēlis lūkojās
Caur magoņu lapiņām.
The Sun drank at the wedding,
And the Moon drove his chariot;
The son of God witnessed it,
Looking through poppy leaves.
46 [Beļavas Md].
----------
32557.
Ne kārkļi vien auga
Rundāles laukā:
Aug rudzi, aug kvieši,
Veldrē krizdami.
Within the fields of Rundāle,
Not only do the willows grow;
Rye is grown here; wheat is grown here;
All to be sold off to Veldre.
298 [Mežotnē (Mežotnes pag. B)].
"Erin's poetic versions" are me attempting to make a sensible English version of the dainas while using traditional daina format, which is 4 lines where each line contains 8 syllables.
So.
Enjoy my struggle.
Stuff about Saule:
Unnumbered
Šodien Saule, šodien Saule,
Šodien Saules meitu veda;
Šodien Saule noraudāja
Meitas greznas dāvaniņas.
The Sun today, the Sun today,
The Sun's daughter left today;
The Sun wept [for her daughter] today,
And gave [the earth] a lavish gift.
185 [Lielezerē (Ezeres pag. Kld)].
Erin's poetic version:
Saule today, Saule today
Saule's bright daughter left today;
Saule wept and wept all today
Giving the Earth her lavish gift.
Note: The gift is her amber tears.
----------
33912
Saule brauca gar kalniņu,
Apkrīt Saules kamaniņas;
Pakaļ nāca Dieva dēlis,
Paceļ Saules kamaniņas.
The Sun drove over the hill,
Around in her solar chariot;
The sons of (the sky) God came after,
To raise her solar chariot.
224 [Kabilē (Kld)].
Erin's poetic version:
Saule traveled over the hill,
Driving her solar chariot.
Dievs' sons followed after her,
Raising her chariot up high.
----------
34024
Vakar bija spoža Saule,
Šodien tāda mākulaiņa:
Vakar spīda pati Saule,
Šodien Saules kalponīte.
Yesterday the sun was bright,
Today, [that light is her] art:
Yesterday the sun shone [bright],
Today the Sun
3641 [Vidzemē, Kurzemē un Zemgalē].
Note: I need to figure out what kalponīte means.
----------
1
Kupla auga ābelīte
Pie brālīša namdurvīm.
Pati Saule zaros sēd,
Saules meita pazaros;
Pati Saule zīdu vērpa,
Saules meita šķeterēja.
Bushy [is the] ābelīte [tree]
At the brothers' doorstep.
The Sun sits in the branches,
Her daughter at her side [in the branches];
The Sun spun her silk[en thread],
Her daughter [gathered] the skein bark.
208 [Ēdolē (Ēdoles pag. Vp)].
Erin's poetic version:
Bushy is the small apple tree
Growing beyond the brothers' stoop.
Upon the branches sits Saule,
Her daughter seated beside her;
Saule spinning her silken thread,
While daughter gathers the skein bark.
Note: It took me forever to figure out that pazaros is actually pa zaros (by the branches) and šķeterēja is really šķete rēja (skein bark). Who even uses the word "skein" anymore??? Also, why is this not in normal daina format? Was this a later entry to the canon?
Note 2: The sun's silk is sunlight streaming through the leaves of the tree. Sunbeams to ancient Latvians looked like thread. The "skein bark" is the threads of light on the bark of the tree, which she's gathering for her mother. I wish the sun's daughter had an actual name in Latvian lore like she does in Lithuanian lore.
----------
28137
Z'eme z'eme, saul'e saul'e
Dūd augl'eigu vasareņu.
Saul'e sylda, z'eme pylda
Maizis pylnu orūd'eņu.
Earth earth, sun sun
Pours of herbs in the summer.
The sun is warming, the earth is filling
The woods are full of water.
435 [Latgalē].
From ZEMKOPĪBA, Volume IX
Erin poetic version:
The earth, the earth; the sun, the sun,
The world now green with winter gone.
The sun grows warm, the earth in bloom,
The forest trees now wet with dew.
Note: It's in Latgalian, so it was a little tricky to figure out, what with Latgalian being a dead language. The piece itself is quite straight-foward.
----------
6846
Svētījiet, jaunas meitas,
Kamēr saule norietēja,
Kamēr saule nosapēra
Sudrabiņa pirtiņā.
Bless the young daughters
While the sun was crying
While the sun was tired
[The daughters let the sun bath in a] Silver bath
325 [Secē (Seces pag. Jk)].
From 4. Svētdienas un svētu vakaru nesvētīšana nevaļas dēļ, Volume III
Erin's poetic version:
Blessings upon the young daughters,
While Saule was sad and weeping,
While Saule was drained and tired,
They drew Saule a silver bath.
Notes: A lot of liberties with this one because it requires knowing quite a bit about Latvian lore to make this work. Saule, at the end of the year, is reborn inside a silver cup. Depending on the story, she is either reborn completely, or she is placed inside the silver cup to sleep (die) and her daughter becomes the new Saule. This is basically a daina about Saule reaching the end of her life at the winter solstice and the silver bath is the cup she's laid to rest in.
----------
Lauma/fairy lore:
[Untitled] 7
Es iestādu vilkābeli
Savā govju laidarī,
Lai tās laumas, raganiņas
Jāņu nakti bakstījās.
I joined the hawthorn
In its pasture of cows
Of fairies and witches
Digging on Midsummer’s night
401 [Slokas pagastā Rg (Antiņciemā, Bigauņciemā, Kaugurciemā, Lapmežciemā)].
From Volume XI, Gada svētki un svinamas dienas; Jāņi, g) Līdzekļi pret raganām, burvjiem, skauģiem, kas Jāņu nakti sevišķi darbīgi
Erin's poetic version:
Midsummer I joined the hawthorn
In its cow pasture home and dug
Midsummer night I was digging
Searching for fairies and witches
Notes: Had to take a lot of artistic license to this one because WOW. Just. WOW.
55117.
Man uzauga pucenītis
Zirgu staļu galiņā;
Ikvakarus Laumas māte
Gaŗām skrēja raudādama.
I grew up doing my best
Keeping the horse stall;
Every evening Lauma māte
Ran past weeping.
93 [Dundagas Vp].
From Volume XI, Mītiskas dziesmas. Debess draudze. Dabas priekšmetu un dabas parādību personifikācija un dievināšana; Mātes: Meža māte, Vēja māte, Velna māte, Ceļa māte u. t. t.
Erin's poetic version:
Every day as I was growing up
I tended to the horse stable;
Every evening, mother Lauma
Ran past the stable as she wept.
----------
Moon stuff:
33852.
1. Mēnestiņš nakti brauca,
Es Mēneša ormaniņš;
Mēness ģērba zelta svārkus,
Man iedeva sudrabiņa.
The Moon road out tonight,
And I was his steward.
The Moon wore a golden shirt,
And I wore a silver shirt.
394 [Vidzemē, Kurzemē un Zemgalē].
33929.
Saule leca, Mēness leca,
Spīd Saulīte, spīd Mēness;
Tik pie mums nespīdēja
Aiz lieliem led's kalniem.
The Sun jumps, the Moon jumps,
The Sun is shining, the Moon is shining;
They didn't shine so much for us,
Because we were in the mountain's shade.
75 [Ērgļos (Ērgļu pag. C)].
55084.
Saules meitai kāzas dzēra,
Mēness jāja vedējos;
Dieva dēlis lūkojās
Caur magoņu lapiņām.
The Sun drank at the wedding,
And the Moon drove his chariot;
The son of God witnessed it,
Looking through poppy leaves.
46 [Beļavas Md].
----------
32557.
Ne kārkļi vien auga
Rundāles laukā:
Aug rudzi, aug kvieši,
Veldrē krizdami.
Within the fields of Rundāle,
Not only do the willows grow;
Rye is grown here; wheat is grown here;
All to be sold off to Veldre.
298 [Mežotnē (Mežotnes pag. B)].
