MIHAI EMINESCU LUCEAFARUL FROM ROMANIAN INTO AMERICAN ENGLISH MORNING STAR HYPERION |
LEGENDA LUCEAFARULUI THE LEGEND OF THE MORNING STAR Porni luceafarul. Cresteau The morning star set out. And grew In cer a lui aripe, Across the sky his wings, Si cai de mii de ani treceau And tracks of thousand years flew In tot atitea clipe. In just as many swings. Un cer de stele dedesupt, A starry sky unfolds below, Deasupra-i cer de stele- Above’s a stellar haven- Parea un fulger nentrerupt He seemed a ceaseless lightning glow Ratacitor prin ele Roving across the heaven Si din a chaosului vai, Of Chaos’ valleys all about Jur imprejur de sine Around his flying track Vede ca-n ziua cea dintai, He sees like on the first day out Cum isvorau lumine How lights spring out of black Cum izvorand, il inconjor How springing out, besieging him Ca niste mari de-a inotul; Like seas a swimmer skittish; El sboara, gind purtat de dor, He flies, desire swaying him, Pana piere totul, totul. Till altogether vanish. Caci unde-ajunge nu-i hotar No boundaries to where he goes, Nici ochi spre a cunoaste Nor eye to know its essence Si vremea-ncearca in zadar, And time in vain tries in its throes, Din goluri a se naste From voids to find its nascence. Nu e nimic si totusi e Nothing is there and still there is O sete care-l soarbe A thirst that‘s all-absorbing E un adinc asemene It’s an abyss as deep as his Uitarii celei oarbe Obliviousness of blinding. -De greul negrei vesnicii, -Of the eternal darkness' load, Parinte ma desleaga, Deliver me, oh, Father, Si laudat pe veci sa fii And be Thou praised in all abode, Pe-a lumii scara-ntreaga The whole world's scale no other. O, cere-mi, Doamne orice pret, O, ask me, Lord for any toll, Dar da-mi o alta soarta But give me other mission Caci tu izvor esti de vieti, For you’re the spring of life for all, Si datator de moarte And you impart perdition. Page 2. Reia-mi al nemuririi nimb Take my immortal nimb away Si focul din privire And take away my fire Si pentru toate da-mi in schimb And in return, my only pay, O ora de iubire… An hour of love, o Sire… Din Chaos Doamne-am aparut From Chaos, Lord my life arose Si m-as intoarce in Chaos… To Chaos I’d retire… Si din repaos m-am nascut And I was born of the repose Mi-e sete de repaos Repose is my desire -Hyperion ce din genuni -Hyperion who of abyss Rasari c-o-ntreaga lume You raise a world entire Nu cere semne si minuni Don't ask for wonder signs amiss Care n-au chip si nume Which lack name or attire Tu vrei un om sa te socoti, You want a man to be yourself, Cu ei sa te asemeni? In men to find your peer? Dar piara oamenii cu toti, Perish humanity itself, S-ar naste iarasi oameni. Would other men appear. Ei numai doar dureaza-n vint They only build upon the wind Deserte idealuri- Ideals lacking grace- Cind valuri afla un mormint, When waves an early grave do find, Rasar in urma valuri; Hereby new waves surface Ei doar au stele cu noroc They have their lucky stars in place Si prigoniri de soarte And fates that cause their sighing, Noi nu avem nici timp nici loc We’re not constrained by time or space Si nu cunoastem moarte And we know not of dying Din sanul vecinicului ieri The bosom of eternal past Traieste azi ce moare Begot the life that's dieing Un soare de s-ar stinge-n cer, A sun if snuffed out in a blast, S-aprinde iarasi soare Another sun starts flaring Parind in veci a rasari, A seemingly eternal rise, Din urma moartea-i paste Death follows them on earth, Caci toti se nasc spre a muri For all are born to their demise, Si mor spre a se naste And die for their rebirth Iar tu Hyperion ramai But you Hyperion remain Oriunde ai apune… Where you set down in stardom… Cere-mi cuvintul meu dintai Ask my first promise to regain Sa-ti dau intelepciune? Should I impart you wisdom? Page -3- Vrei sa dau glas acelei guri, You want me to release a voice, Ca dup-a ei cintare To sing with such enchantment Sa se ia muntii cu paduri, That hills and forests shall rejoice, Si insulele-n mare? Seas, islands in entwinement? Vrei poate-n fapta sa arat Perhaps you wish to all to show Dreptate si tarie? Enduring strength and justice? Ti-as da pamintul in bucati I would the Earth piecemeal endow Sa-l faci imparatie. To your own reign and service. Iti dau catarg linga catarg I give you multitude of ships, Ostiri spre a strabate Armies set out in motion Pamintu-n lung si marea-n larg Along the world, across the seas Dar moartea nu se poate But death is not an option Si pentru cine vrei sa mori? For whom then do you wish to die? Intoarce-te, te-ndreapta Return, your flight abate Spre-acel pamint ratacitor Back to that errant earth you fly Si vezi ce te asteapta. And see what is your fate. * In locul lui menit din cer Back to his place up in the sky Hyperion se-ntoarse Hyperion went aglow Si ca in ziua cea de ieri And same as yesterday from high Lumina si-o revarsa He shone his light below Caci este sara-n asfintit Evening emerges from the dusk Si noaptea o sa-nceapa; And night dawns in the sky; Rasare luna linistit Moon rises quiet to its task Si tremurind din apa Quivering on waters nearby Si imple cu-ale ei scintei She fills with sparkles glitter glow Cararile din cringuri The tracks of wild grove trees Sub sirul lung de mindri tei Below the linden trees below Sedeau doi tineri singuri; Two youngsters sit at ease; “- O, lasa-mi capul meu pe san - O let my head lay on your breast, Iubito sa se culce My love, so soft and neat, Sub raza ochiului senin Let it below your gaze find rest, Si negrait de dulce So marvelously sweet. Page 4 Cu farmecul luminii reci With charms of lucid cooling light, Gindirile strabate-mi, Cut through my troubled reason, Revarsa liniste de veci Pour out eternal peace tonight, Pe noaptea mea de patimi Upon my night of passion. Si deasupra mea ramai Tarry your presence here above Durerea de mi-o curma Until my pain is cast Caci esti iubirea mea dentai For you alone are my first love Si visul meu din urma And you’re my dream of last Hyperion vedea de sus Hyperion saw from above Uimirea-n a lor fata; Amazement in their faces; Abia un brat de git i-a pus He passed an arm around his love Si ea l-a prins in brata... She gave him warm embraces... Miroase florile-argintii The silver fragrant bloom above Si cad o dulce ploaie, Is raining its sweet flowers, Pe crestetele-a doi copii Upon the heads of kids in love, Cu plete lungi balaie Upon their long blond hairs Ea imbatata de amor, Entranced by love she looks above Ridica ochii. Vede Looks at the Star there higher, Luceafarul. Si-ncetisor And silently, reveals her love, Dorintele-i increde Entrusts him her desire -"Cobori in jos luceafar blind -"Descend to earth my star so kind, Alunecind pe o raza, Come sliding on your ray Patrunde-n codru si in gind Enter the forest and my mind Norocu-mi lumineaza!" Illuminate my way!" El tremura ca-n alte dati He quivers like he used to do In codri si pe dealuri On forests and hillsides Calauzind singuratati Scouting along deserted blue De miscatoare valuri Of rolling ocean's tides Dar nu mai cade ca-n trecut But doesn't tumble the old way In mari din tot inaltul Down into seas from high, -"Ce-ti pasa tie, chip de lut, -"What do you care lump of clay Dac-oi fi eu sau altul? It's me or other nigh? Traind in cercul vostru strimt Living in your restricted place Norocul va petrece Luck follows in your fold Ci eu in lumea mea ma simt But I, in my world out in space Nemuritor si rece". Immortal feel and cold. MIHAI EMINESCU Translated by Stefan Ichim M.D. 1883, November 13/25 January 25, 2008 Notes on the translation: In Greek Mythology, Hyperion was a Titan, Father of Helios the sun-god. Also Hesperus was the personification of planet Venus in the evening while Eosphorus or Phosphorous (the light bearer) was the personification of planet Venus in the morning. Phosphorous translates into Latin as Lucifer therefore Luceafarul translates into English as the "Morning Star". Also Luceafarul translated as "Lucifer" (Corneliu M. Popescu) has the Christian connotation of "Prince of Darkness" which was certainly not Eminescu's intention. |