Tried to translate Hednad I Ulvermånens Tecken

[Fjelltussa]

But I'm not sure how to translate "hednad"... heathen, I think, or 'something heathen'... hmm... Well, here's what I managed..:

När ulvermånen ånyo står
En töckenslöja flätas rundt Odens pr¨ster
Ordkarg ritsång ohednad når
från skogsbrynets kanter av modstyrkta gäster

>When the wolf moon stands new
>A veil of fog is entwined about the priests of Oden
>Scarcely worded chanting reches unheathen
>From the edge of the woods, by courage-strenghtened guests

Mot stjärnprakt höjs nu mjödfyllda stop
Seremonimestaren åkallar vargens tecken
Fadersögat skådar hedniskt dop
Gästabudet hålls vid den källfriska bäcken

>Towards the glorious display of the stars* mjödfilled** goblets is raised
>The master of the seremonie summons the sign of the wolf
>The Eye of the Father*** views heathen baptims
>The (???gästabud???) is held by the freshly cold stream

*I didn't find ONE word for stjärnprakt that I saw fit, so I used some more words instead, and at least it gets the right meaning that way. Stärne(a?) means star and prakt means glory or splendour or some such, but those words alone seemed so... if not uncorrect, then at least it did not seem to explain it completely.
**Mjöd is a drink (but then that's quite obvious...). It's with alcohol, but it's neither beer, wine nor liqour; it's just mjôd.. ;D Well, it's made of honey, water and some different spices that grows naturally in the nordic countries, and it is a traditional drink in both Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, and has been so for ages. The vikings drank mjöd ;D
***The Father to whom it is referred here, is Oden. He been called Allfader (= All father or the father of all, t.i. all the other gods). And THE eye: He had only one eye.

Happy year and peace. Fjelltussa

 

[Drexle]

Thank you for putting in the time and effort to translate!

 

[Morgana]

 

[Liandrin]

Nice..

not to shabby

 

[Vintersorg]

Nice to see that you try to translate, but myself are a little against it, as artistry can't be trasformed into another form than the original really, the true beauty and perfection gets lost. It's like to get a handbook along when you by a Da Vinci painting or something like that, the origin form is what it was meant to be, no other forms can make it real justice, as the emotion can't be shifted and analysed in no other existences than what it is.

But I understand that others wants to understand!!

mr V

 

[Eldzik]

Originally posted by Vintersorg


But I understand that others wants to understand!!

exactly!

 

[Ziuwarian]

Nice work, yet again It serves the understanding much better to have it translated by someone able to do it rather than trying to do it on one's own with little to no ability in Swedish

 

[The Nomad]

Originally posted by Vintersorg
It's like to get a handbook along when you by a Da Vinci painting or something like that, the origin form is what it was meant to be, no other forms can make it real justice, as the emotion can't be shifted and analysed in no other existences than what it is.

At least a painting is purely a sensory experience, although historical factors may be at work. For song lyrics, sure, the translation is not the same as the original text, but it does give us non-Swedish speaking folk a bit of insight.

Well, not me. I pretty much view most vocals as a purely aural experience. Sure, I lose something by not comprehending the lyrics (even if they're in English!), but I prefer it that way.

 

[Fjelltussa]

Originally posted by Vintersorg
Nice to see that you try to translate, but myself are a little against it, as artistry can't be trasformed into another form than the original really, the true beauty and perfection gets lost. It's like to get a handbook along when you by a Da Vinci painting or something like that, the origin form is what it was meant to be, no other forms can make it real justice, as the emotion can't be shifted and analysed in no other existences than what it is.

But I understand that others wants to understand!!

mr V

I know it's not possible to translate the emotions in the lyrics, so I can very well understand that you don't like it so much, but I have stated that I don't try to, so they all know it. (Or should)
But as many here don't understand any of it at all, neiter the words nor the beauty of your language and way you express yourself, at least with this they can understand what the songs are, more or less, about. They get a little peek at it.
But still, either you undertand the lyrics or not, you get some - or much - of the feelings behind just listening... 'Cause the music is just as good as the lyrics!

 

[Somber Soul]

Yes, and all of us non-Swedes accept the fact that we are only allowed to know of the pure contents (i.e. what the song is about) and will probably never know how beautifully the words were chosen. But still, it's nice to have a rough idea what a song is about. And I think Fjell has quite nicely pioneered in this respect.

 

[Vintersorg]

But does it really matter if you know the words or not.........maybe your vision is destroyed when you know, maybe it's totally the opposite than what you thought????

And, it's as much emotions in a painting as in music, at least in my sphere.

mr V

 

[The Nomad]

Originally posted by Vintersorg
But does it really matter if you know the words or not.........maybe your vision is destroyed when you know, maybe it's totally the opposite than what you thought????

Then why use words at all? Perhaps just nonsense sylables that give the proper sound that you want.

 

[Somber Soul]

Originally posted by Vintersorg
But does it really matter if you know the words or not.........maybe your vision is destroyed when you know, maybe it's totally the opposite than what you thought????

And, it's as much emotions in a painting as in music, at least in my sphere.

mr V

Well, I'm trying to enjoy the Swedish lyrics as much as my almost non-existent knowledge of that language allows. But what can I ever do to remedy this situation? Of course, I agree! Words are just as important as the music - at least for me. But I'll never be able to fully grasp all nuances of Swedish, even if I spent my whole time learning it. So, what are you saying? Music in itself is enough? So either I fully understand the words and enjoy music in symbiosis with them. Or I don't even attempt to understand the words at all and simply let myself be taken in by the music? Either all or nothing? Is that what you mean?

 

[Vintersorg]

Nomad: you read in to much in my statement, as always I uses alot of metaphores......you shouldn't take it litteraly.

mr V

 

[Mocika]

For me the lyrics are a very important part of the music, it belongs to the music, Sometimes you can get the feeling just from music or just from the lyrics but still I would like to understand them, even if they dont sound so nice in another language or the translation cant give back the same meaning or feeling. If the lyrics are not written in the usual English language, i think there still remains some 'mystical' feeling around the songs that give some special feeling to the listeners.

just my 2 cents

 

[Fjelltussa]

Originally posted by Vintersorg
But does it really matter if you know the words or not.........maybe your vision is destroyed when you know, maybe it's totally the opposite than what you thought????

And, it's as much emotions in a painting as in music, at least in my sphere.

mr V

Well, they will still feel the same, more or less, as before they read the translations.... I guess?? And at least they know the beauty of your words, and emotions in your lyrics from the original english lyrics! Still I get your point....

 

[Morgana]

Yeah I do get his point, but I like to have a translation as well.
A translation would never destroy my vision I had first...

more later, I need to work...