Aboutkarinafp Expertise I`m a teacher from and in Sweden. I teach Swedish as well as English, French, Spanish and music. I`m also rather good at finding information on the Internet.
Experience I've been an expert at askme.com, and was rated # 1 in the "Language" category. Must have been doing something right, then...
Expert: karinafp Date: 3/26/2004 Subject: Swedish Translation
Question I have a gorgeous choir piece with text by Gustav Froding that I would love to find a translation for. Would you be able to help me? I've been all over the internet, looking at online translators. Would you be able to help me? I was able to type the piece out, with Swedish characters. I will also include what the online translators and my small amount of research was able to find out.
Swedish:
Kung Liljekonvalje av dungen,
Kung Liljekonvalje är vit som snö,
nu sörjer unga kungen prinsessan Liljekonvaljemö.
Kung Liljekonvalje han sänker sitt sorgsna huvud så tungt och vekt,
och silverhjälmen blänker i sommarskymningen blekt.
Kring bårens spindelvävar från rökelsekaren med blomsterdoft en virak sakta svävar,
all skogen är, full av doft.
Från björkens gungande krona,
från vindens vaggande gröna hus små sorgevisor tona,
all skogen är uppfylld av sus.
Det susar ett bud genom dälden bland viskande blad,
(om kungssorg bland viskande blad,)
i skogens vida välden från liljekonvaljernas huvudstad.
My garbled translation:
King Lily of the Valley of clutter ,
King Lily of the Valley is white as snow ,
now dirge youngest king princess Liljekonvaljemö.
King Lily of the Valley he am lowering sits sad head so heavily and vector ,
and silverhjälmen shine in sommarskymningen pale.
Kring bårens webs from rökelsekaren with blomsterdoft a wind slowly float ,
all forest is , full of perfume.
From birch sway crown ,
from the wind rock greener cottage small sorgevisor sound ,
all forest is fulfill of murmur.
The murmur one messenger per dälden among whisper blade,
(if kungssorg among whisper blade )
in forest widely reign from liljekonvaljernas capital.
If you would be able to help, that would be great. I love this work and understanding the text will help me fully understand what the composer was showing us with the music. Thank you so much.
Nicole
Answer Hi Nicole!
As a matter of fact, I have translated this one before, about a year ago, so this piece seems to be rather popular across the world.
This is a poem that we all read at school, so we're fairly familiar with it. The title is also used for a detective novel, where this poem plays a significant role.
Anyway, here's a translation. It's more or less word by word. This is written in a medieval style, so Fröding uses some old-fashioned words and phrases.
"Kung Liljekonvalje av dungen,
kung Liljekonvalje är vit som snö,
nu sörjer unga kungen
prinsessan Liljekonvaljemö."
King Lily of the valley from the grove,
king Lily of the valley is as white as snow,
now the young king is mourning
the princess Lilly of the valley maiden.
"Kung Liljekonvalje han sänker
sitt sorgsna huvud så tungt och vekt,
och silverhjälmen blänker
i sommarskymningen blekt."
King Lily of the valley is lowering
his sad head, so heavy and weak,
and his silver helmet shines
so pale in the summer twilight.
"Kring bårens spindelvävar
från rökelsekaren med blomsterstoft
en virak sakta svävar,
all skogen är full av doft."
Around the spider's web of the bier
from the incenseplates with their scent of flowers
a virak (Sorry, can't find this in any dictionary. It's a kind of incense, also called olibanum) slowly flows,
the whole forest is full of fragrance.
"Från björkens gungande krona,
från vindens vaggande gröna hus
små sorgevisor tona,
all skogen är uppfylld av sus."
From the rocking crown of the birch,
from the waving green house of the wind
small songs of sorrow are sounding,
the whole forest is filled with whisper.
"Det susar ett bud genom dälden
om kungssorg bland viskande blad,
i skogens vida välden
från liljekonvaljernas huvudstad."
A message is whispered through the valley
about Royal mourning among whispering leaves,
in the wide kingdoms of the forest
from the capital of the Lillies of the valley.
