I fell in love with this simple little tune, and the imagery in the song is just amazing (well, almost all of Melnitsa's songs are very rich in mysterious and charming images). The song is quite long. Like, really, really long. But I will try to work with it piece by piece.
Королевна (группа Мальница)
Я пел о богах, и пел о героях, о звоне клинков, и кровавых битвах;
Покуда сокол мой был со мною, мне клекот его заменял молитвы.
Но вот уже год, как он улетел - его унесла колдовская метель,
Милого друга похитила вьюга, пришедшая из далеких земель.
И сам не свой я с этих пор, и плачут, плачут в небе чайки;
В тумане различит мой взор лишь очи цвета горечавки;
Ах, видеть бы мне глазами сокола, и в воздух бы мне на крыльях сокола,
В той чужой соколиной стране, да не во сне, а где-то около:
Стань моей душою, птица, дай на время ветер в крылья,
Каждую ночь полет мне снится - холодные фьорды, миля за милей;
Шелком - твои рукава, королевна, белым вереском - вышиты горы,
Знаю, что там никогда я не был, а если и был, то себе на горе;
Если б вспомнить, что случилось не с тобой и не со мною,
Я мечусь, как палый лист, и нет моей душе покоя;
Ты платишь за песню полной луною, как иные платят звонкой монетой;
В дальней стране, укрытой зимою, ты краше весны и пьянее лета:
Просыпайся, королевна, надевай-ка оперенье,
Полетим с тобой в ненастье - тонок лед твоих запястий;
Шелком - твои рукава, королевна, златом-серебром - вышиты перья;
Я смеюсь и взмываю в небо, я и сам в себя не верю:
Подойди ко мне поближе, дай коснуться оперенья,
Каждую ночь я горы вижу, каждое утро теряю зренье;
Шелком - твои рукава, королевна, ясным месяцем - вышито небо,
Унеси и меня, ветер северный, в те края, где боль и небыль;
Как больно знать, что все случилось не с тобой и не со мною,
Время не остановилось, чтоб в окно взглянуть резное;
О тебе, моя радость, я мечтал ночами, но ты печали плащом одета,
Я, конечно, еще спою на прощанье, но покину твой дом - с лучом рассвета.
Где-то бродят твои сны, королевна;
Далеко ли до весны в травах древних...
Только повторять осталось - пара слов, какая малость -
Просыпайся, королевна, надевай-ка оперенье...
Мне ль не знать, что все случилось не с тобой и не со мною,
Сердце ранит твоя милость, как стрела над тетивою;
Ты платишь - за песню луною, как иные платят монетой,
Я отдал бы все, чтобы быть с тобою, но, может, тебя и на свете нету...
Ты платишь - за песню луною, как иные - монетой,
Я отдал бы все, чтобы быть с тобою, но, может, тебя и на свете нету...
My "true to the text" translation
I sang about gods, I sang about heroes, about clanging metal and bloody battles,
But while my falcon was with me, it's cries were lovelier to me than a prayer.
But it has been a year since it flew away, a magic wind carried it away
The dearest friend was taken from me by the stormy wind that came from far-away lands.
And I have not been myself ever since, and the seagulls are crying, crying in the sky,
But in the fog my vision discerns only those eyes of the color of gentians.
Oh, if I could have the eyes of a falcon, oh, if I could soar like a falcon,
Toward that strange falcon land that is not just in my dreams, but somewhere near.
My bird, turn into my soul, send some wind into my wings for a short while -
Every night I dream of a flight, and of miles after miles of cold fjords.
Your sleeves are embroidered with silk, my queen, like the mountain sides are embroidered with heather,
I know I have never been there myself - or, if I have been there, then just to meet my sorrow.
If I could remember all that happened, but not to you and not to me....
And I flounce about, like a fallen leaf, and there is no peace in my soul.
You pay for my song with a full moon, like others pay with a golden coin,
In a far away land, sleeping under the snow, you are lovelier than Spring, you are lovelier than Spring, you are lovelier than Spring... and more intoxicating than Summer.
Wake up, my queen, put on your feathers,
Let's fly together into the storm - so fragile is the ice of your wrists.
Your sleeves are embroidered with silk, my queen, like your feathers are embroidered with pure gold.
And I laugh and sour into the sky - I cannot believe this myself.
Come just a little closer, allow me to touch your feathers....
Every night I see the mountains, and every night I wake up blind.
Your sleeves are embroidered with silk, my queen, like the sky is embroidered with moonlight.
Carry me away, northern winds, into that land of pain and dreams.
How painful it is to know, that all has happened not to you and not to me,
And that the time did not slow down to peak into the carved window.
It was you, my joy, whom I dreamed about every night, but you are clothed by sorrow,
And I, of course, will sing one last time, but I will leave your house with the break of dawn.
Wandering somewhere out there are your dreams, my queen,
How long before the spring filled with ancient greens?
And all that is left is to repeat just those few words - such few words -
Wake up, my queen, put on your feathers....
Would I be the one not to know, that all has happened not to me and not to you?
And your kindness cuts me deeper than an arrow from the bow,
You pay for my song with a full moon, like others pay with a golden coin,
And I would give up all to be with you, but maybe you do not exist at all....
You pay for my song with a full moon, like others pay with a golden coin,
And I would give up all to be with you, but maybe you do not exist at all....
My queen....
Whew, this song was a seriously tough one to translate. I was trying to hard to preserve the unique images of the original song while at the same time fighting the usual sentence-size issues, and, well, rhyming issues of course. I like my translation so far, except for the lack of rhyme of the "And I will stay here" piece...
I discovered this song yesterday, and fell in love with it right away. I will try to translate it, but the structure of the rhymes in this song is pretty weird, so I might have to improvise and change the sequence of the rhymes a bit to make it work for a decent translation.
Расправь свои крылья, ведь ты же хотела
Сада другого тень.
Бери себе небо, но только сквозь грозы
Прошу тебя не лететь.
А я буду дома,
А я буду долгими,
Долгими вечерами
Молчанью комнат,
Звонкам знакомых
"Она ушла" отвечать
Припев:
Пламенем внутри я освещаю
Темноту твоих ночей.
Не перегорит, я обещаю
Сердце в 1000 свечей.
Пламенем внутри я освещаю
Темноту твоих ночей.
Не перегорит, я обещаю
Сердце в 1000 свечей.
А ты была милой,
А ты была миром
Моим и была войной
А ты была гордой,
А я бы всё отдал
Вернуть бы тебя домой
А я буду дома, а я буду долгими
Долгими вечерами
Молчанью комнат, звонкам знакомых
"Она ушла" отвечать
Припев:
Пламенем внутри - я освещаю
Темноту твоих ночей
Не перегорит, я обещаю
Сердце в 1000 свечей
Пламенем внутри - я освещаю
Темноту твоих ночей
Не перегорит, я обещаю
Сердце в 1000 свечей
Ok, first of all, as usual, here is the word-for-word translation:
Spread your wings, since you wanted
To enjoy the shade of another orchard.
Take the whole sky, but please I ask you
Not to fly through the lighting.
I will stay behind, and for many long
Long nights
Explain to the silent rooms and the inquiring friends
That you have left
Chorus:
The fire from my heard is lighting up
The darkness of your nights
And will never dim, I promise,
This 1000 lumens heart
The fire from my heard is lighting up
The darkness of your nights
And will never dim, I promise,
This 1000 lumens heart
And you were so sweet,
And were my peace
And you were my war.
And you were so heart strong,
And I would give up all
To bring you back.
I will stay behind, and for many long
Long nights
Explain to the silent rooms and the inquiring friends
That you have left
Chorus:
The fire from my heard is lighting up
The darkness of your nights
And will never dim, I promise,
This 1000 lumens heart
The fire from my heard is lighting up
The darkness of your nights
And will never dim, I promise,
This 1000 lumens heart
My version of "Wolves." I am quite pleased with my efforts, except for the chorus. I is not as expressive as I would like (some meaning got lost) because it is difficult to make complete sentences out of 1-2 words in English, so I had to fit 1 sentence into 3 stanzas to substitute for 3 Russian sentences....
I will check with Michael about stanza #5, it seems to me it HAS to have "there is" in that sentence, but it won't fit in m melody-wise....
1. The wolves are leaving for the skies,
2. The cold light's shining in their eyes,
3. And to believe in fortune is
4. No longer wise.
5. And every day a different test
6. They don't know pain, they don't know rest.
7. The other pack is ready for
8. The brazen guests...
Chorus:
9. The souls cling to the day
10. To get away
11. At any cost.
12. We can escape, but we can't win
13. I feel with my skin -
14. It is all lost.
15. They can't see dreams, can't recall words,
16. They have become their own lords,
17. And in the end they will fall on
18. Their own swords.
19. The shame and glory are in their blood,
20. The death and love lay in the mud,
21. But one cannot completely tame
22. A wild heart...
Chorus (twice)
The wolves are leaving....
The wolves are leaving...
The wolves are leaving...
P.S. I just found out that there are no minus-versions of this song available online. So, I am really sad.
I wanted to make a decent translation for this song, and, possibly, make my own version. It is not one of my most favorite BI-2 songs, but the melody is very relaxing to me, and I feel like it would be fun to play with it for a bit.
Волки уходят в небеса
Горят холодные глаза
Приказа верить в чудеса
Не поступало
И каждый день другая цель
То стены гор то горы стен
И ждет отчаянных гостей
Чужая стая
Припев:
Спиной к ветру и все же
Вырваться может
Чья-то душа
Спасет но не поможет
Чувствую кожей
Пропащая
Не видят снов не помнят слов
Переросли своих отцов
И кажется рука бойцов
Колоть устала
Позор и слава в их крови
Хватает смерти и любви
Но сколько волка не корми
Ему все мало
My "true to the text" translation":
The wolves are leaving for the skies,
The cold eyes are glowing.
No one gave an order to believe in miracles.
And every new day there is a new target.
One day it is the walls of the mountains,
The other - it is the mountains of walls.
And the other pack
Is already waiting for the brazen guests...
Chorus:
Standing with back to the wind,
And yet
Someone's soul might get away.
It will save, but it won't help.
I feel with my skin -
It is all lost.
They don't see dreams, don't remember words,
They outgrew their parents.
And it seems that the fighters' hands are growing tired.
The shame and glory run in their blood,
And plenty of death and love to go around.
But no matter how well you feed the wolf,
The call of the wild is stronger...
Chorus:
Standing with back to the wind,
And yet
Someone's soul might get away.
It will save, but it won't help.
I feel with my skin -
It is all lost.
The wolves are leaving...
The wolves are leaving...
The wolves are leaving...
