From: Eysteinn Bjornsson
Message: 7372
Date: 2006-10-18
> I have attempted to translate Orfeus og Evridís, and would begrateful
> for any comments.My pleasure.
> And looking up I noticed I was lateI'd love to turn you on - to Megas. His lyrics are
> MEGAS: ORFEUS & EVRIDÍSÞÆGUR - perhaps the meaning here is closer to
> Orpheus and Euridice
> einsog hamar ótt á steðja
> Like a hammer rapidly on an anvil
> uppá þaki regnið bylur
> up on (the) roof the rain pounds
>
> en í þínu þæga tári
> but in your obedient tear
> þar er gleði birta ylurÞAR ER = (simply) there is + three nouns:
> there when happiness reveals wamth
> á þínum góðu yndistöfrumÖND, perhaps closer to "spirit", or even "mind".
> in your good enchantment
>
> önd mín sál & kraptur nærist
> my soul, soul and strength (will) nourish
> þér ég æ mun fé & föggumFÖGGUR (plural only): belongings, baggage, stuff.
> you I always will sacrifice wealth and ?
> fórna meðan hjartað hræristI.e. he is willing to spend everything on booze.
> while the heart stirs
> svefn þinn guð í glasi áskenktuÁSKENKTU says a bit more than just "filled",
> your sleep, God, in a glass filled,
> greiðir fró í stríði hörðu"Offers relief", perhaps. STRÍÐ, here, better
> gives (?) comfort in a hard war
> þanninn fæ ég þreyð af árinÞANNIN is just a colloquial spelling of ÞANNIG
> ? I get tired from the years
> þartil loks ég sef í jörðuStrictly: "The mountain-circle is drawn in a
> until finally I sleep in (the) ground
> fjallahringurinn hann er dreginn
> the circle-of-mountains, it is (has) drawn
> hringinn í kringum mig
> the circle around me
>Here the "ástakvæði" begins.
> & utan hans þar er ekki neitt
> and outside it there is not a thing
>
> því innan hans þar hef ég þig
> because inside it there I have you
>Note that BAR is past tense. So, the meaning
> en við verðum að láta' okkur litla hríð
> but we must resign ourselves for a little time
>
> lynda það sem til bar
> to that which (whatever) happens.
> þú hvílir í brekkunni bakvið húsiðThis actually means "you are buried in the
> you rest on the slope behind the house
> bráðum finnumst við þar"Soon we will meet (find each other) there",
> soon we (will) be found there
> hún var falleg hún var góð"... than they (were)", i.e. "... than the others".
> she was beautiful, she was good
>
> hún var betri en þær
> she was better than those
> & þegar hún sefur við síðuna' á mér"By my side", literally "by the side of me".
> and when she sleeps with the (her) side to me
> þá sef ég góður & værYou would simply say: "the sun rises", "the sun
> then I sleep good and tranquil
>
>
> sólin kemur upp í austri
> The sun comes up in (the) east
>
> en í vestri sezt hún niður
> but she (it) sets herself (itself) down in (the) west
> í dalnum þarsem ég opnaði augun"In the valley" (singular).
> in the dales where I opened the (my) eyes
> í árdaga ríkir kyrrð & friður"Í árdaga" carries the meaning of "in the beginning
> in the beginning silence and peace rules
> hesturinn minn heitir blesiLiterally: "We have lived the same years" - i.e.
> (the) horse of mine (my horse) is named Blesi
>
> höfum við sömu lifað árin
> we have the same lived years (we are the same age)
> ég held áfram en hún styttist"Hún", because "leið" is feminine, thus: "I go on,
> I (will) keep going but she (will) be cut-short
> óðum leiðin fyrir klárinn
> quickly the way for the workhorse
> blesi minn í brekkunni friðsæluThe dactyl of "friðsælu" is distinctly odd
> My Blesi on the peaceful slope
> búinn er þér hvílustaðurÆJA (áði, áð): make a halt, stop for a rest.
> a resting-place is prepared for you
>
> einhverntíma ái ég með þér
> sometime I (will) lie (?) with you
> örþreyttur gamall vonsvikinn maðurHere "maður" definitely means "man". "Person"
> an exhausted old disappointed person