Long time, no posts, but it’s Christmas so I thought I’d dust off the poetry blog!
Several year’s ago, I translated one of my favourite Christmas songs ‘Tonttu’, which you can find here. Last Christmas, I started on a translation of another favorite Christmas song ‘Sylvian Joululaulu’ and this Christmas I finished it. It too is originally a Swedish language poem adapted to music. The titular Sylvia refers to Eurasian blackcap, a migratory bird which winters in Sicily and was originally a protest of the gruesome way these birds were captured. Wiki entry in English here. It has, however, become somewhat of an unofficial Christmas song of Finnish expats.
Whilst I really enjoy older and choral versions of the songs, these two are my favourite modern interpretation by two heavy hitters in Finnish music: Ari Koivunen/Raskasta Joulua & Paula Vesala/Vain Elämää Joulu.
Anyway, there are other English translations of the lyrics including the ones you see on the Wiki page, and others here and here. I didn’t seek out any of them until after I’d completed mine and it’s really interesting to compare the interpretations. But, here is mine. If you are bilingual in this specific way, I would love to hear your thoughts. Note, I have used ‘Yule’ rather than ‘Christmas’ because it sounds better. Am aware of the nuances but as you can see the Finnish word for Christmas ‘joulu’ is of the same origin as Yule and ‘jul’ in various Nordic languages.
Sylvian Joululaulu ~ Sylvia’s Yulesong
Finnish lyrics © Martti Korpilahti ~ English Translation © Kat Soini
1. Ja niin joulu joutui jo taas Pohjolaan, ~ And so Yule reaches the North once more,
joulu joutui jo rintoihinkin. ~ Yule reaches the hearts of us all.
Ja kuuset ne kirkkaasti luo loistoaan ~ And the trees shine through every door
jo pirtteihin pienoisihin. ~ of homes most spare and small.
Mutt’ ylhäällä orressa vielä on vain, ~ Yet on its roost so lonely and high,
se häkki, mi sulkee mun sirkuttajain, ~ my caged songbird it croons and sighs,
ja vaiennut vaikerrus on vankilan; ~ and silence falls behind the prison walls;
oi, murheita muistaa ken vois laulajan? ~ sorrows forgotten under the singer’s thrall.
2. Miss’ sypressit tuoksuu nyt talvellakin, ~ Where cypresses scent the winter breeze,
istun oksalla uljaimman puun, ~ on top of the loftiest trees I sway,
miss’ siintääpi veet, viini on vaahtovin ~ where gleam the lakes, wine foams with ease
ja sää aina kuin toukokuun. ~ and weather like May, from day to day.
Ja Etnanpa kaukaa mä kauniina nään, ~ In the distance, soars Etna’s elegant rise,
ah, tää kaikki hurmaa ja huumaapi pään, ~ oh the charm of it all makes fools out of wise,
ja laulelmat lempeesti lehdoissa soi, ~ and the softest of songs in the groves they ring
sen runsaammat riemut ken kertoilla voi! ~ of richest of joys they gaily now sing!
3. Sä tähdistä kirkkain nyt loisteesi luo ~ You brightest of stars, cast your shimmering light
sinne Suomeeni kaukaisehen! ~ over Finland, once close, now beyond!
Ja sitten kun sammuu sun tuikkeesi tuo, ~ And in the morn, when dims your holy sight,
sa siunaa se maa muistojen! ~ bless that land of memories fond!
Sen vertaista toista en mistään ma saa, ~ I’ve searched but there’s none to compare,
on armain ja kallein mull’ ain Suomenmaa! ~ with my dearest, my Finland precious and fair!
Ja kiitosta sen laulu soi Sylvian ~ And Sylvia’s song, grateful of our boons,
ja soi aina lauluista sointuisimman. ~ it forever rings this sweetest of tunes.
***
Kat Soini 