Re: Translation exercise - On a Night of Snow

Nokta Kanto wrote:

>I ran across this poem and thought it could be a good translation
>exercise. Nothing like a little poetry to incite one's wanderlust.
"Stay in, it's freezing out."
"But there's cool stuff outside!"

Here it is in Rhean:

LOS'BAS' C'ERAZ
Elizabet Koocwert

A bas, adis bekdes'tat ba, i los'om anduak fadirti.
Kni lei pes'im sic'i bes'er juti aze kikinirta,
los'iksoi sic'i bes'er juti, nuim pliskiksoi kak'ti.
Yar g'ufom blovyet, a yai bas. Gisie yec'aryet, mu yuryet.
G'uviki tobviz ki tasanie sisiz miryet.
C'etloyacmik maluka ok yant motirma,
bes'er glatki slaan orbo -
So yak'em blovyet, a bas. Bekom huc'i g'azi fukuas'.

Bekom huc'i g'azi fukuas', a Joras, ki c'eraz dulma c'e,
i bolamim eyet waki sahuiz, eyet yarzin radadve,
ki basi egva, yei olge tei midir lumo unlumas'na marui
nudom klazema fis z'elit pendis', nap likli pes'im jidiz'enaz -
A Joras, üs'akom s'ikria ki atvar prekzi anc'ez,
ki au fadibza marui s'ki. Dvaarz fugryat!

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MEZ'DEMLINYATNIK

A bas, adis bekdes'tat ba, i los'om anduak fadirti.
VOC cat , IF out-leave-2SG COND , in snow-INST walk-INF must-2SG:FUT .

Kni lei pes'im sic'i bes'er juti aze kikinirta,
"on" your feet-INST little white shoes be-GER return-2SG:FUT

los'iksoi sic'i bes'er juti, nuim pliskiksoi kak'ti.
snow-made little white shoes , which-INST sleet-made heels .

Yar g'ufom blovyet, a yai bas. Gisie yec'aryet, mu yuryet.
next-to fire-INST stay-2SG:IMP , VOC my cat . still-ADV lie-2SG:IMP , NEG
go-2SG:IMP .

G'uviki tobviz ki tasanie sisiz miryet.
flames jump-3PL and low-ADV hiss-3PL see-2SG:IMP

C'etloyacmik maluka ok yant motirma,
pearl-like milk-GEN dish(-ACC) you-DAT bring-1SG:FUT

bes'er glatki slaan orbo -
white smooth sweet sphere -

So yak'em blovyet, a bas. Bekom huc'i g'azi fukuas'.
with me-INST stay-2SG:IMP, VOC cat . outdoors wild wind blow-3SG .

Bekom huc'i g'azi fukuas', a Joras, ki c'eraz dulma c'e,
outdoors wild wind blow-3SG , VOC "mistress", and night dark be-3SG ,

i bolamim eyet waki sahuiz, eyet yarzin radadve,
in trees-INST strange voices cry-3PL , strange stories-ACC tell-ADV ,

ki basi egva, yei olge tei midir lumo unlumas'na marui
and cats besides , our eyes their green light illuminate-3SG-REL things ,

nudom klazema fis z'elit pendis', nap likli pes'im jidiz'enaz -
where-INST meadow-GEN grass frost-ACC hang-3SG , by silent feet-INST move-
3PL -

A Joras, üs'akom s'ikria ki atvar prekzi anc'ez,
VOC "mistress" , "abroad" magic-GEN and might-GEN "portents" exist-3PL ,

ki au fadibza marui s'ki. Dvaarz fugryat!
and still must:do-PASS things also . door(-ACC) open-2SG:IMP !


M