Translation Exercise: Solsbury Hill

Hey!

Here's something I found when having a look at the VERY old
archives, i.e. the first days of CONLANG. Maybe it gives a
nice Translation Exercise.

The text posted initially (quoted below) is a translation
into Esperanto, so again in English -- in a mail later in
this thread the whole song was also posted in English
again. I'm not sure about some lines, but I never
listened so closely to the text as well ... Anyway, here
you are:

  SOLSBURY HILL (Peter Gabriel)
  ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
  Climing up on Solsbury Hill
  I could see the city lights
  Wind was blowing, time stood still
  Eagle flew out of the night
  He was something to observe
  Came in close, I heard a voice
  Standing stretching every nerve
  Had to listen, had no choice

  I did not believe the information.
  I just had to trust imagination.
  My heart going boom boom boom
  "Hey," he said, "grab your things,
  I've come to take you home."
  Hey -- back home!

  To keep inside as I'd designed,
  My friends would think I was a nut
  Changing water into wine
  Open doors would soon be shut
  So I went from day to day
  But my life was in a rut
  Till I thought of what I'd say,
  Which connection I should cut.

  I was feeling part of the scenery.
  I walked right out of the machinery.
  My heart going boom boom boom
  "Hey," he said, "grab your things,
  I've come to take you home."
  Hey -- back home!

Ah well, maybe it's a bit long, though. Feel free to
translate only parts.

For those who want, I've also got two sonnets by Shakespeare
which we got in English lessons recently for interpretation
that are suitable as Translation Exercises -- trying to keep
the strict structure will get somewhat awkward in Ayeri, I
haven't tried to translate them yet. I forgot, it's the
sonnets #73 and #130. 130 is nice and 73 is quite dark and
melancholic.

Yours,
Carsten

--- [ ORIGINAL MAIL ] ---

From: "Ronald Hale-Evans" <EVANS@BINAH.CC.BRANDEIS.EDU
<mailto:EVANS@...>>
To: <conlang@buphy.bu.edu <mailto:conlang@...>>
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 1991 9:36 PM
Subject: Monteton Solsbury

 > Here is my translation of the first verse of "Solsbury
 > Hill" by Peter Gabriel.
 > *Please* post comments and critiques. I'm working hard on
 > translating the whole
 > song, and this is the first verse I feel satisfied enough
 > with to send out.
 > Nicxjo, Davido Lupo, Johano Ross, iu ajn Esperantisto?
 >
 > Monteton Solsbury grimpante,
 > Mi povus vidi l'urbolumon.
 > Vent' blovante, temp' haltante,
 > Agl' elflugis je la dumon.
 > Ja li estis rigardenda;
 > Li proksimis, sonis vocx';
 > Cxiu nervo strecxegenda,
 > Mi auxskultu sen riprocx'.
 >
 > Mi ne kredis la informon;
 > Mi devis fidi fantazion.
 > Mia kor' batis BOM BOM BOM!
 > "Hej," li diris, "pretigxu nun,
 > Mi hejmkondukos vin."
 > Hej--hejmen!
 >
 > Ron Hale-Evans

--
"Miranayam cepauarà naranoaris."
(Calvin nay Hobbes)

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