Varpunen jouluaamuna / The sparrow in the Cristmas morning

POSTED IN classic poetry, Music, translated Finnish-English December 16, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Varpunen jouluaamuna / The sparrow in the Cristmas morning

 

Lumi on jo peittänyt kukat laaksosessa,
järvenaalto jäätynyt talvipakkasessa,
varpunen pienoinen syönyt kesäeinehen,
järvenaalto jäätynyt talvipakkasessa.

Pienen pirtin portailla oli tyttökulta:
Tule varpu, riemulla, ota siemen multa!
Joulu on, koditon varpuseni onneton,
tule tänne riemulla, ota siemen multa!

Tytön luo nyt riemuiten lensi varpukulta:
Kiitollisna siemenen otan kyllä sulta.
Palkita Jumala tahtoo kerran sinua.
Kiitollisna siemenen ota kyllä sulta.

En mä ole, lapseni, lintu tästä maasta.
Olen pieni veljesi, tulin taivahasta.
Siemenen pienoisen, jonka annoit köyhällen,
pieni sai sun veljesi enkeleitten maasta.

………………………………………………………………………

 

The Sparrow in the Christmas morning

 

Snow already covered all in the valley yonder
frozen is the wave of lake in the frost of winter.
Little sparrow sweet and good
eaten up his summer food.
Frozen is the wave of lake in the frost of winter.

 

On the stairs of little house stood a girl who plead:
Come dear sparrow and with joy take from me a seed!
It’s Christmas now and here
sparrow without home and cheer.
Come dear sparrow and with joy take from me a seed!

 

To the girl’s feet filled with joy flew the darling sparrow:
Gratefully I take from you seed of blood and marrow.
God will pay you threefold
darling girl with soul of gold.
Gratefully I take from you seed of blood and marrow.

Dear child I’m not a bird from this world of strangers
I’m your little brother dead coming from the heavens.
When you fed the poor in need
you gave me a little seed.
I’m your little brother dead from the land of angels.

 

Zacharias Topelius

 

English version, Maria Magdalena Biela