Finrod again

[bunn]

I'm trying not to spend the rest of my life trapped between a Russian dictionary, a thesaurus and a rhyming dictionary, not to mention feeling rather guilty that r_blackcat did firmly say she didn't have time to translate the whole of Finrod Zong and yet has ended up heroically exploring... well.  Rather a lot of lines.

But I have to admit, I am pleased with what we finally wrangled into English between us, for Sauron's lines and then Finrod's great spell: I think it was worth the effort.

Sauron:

A feeble imitation of the Creator’s first design -

What little can you do, to restore the broken line?

The Song of Creation can no longer be altered:

The thread is too far woven, pattern forever faulted

I see you losing everything, all you have been given.

Left with only bitter memory... Are you strong enough for that?

Finrod:

Where nothing is forgotten,

there on the stone curl runes,

The strings of the lyre

untouched by running years.

At my shoulder stands the young

Untainted peaceful world

Rising like a new dawn

Nothing’s forgotten,

Memory has such power,

that it keeps us from harm.

Memory is alive

And see, she is unstained,

Wraiths and lies

vanish, like a dream.

That is the law

While imperishable light

fills the sky.

I call upon the memory of

the Light before Sun and Moon

To lift my voice against you.

So that our strengths are matched

...our strengths are matched...

Sauron:

Power in this world belongs only to he,

Who would without doubt tear off the chains of slavery

Quendi - naught but  servants of masters that they curse,

Pitiful  parody of the people who are real

Things like you can’t play the games of darkness and of light,

I am free to do with you, anything I want.

Yes, the Robin of Sherwood reference was deliberate!  And I'm posting this in an attempt to stop myself staring intently at the last two lines of Sauron's first verse and trying to make them rhyme as well, because that way madness lies.

Comments

[r-blackcat.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean :)
"Nothing's forgotten"! How could I forget! Probably because there's no match in the russian version, but still... Ah, ROS. Good world too. Now I'm tempted to take a walk there.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I was surprised how well it had held up when re-watching recently!