Meleth Faramir
'Faramir's Love' by Ryszard Derdzinski
This poetical fragment comes from The Lord of the Rings, Book IV, The Window of the West (p. 295) Faramir tells about his love, love to his dear Minas Tirith. These words were used in Peter Jackson's film in the scene of Boromir's death (Quenya text translated by David Salo and sung by the boys-choir). In my opinion these words belong to the most beautiful phrases in Tolkien's books. I have translated this fragment into Sindarin (Meleth Faramir) and Quenya (Melme Faramiro).
Sindarin
Ú-velon vegil faen an ristas dín,
law bilinn an lagoras dín,
law vaethor an aglar dín.
Melon na-erui di i hain veriar: i Vinas Dúnedain.
Lá
melan i macil calina an laicasserya,
lá i pilin an lintasserya,
lá i ohtar an erya alcar.
Melan eressë sa i entë tirir: i Minassë Núatanion
'I
do not love the bright sword for its sharpness,
nor the arrow for its swiftness,
nor the warrior for his glory.
I love only that which they defend: the city of the Men of Númenor.'
Interlinear translation of the Sindarin text:
[Mutations are removed but marked with a ° sign for clarity]
Ú-°melon °megil faen an ristas °tín,
I-don't-love sword radiant for sharpness its,
law °pillin an lagoras °tín,
nor arrow for swiftness its,
law °maethor an aglar °tín.
nor warrior for glory his.
Melon na-erui °ti i hain °beriar: i °Minas Dúnedain.
I-love only this what they defend: the Tower-city [of] West-men.
Notes (selected comments)
Verb *mela-, *melon, melant 'love; I love; loved' is by J.R.R. Tolkien and comes from VT 45:34 Words *ristas 'sharpness' and *lagoras 'swiftness' are my reconstructions (< *ristassê, *lakrassê). The word *na-erui is my reconstruction for 'only' (like na-vedui is 'at last'). *law 'no, indeed not'; (cf. Quenya lá, lau, laumë; LA-, UGU-) comes from David Salo's movie dialogs