Minna Númen - Into the West
song by Annie Lennox translated into Quenya by Petri Tikka
Into the West by Annie Lennox is the final song of the final movie of the LotR films. This text has been so far translated by Thorsten Renk and Ryszard Derdzinski. Petri Tikka from Finland has sent another translation. In his letter he wrote: Although both translations are quite good, the trouble is that they do not fit into the melody of Howard Shore. So I have tried to translate it metrically.
See also the Sindarin translation of this poem.
Minna Númen
Caitat caselya lissea
Lóme lanta; metyalenna túliel
Lorat, ar n' óluva lyen you túler yá
Sí yálante et hrestallo hair' arta
Manan nainal? Man antolyasse nier sin?
Cenuval rat' autuvar ilye caurelyar
Ranconyassen er loril varna
Man cenil han menelo hresta?
Manan i maiw' yalir?
Arta Ear Sil néca orta
Ciryar símen marenna colien
Ilqu' ahyuva hyellenna sil
Cal nenes, ily' fear autuvar
Estel lómenna sintuva
Ter mordor lantal' et lúmell', enyalie
Áva quete: nalve metyales
Loss' hrestar yalir
Met omentuva ata
Ar nauval ranconyassen er lorna
Man cenil han menelo hresta?
Manan i maiw' yalir?
Arta Ear Sil néca orta
Ciryar símen marenna colien
Ilqu' ahyuva hyellenna sil
Cal nenes, hisw' ciryar autuvar
Minna Númen
Original lyric by Fran Walsh
'Lay down your sweet and weary head
Night is falling; you have come to journey's end
Sleep now and dream of the ones who came before
They are calling from across a distant shore
Why do you weep? What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see all of your fears will pass away
Safe in my arms, you're only sleeping
What can you see on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the Sea a pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home
And all will turn to silver glass
A light on the water, all souls pass
Hope fades into the world of night
Through shadows falling out of memory and time
Don't say we have come now to the end
White shores are calling, you and I will meet again
And you'll be here in my arms, just sleeping
What can you see on the horizon?
Why do the white gulls call?
Across the Sea a pale moon rises
The ships have come to carry you home
And all will turn to silver glass
A light on the water, grey
ships pass
Into the West.'