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
.'

 

 

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