Translation - all the boys (English)

Hi lunatunes,

Yes, a hard text, indeed.

Please have a second look at it trying to find missing caps and lack of punctuation. You know...even if the punctuation in the original is inexistent, the English needs it

Once you do that, we might start evaluating the accuracy, OK?

I tried.. :-)This is old language..I think an old Swedish poem.

Yeah...we'll have some work here

Let's start for the first stanza

All the boys are bright as the day.
How can you understand?
When they are married they will get tough,
seldom do/will they want to be home.
Go for the worn out shoes on the hook.
In a rush, they will intoxicate themselves,
drink brandy until they look like pigs.
Alas! How poor it is to love someone like that!
It's better being alone.

Do you agree?

I agree

Great, edited!
Now to the second:

Yes, now it is hard for the boys to (walk?)

Perhaps we could use something like "keep going" or "go ahead".


because their company is expensive.
Now it is not enough to drink for a dime,
now it has to be four.
Who does not drink is deeply disdained.
Brandy disguises both mind and power.
Many say: as long as I can get,
the cost doesn't matter.


What about that?

I think that will work too :-)

This one will be tough!

Here money is earned near and far,
here big salaries are earned.

"När som gossarna de skola gifta sig
så har de knappast till begåvning." (for this part we'll have to ask for some help )

If the boys would want to marry
they would hardly have for a gift
and it is their own fault. doesn't look fine to me


They have been behaving badly, often (-) drunk.
Isn't it true that in gambling and dance
many dimes are lost?

@ girls, could you help us with that part?



CC: pias lenab

Hi Lilian!
My suggestion is:
When the boys are going to marry
they hardly have for brains
the reason for this is their own fault
They behaved badly and were often drunk
isn't it true that in gambling and dance
many a dime is lost?

I would say: Lenab obviously and naturally knows Swedish better than I. You should listen to her good advise :-) PS: I really need more points.. And there is no requests for translations in my languages. Is there any other way to get points?

THIS is a tricky thing to translate, many "odd" and old expressions. Well done lunatunes! I'm in doubt about "begåvning" Acc. too this translation (no.9) it's about the bridal gift?? I also think "krona" should be translated as "crown" but others I agree with Lenas translation.

thank you, Pias. I suspect that the word begåvning in Swedish is similar to the danish begavelse.. And this refers to a persons "gifts" meaning mostly their "mental gifts" This could be a play of words including both the brains ( or lack of) of the boys and their inability to pay for a wedding gift after they spent all their money drinking?

Seeing the translation Pia provided I can actually see why "begåvning" may have to do with "bridal gifts". The word has to do with "Gåva" (gave).Someone is talented=begåvad (has been given the gift).So I guess this line can mean they don't have enough for gifting. Maybe bridal gifts. ???
I'm not sure about "krona" though..... I still think it has to do with money..

IMO it's safer to translate it as you have done lunatunes and then make a note about the possible ? translation for it (presents). Agree that "begåvning" today refer --> "mental gifts"

About "kronan" (the crown) was introduced 1873 in Sweden...and to be true ...I've no clue if this song was written before that. So you probably are right Lena

The problem is, I think, that there obviously already exists a translation, the one you found Pia!! Is it even worth doing another translation of the song??

IT IS! lunatunes has done a BIG job. IMO I think the other one is not translated exactly, but it captures the feeling/ meaning of the Swedish one very well ...with other words. I also happen to know that Casper didn't liked that version.

Hi girls, thanks for your help

lunatunes has made a huge effort to get a nice translation from awkward lyrics, even if another version already exists we must evaluate this one

Considering all your suggestions about this stanza (and the existing version) I'd say that it could be something like:

"At the time the boys get married
they will barely have enough for a gift.
Their fault, of course.
They have been misbehaving and often drunk.
Isn't it true that in gambling and dance
much money is lost?"

Yes, I also think that "kronan" should be translated just as: "money"

What do you think?

I agree with Lenas translation of "de skola" - de skall - are going to (are about to marry)

Maybe a note (in the notes) about the common way to translate "begåvning", because we will never know for sure, unless someone here on Cucunis are good enough about "old" expressions.

Others

Ok, now to the last stanza

I will never get to know what makes these girls want to marry.
They are example of people
who lose both courage and beauty.
Their clothes become dirty and few,
the cheeks turn out pale and blue,
the sweater gets small while the man gets perverse.
Yes, alas! how wretched is marrying someone like that,
They'd better remain unmarried.

What do you think?

how about: They will barely have enough for gifting???

WOW! THANKS girls for all that.