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Bouquet of Czech Folk Songs
Translations © by Patrick John Corness
by Antonín Dvořák (1841 - 1904)
View original-language texts alone: Kytice z ceských narodnich písní
Pase ovčák, pase ovce, v pěkném zeleném klobouce, pase na kopečku v břežovém háječku. Pod dubem tu znenadáni dvě panenky stály. Ovčák jim dal dobrý večer, ony se mu smály. Jedna byla celá bílá jako holubička, druhá k němu švitořila jako vlaštovička. Pojď ovčáku, poiď ty náma, počkej u nás až do rána, a ty tvoje ovce, ať je pase kdo chce. Vzaly jsou ho za ručičku, do hor s nima zašel, Svých oveček a chaloupky nikdy více nenašel.
The shepherd wore a fine green hat, as he tended his flock by day, within a birch-tree grove uphill they grazed away. Then all at once, beneath an oak, two fair young damsels stood. ‘Good evening,’ bade the shepherd then, but they just laughed out loud. One cooed away just like a dove, all white from top to toe. The other chirruped to him; she chirruped like a swallow. Come now with us, dear shepherd lad, and bide with us till break of day; for anyone can tend your sheep, so let’s away. They took him gently by the hand; he went up to their den, never set eyes upon his sheep, nor saw his home again.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Czech (Čeština) to English copyright © 2018 by Patrick John Corness, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Czech (Čeština) from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
Go to the general single-text view
Translator's note: This translation first published in ‘Překladatelská strategie přebásnění Dvořákových Mužských sborů bez doprovodu do angličtiny’ [A Strategy for Czech-English Verse Translation] (Patrick John Corness), in Časopis pro moderní filologii [Journal for Modern Philology] 2018 (100): 225-249. https://casopispromodernifilologii.ff.cuni.cz/en/magazin/2018-100-2/
This text was added to the website: 2023-06-27
Line count: 12
Word count: 117
Až odtud pojedeš, můj holečku, já pudu za tebou pudu za vojačku. Co bys, má panenko, co bys tam dělala? vždyť bys mě ve vojsku nepoznala? Udělala bych se malým ptáčkem, snášela bych se ti nad kloboučkem. Udělala bych se vlaštovičkou, snášela bych se ti nad hlavičkou
When you set off from here, my darling lad, I’ll go along with you, a soldier girl, right glad. What good would that be, my dear, what good would that be? You could never tell which soldier was me. Then I would change and be a tiny bird; I’d always fly around above your head. I would change and be a tiny swallow; I’d fly above your head and you I’d follow
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Czech (Čeština) to English copyright © 2018 by Patrick John Corness, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Czech (Čeština) from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
Go to the general single-text view
Translator's note: This translation first published in ‘Překladatelská strategie přebásnění Dvořákových Mužských sborů bez doprovodu do angličtiny’ [A Strategy for Czech-English Verse Translation] (Patrick John Corness), in Časopis pro moderní filologii [Journal for Modern Philology] 2018 (100): 225-249. https://casopispromodernifilologii.ff.cuni.cz/en/magazin/2018-100-2/
This text was added to the website: 2023-06-27
Line count: 16
Word count: 72
Proč, kalino, v strouze stojíš? zdali ty se sucha bojíš? Kdybych já se sucha bála, ještě bych já hlouběj stála. Proč, kalino, kalin nemáš a jimi se nečervenáš? Já jsem kalin dosti měla a jimi se červenala. S vrchu ptáci ozobali, z důli panny olámaly. Každá panna hochu svému a já smutná nemám komu. Ach kdybych já komu měla, byla bych si přispíšila.
Why grow by a brook, guelder rose? Afraid of a drought, I suppose? If I were afraid of a drought, My roots would reach far deeper yet. Why, guelder rose, are they all shed, your lovely berries, flaming red? With berries, true, I was endowed and flaming red they were, indeed. Those up above were pecked by fowl, below young damsels plucked them all. They took the berries for their loves, but I’m so sad, I have no love. Had I a love, a love that’s true, I’d haste to be with my love too.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Czech (Čeština) to English copyright © 2018 by Patrick John Corness, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Czech (Čeština) from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
Go to the general single-text view
Translator's note: This translation first published in ‘Překladatelská strategie přebásnění Dvořákových Mužských sborů bez doprovodu do angličtiny’ [A Strategy for Czech-English Verse Translation] (Patrick John Corness), in Časopis pro moderní filologii [Journal for Modern Philology] 2018 (100): 225-249. https://casopispromodernifilologii.ff.cuni.cz/en/magazin/2018-100-2/
This text was added to the website: 2023-06-27
Line count: 14
Word count: 95
Blaze tomu, kdo nic nemá, nestará se, kam to schová. Směle lehne, směle vstane, žadnej mu nic neukdradne.
Nothing possessing, such a blessing no need to find a place of hiding. Be it night-time or be it day, no one can rob you anyway.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Czech (Čeština) to English copyright © 2018 by Patrick John Corness, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Czech (Čeština) from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
Go to the general single-text view
Translator's note: This translation first published in ‘Překladatelská strategie přebásnění Dvořákových Mužských sborů bez doprovodu do angličtiny’ [A Strategy for Czech-English Verse Translation] (Patrick John Corness), in Časopis pro moderní filologii [Journal for Modern Philology] 2018 (100): 225-249. https://casopispromodernifilologii.ff.cuni.cz/en/magazin/2018-100-2/
This text was added to the website: 2023-06-27
Line count: 4
Word count: 26