Ve Eärendil vanima (Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern)

Quenya translation by me, Petri Tikka (Epiphany 2009), and performed today, Epiphany 2010
Original German and melody by Philipp Nicolai (1599) / Der deutsche Originaltext und die Melodie von Philipp Nicolai
English translation by William Mercer (1811-1873)
Finnish/Suom. 1605 Hemminki Maskulainen ym./etc. (Virsi 43)

Ve Eärendil vanima,
elenion ancalima,
yé, Yesse-tuima síla!
Aranya ná Lavirion,
antanyë astar enderon:
anampiel endanya.
Melda, nilda,
maira, taura, tára, tulca,
alcarinqua,
Eruanno nályë quanta!

Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
Voll Gnad und Wahrheit von dem Herrn,
Die süße Wurzel Jesse!
Du Sohn Davids aus Jakobs Stamm,
Mein König und mein Bräutigam,
Hast mir mein Herz besessen,
Lieblich, freundlich,
Schön und herrlich, groß und ehrlich,
Reich von Gaben,
Hoch und sehr prächtig erhaben!

How bright appears the morning star,
With mercy beaming from afar!
The host of Heavn rejoices!
O righteous Branch! O Jesses Rod!
Thou Son of Man, and Son of God!
We too will lift our voices
Jesus! Jesus! Holy, holy! yet most lowly!
Draw Thou near us:
Great Emmanuel! stoop and hear us!

On kirkas aamutähti nyt
taivaalle tänne syttynyt
ja tullut toivokseni.
Hän, pyhä poika Daavidin,
on kuninkaani korkehin
ja ainut autuuteni.
Jeesus Kristus,
armoasi, totuuttasi
meille loistat,
lohdutat ja murheen poistat.

Literal back translation from Quenya:

Like Eärendil/morning star beautiful,
of stars brightest,
lo! the sprout of Jesse is shining.
My king is David-son,
I give loyalty to the bridegroom:
you have taken my heart.
Beloved/dear, friendly/loving,
splendid, mighty, lofty, steadfast,
glorious,
of God-gift/grace you are full!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Quenya
• Elvish
• Eärendil
• hymn
• Epiphany
• Morgenstern
• translation
• Jesus

[reswati]

Thanks for this song on behalf of my 3 yaer old daughter Vanima.

[ondotambaro]

@reswati Tell Vanima she's very welcome. Your daughter's name is beautiful, both per definition and for sound. :-) How did she get that name?

[mkl62]

I am an ELCA Lutheran from South Carolina. I play the piano and organ. Today (May 30, The Holy Trinity), I played a hymn to this tune as the Hymn of the Day at a local Lutheran Church that I filled in at. It is O Holy Spirit, Enter In, written by Michael Schirmer and translated by Catherine Winkworth. The Gospel was John 16: 12-15. It is #786 in Evangelical Lutheran Worship.

[ondotambaro]

@mkl62 We have those words in our Finnish Evangelical Lutheran hymnal as well: evl.fi/virsikirja.nsf/pudotusv­alikko/116 The tune is one of the best melodies in existence, in my opinion, along with its sister tune "Wachet auf" (Wake, Awake): evl.fi/virsikirja.nsf/pudotusv­alikko/163

[BiracialGoddess]

Why don't you have a record deal yet?

[Kathilisi]

Very nice! You managed to keep both meaning and rhythm from the original poem in your translation (in contrast to the English version, which has nothing to do with it), and you sing it very well. I think the melody goes better with the Quenya than with the German text.

[TheAsdffaaa]

You look like an 80years old transvestite. Boobs or GTFO

[reswati]

@ondotambaro

Actually from a parmaquettaron that we once bought in Germany.

As being a huge Tolkien fan I really figured out that the name did indeed fit well.

Greetings from the Netherlands, Res.

[ondotambaro]

**quena -> quanta

[ondotambaro]

So my translation is multi-layered: quite literal, yet having multiple shades of meaning arising from Tolkien's legendarium and its inspirations. Another example would be Eruanno nálye quena "you are full of God-gift/grace", similar to Tolkien's translationf of "Hail Mary, full of grace!": Aia María, quanta Eruanno!

There are variants of the melody, so this Finnish version might just fit Quenya better. I'm very glad you're pleased by my rendition.

[ondotambaro]

The very beginning of Tolkien's legendarium were these line's in the Old English poem called Crist: Éala, Éarendel, engla beorhtast, / ofer middangeard monnum sended! "Hail Earendel, brightest of angels, sent over Middle-earth to men." It refers to the incarnation and appearance of Christ in the world. This is of course the message of Epiphany. My translation combines this primary world referent with this line from LotR: Aiya Eärendil Elenion Ancalima "Hail Eärendil, brightest of stars!"