Thursday, November 5, 2009

Translation: Flugufrelsarinn*

"The Fly's Savior"

Hullabaloo, I rushed down to the lake
A savior
I made a ship and said a short prayer
Because I was scared
The sun shown and the lake flowed
Sunflowers, sunflowers the flies die

But today I'm supposed to save as many flies as possible
In each hand I carry a string- determined
I throw them into the abyss and try
To haul the flies in before
The smolts reach them where they fight
The stream and water

And so the day passes on
Going on board, I had begun fighting
The Stream
Which had already killed so many

I can't breathe and I'm getting heavier with every wave
I need a miracle
Because I'm drowning sins
I try to get onboard

I pull ashore and save myself onto
onto the beach
I lay on a hot rock and let myself dry again
I throw myself into the abyss and try
To draw in the flies before
The smolts reach them where they fight
The stream and water

Gustur, completely soaked
Frakkur feels how the boat is out of the strongest current
And the land slowly approaches

He is both
Sea and on land saving
The flies that die here
Though especially himself
Eternal war and peace nowhere
But someone has to sacrifice himself
The days are long

What do you think of these Sigur Ros lyrics? Translated from the Icelandic, of course...

*Well, according to the translator page thingy. :D

4 comments:

  1. Totally not what I expected them to mean!

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  2. Is it possible to get the original lyrics side-by-side (maybe in italics). Thanks!

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  3. Some of the passages are very strangely formed in English, but that just might be because Icelandic is not fully accurately translatable into English. ;)
    And I like the lyrics. I mean, they are strange, but then again, Sigur Rós are strange, so... :)

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  4. Its a beautiful story - all life is precious and worth saving, even a flie’s life. And a also shining micro-example of the biologIcal reality of life.

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