# Translation of Dvorak's Prsten



## certifiedwench

Greetings!

I am trying to translate what I understand to be a folk song set by Dvorak, but the resources I have found translating into English only have singing translation (which are not word-for-word accurate). I tried Google Translate, but I think some of the words are obsolete or archaic, so Google doesn't recognize them.

Any help anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated. The sooner the better.*

Prsten*
Hraj, muziko, hraj,
z cicha na Dunaj
budem se ubírat na milého kraj.

A vy, formané, šírujte koně,
a vy, družbové, sedajte na ně!

Ztracila sem vínek,
můj zlatý prstýnek u mamičky mej.

U mej matery v truhle zamčený,
červeným jabúčkem
s milého srdečkem zapečacený.

Thank you!


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## Enquiring Mind

certifiedwench said:


> *
> Prsten*
> Hraj, muziko, hraj,
> z cicha na Dunaj
> budem se ubírat na milého kraj.
> 
> A vy, formané, šírujte koně,
> a vy, družbové, sedajte na ně!
> 
> Ztracila sem vínek,
> můj zlatý prstýnek u mamičky mej.
> 
> U mej matery v truhle zamčený,
> červeným jabúčkem
> s milého srdečkem zapečacený.
> 
> Thank you!


I found this translation here:
The Ring
Play, band, play, softly to the Danube,
We’ll be setting out for my sweetheart’s land.
And you, coachman, prepare the horses,
And you groomsman, mount them!
I’ve lost my garland, my gold ring at my mother’s house.
At my mother’s house in a trunk, sealed with red wax,
as my darling’s heart is sealed.

It's quite accurate, I think,  if a little stilted, however it should be "coachmen" and "grooms" (plural), and, as you say the style is literary and there are some obsolete words.
And I think the last line should be (the ring is) "...sealed with my darling's heart."

Hopefully the natives will be able to confirm or correct it.


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## thorx89

The words are VERY old-fashioned, CertifiedWench. I'm a native and I don't understand half of it. The English translation helped a little, actually. (I didn't know what a vínek was, but I do know what a garland is--at least approximately + I can always learn about the details at thefreedictionaryDOTcom if I want to--not that this girly stuff bother me too much )

I do disagree with the translation of truhla, though. That's quite a common word, even today, and it refers either to a casket/coffin or a chest/trove (basically a wooden box where you put treasures or junk).


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## bibax

According to dictionary the English word *trunk* means also _truhla_ (in the village houses used usually for clothes and valuable things). Example of a malovaná lidová truhla: View attachment 10280

Vínek is a swadling cloth (no girly stuff), here used figuratively: vínek = a gift for a newborn baby (from 'dostat do vínku', dostat dárek do peřinky), in the past usually a gold or silver coin, in this case a gold ring.

I've lost my birth day gift, my gold ring at my mother’s house.
At my mother’s house in a trunk there it is locked up and sealed
by a red apple
with my darling’s heart.

jabúčko (= jablíčko) is a little apple, not wax (however metaforically, it could be a red seal, who knows?);

Also I should use another punctuation in the first verse:

Play, band, play,
 softly, to the Danube
we’ll be setting out, for my sweetheart’s land.


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## Lisalajoie

certifiedwench said:


> Greetings!
> 
> I am trying to translate what I understand to be a folk song set by Dvorak, but the resources I have found translating into English only have singing translation (which are not word-for-word accurate). I tried Google Translate, but I think some of the words are obsolete or archaic, so Google doesn't recognize them.
> 
> Any help anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated. The sooner the better.*
> 
> Prsten*
> Hraj, muziko, hraj,
> z cicha na Dunaj
> budem se ubírat na milého kraj.
> 
> A vy, formané, šírujte koně,
> a vy, družbové, sedajte na ně!
> 
> Ztracila sem vínek,
> můj zlatý prstýnek u mamičky mej.
> 
> U mej matery v truhle zamčený,
> červeným jabúčkem
> s milého srdečkem zapečacený.
> 
> Thank you!




Voici la traduction de The ring, traduction exacte en anglais: (Je possède la partition).
The ring
Lads and lassies gay,
sing a merry lay,
gay as merry May,
Love shall lead the way,
by the Danube river;
love shall lead the way,
shall lead the way.

Lads and lassies gay,
sing a merry Lay,
Lads and lassies gay,
sing a merry Lay,
by the Danube river, by the Danube river,
love shall lead the way.
Lads and lassies gay,
love shall lead the way!

Harness horse and cart,
and a way then start!
Do not wait for me,
but at once depart,
but at once depart!

I have left my wreath-let
and my golden ringlet at my love's be ringlet,
at my love's be hest,
in my mother's chest seatled with my love's heart!

In my mother's chest,
at my love's behest,
I have left my wreathlet and my golden ringlet,
left my golden ringlet,
at my love's behest,
in my mother's chest seal'd with love's heart,

I have left mywreathlet and my golden ringlet,
in my mother's chest sealed with my lover's heart,
left my ring in her chest sealed with my love's heart!

Haste ye now a way,
lads and lassies gay, sing your merry lay,
gay as merry May,
love shall lead the way!


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