Question for the Polish speakers among us
  • JL
    Posts: 171
    As I have no background in Slavic languages myself, I have been looking for an idiomatic English translation of "W zlobie lezy"--NOT a singing translation, a la "Infant holy, infant lowly", but the sort of thing one would print in a concert program next to the original text. So far, I've turned up next to nothing beyond "He lies in the manger", and I don't really know where to look next. If someone would be willing to a) take a crack at the translation or b) point me to a book or website where someone already has, I would be most grateful. The text in question goes thus:

    W żłobie leży! Któż pobieży
    Kolędować małemu
    Jezusowi Chrystusowi
    Dziś nam narodzonemu?
    Pastuszkowie przybywajcie
    Jemu wdzięcznie przygrywajcie
    Jako Panu naszemu.

    My zaś sami z piosneczkami
    Za wami pospieszymy
    A tak Tego Maleńkiego
    Niech wszyscy zobaczymy
    Jak ubogo narodzony
    Płacze w stajni położony
    Więc go dziś ucieszymy.

    Thank you!
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,187
    He lies in a manger! Who will hasten to sing carols to the little Jesus Christ born for us today? Shepherds, come by, and gracefully play for him, who is our Lord. But we ourselves will hurry behind you with our little songs, and then let us all see that Little One; since he is born so poor, and crying lies in the stable, today let us console him.
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen JL
  • JL
    Posts: 171
    Thank you! (Just to be clear, where is the division between verses?)

    Also, may we credit you in the program?
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    The division between stanzas is at "... Lord. But ..." (nice translation, by the way!).

    Are you using the traditional Polish melody or the melody adapted for the English translation? If you are singing it in Polish, I would strongly recommend using the Polish version of the music.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spbhlaVl0sg

    Thanked by 1JL
  • JL
    Posts: 171
    I'm using the "older" tune (as in the New Oxford Book of Carols), which begins on the downbeat instead of the pickup and has the B section begining "do ti la" instead of "sol fa mi". Since I wasn't too keen on New Oxford's harmonization (also, despite mostly fine editing, their punctuation is a bit out there and not very helpful) I wrote a continuo accompaniment along the lines of a French noel (it will be accompanied by lute and viola da gamba), and as there are no Polish speakers to consult in my immediate circle, I'm leaning hard on YouTube (it appears that EVERY recording artist in Poland has recorded this one) and IPA (both kinds.) It's definitely a case of fresh woods and consonants new, and it makes the Middle English and Gallego-Portuguese on the program seem much easier by comparison. :)
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