La morm antul lui Aron Pumnul - At the grave of Aron Pumnul

Mihai Eminescu

List of abbreviations
REFL = reexive ARCH = archaic SPST = Simple Past F = feminine M = masculine SG = singular PL = plural adj. = adjective GEN = genitive DAT = dative Cl = clitic = a form of a pronoun that clings onto some other word in the sentence, usually a verb, but not only Please note that the translation below has no claims to artistic value; its there simply to help you understand the poem! (1) Imbrac a-te n doliu, frumoas a dress.2SG+IMPER-REFL.2SG in mourning, beautiful.F.SG Bucovin a, Cu cipru verde-ncinge-antic a Bukovina, with cypress green.SG-girdle.2SG+IMPE-ancient fruntea ta; Acuma din pleiada-t i forehead.the your.F.SG; now from constellation-your auroas a si senin a Se stinse un golden.ARCH.F.SG and serene.F.SG REFL.3SG died.out.SPST a.M luceaf ar; se stinse o lumin a, Se morning.star; REFL.3SG died.out a.F light, REFL.3SG stinse-o dalb a stea! died.out.SPST-a.F white.and.pure.F.SG star! Dress in mourning, beautiful Bukovina, girdle your forehead with green cypress; a star from your golden serene constellation has died out; a light; a pure star! (2) (The rst line is very weird grammatically...) 1

Metalica vibr and a a clopotelor jale metallic.F.SG.the vibrating(adj.) of.F.SG bells.the.GEN grief Vuie ste n cadent a si sun a ntristat; C aci, ah! roars.3SG in cadence and rings.out in.a.saddened.manner; for, oh! geniul mare al de stept arii tale genius.the great of.M.SG awakening.the.GEN your.F.SG.GEN P a si, se duse-acuma stepped.out.3SG+SPST, (REFL.3SG took.3SG+SPST)(=went)-now pe-a nemuririi cale S i-n urm a-i on-of.F.SG immortality.the.GEN path and-in trace.the-her ne-a l asat! us.Cl.ACC-has left! Vibrating metallically, the grief of the bells resounds in saddened cadence, for the great genius of your awakening stepped out on the path of immortality, leaving us behind! (3) Te-ai dus, te-ai (REFL.2SG-have.2SG taken)(=went.2SG), (REFL.2SG-have.2SG dus din lume, o! geniu [ ]nalt si mare, taken)(=went.2SG) from world, oh! genius high.M.SG and great.SG, [A]Colo unde te-a steapt a tot i ngerii n cor, there where you.SG.Cl.ACC-wait.3PL all.M angels.the in chorus, Ce-ntoan a tainic, dulce a sferelor c antare who-intone.3PL secretly, sweetly of.F spheres.the.GEN chant S i-t i mpletesc ghirlande, cununi mirositoare, Cununi de and-you.Cl.DAT plait.3PL garlands, wreaths fragrant, wreaths of albe ori! white.F.PL owers! Youve gone, youve gone out of this world, oh great and awesome genius, there where the angels await for you in a chorus that intones, mysteriously and sweetly, the chant of the spheres, and braid for you garlands, fragrant wreaths, wreaths of white owers! (The second half of this stanza is pretty unclear, weird wording...) Te pl ange Bucovina, te pl ange-n you.Cl.ACC weeps/regrets Bukovina, you.Cl.ACC weeps/regrets-in voce tare, Te pl ange-n t anguire si locul voice loud, you.Cl.ACC weeps/regrets-in lamentation also place.the t au natal; C aci umbra ta m areat a n your.M.SG native; for shadow.the your.F.SG great.F.SG in falnica-i zburare O urm[eaz] a-ncet majestic.the-her ying her.Cl.ACC(=Bukovina?) follows-slowly cu ochiul n trist a l acrimare Ce-i simt nat ional! with eye.the in sad tear.shedding that-is feeling national! 2

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Bukovina is weeping for you, its weeping for you out loud, your native land is also weeping for you in great lamentation, as it follows, slowly, with an eye tearful because of national sentiment, your great shadow ying away majestically (5) Urmeze nc a-n cale-t i si lacrima duioas a, Ce follow.3SG+SUBJ still-in path-your and tear.the tender.F.SG, which junii tot i o vars a pe trist morm antul youth.the all her.Cl.ACC(=the.tear) shed.3PL on sad grave.the t au, Urmeze-t i ea prin zboru-t i n your, follow.3SG+SUBJ she.NOM throughout ight.the-your in c anturi t anguioase, In c anturi r asun ande, chantings of.lamentation.F.PL.ARCH, in chantings resounding.F.PL, suspine-armonioase, [a]Colo, n Eliseu!... sobs-harmonious.F.PL, there, in Elysium!... May the tender tear shed with grief on your tomb by the youth follow your path also, may it follow you as you y away, [may it follow you] with lamenting chants, with resounding chants, with harmonious sobbing, [may it follow you] all the way to Elysium!...