Friday, May 3, 2013
Serdeczna Matko -- A favorite Polish hymn
BELOVED MOTHER
Beloved Mother, guardian of the nation,
Hear orphans weeping in their supplication.
We are Eve’s exiles, do you hear us praying?
Show us your mercy when we begin straying.
We have sinned often over all the ages,
Hence we deserve God’s punishment that rages.
But when the Father strikes, be our defender,
Be our safe refuge, Mother dear and tender.)
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6 comments:
Excellent translation.
Loved the song when played at my babcia's funeral. Looking at the words in English, seems like a very "harsh" song. Am I missing the meaning in translation?
I agree the translation is harsh. I think it's because the translator tried too hard for the rhyme. The Polish version rhymes, so I suppose the English version should too. I think a copy and paste of the Polish lyrics into Google Translate will give a better, non-rhyming sense of the lyrics. Maybe I will do that in a few minutes and post what I get.
Here is what Google Translate offers - with a little of my own editing - for the first two verses:
Affectionate Mother, protector of people,
Let the crying of orphans awaken you to pity.
Eve's exiles we cry to you:
Have mercy, have mercy, let us not wander.
To whom shall we wretched children sigh?
Only to you, beloved mother,
whose heart is open to everyone,
and especially to the distressed.
The translation is very much on target.
It’s my understanding that during WWII the Polish national anthem was not allowed to be played. Some of the words to Serdeczna Matco were changed and the song became the secret national anthem. In that context, the words make sense.
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