| IF THE ONE I KNOW CAME NOW | |
| Anon. (oral tradition) | trans. Keith Bosley |
|
FINNISH Jos mun tuttuni tulisi ennen nähtyni näkyisi sillen suuta suikajaisin olis suu suden veressä, sillen kättä käppäjäisin jospa kärme kämmenpäässä! Olisko tuuli mielelissä ahavainen kielelissä sanan toisi, sanan veisi sanan liian liikuttaisi kahden rakkaan välillä. Ennenpä heitän herkkuruat paistit pappilan unohdan ennen kun heitän herttaiseni kesän kestyteltyäni talven taivuteltuani. KARELIAN Kuin se tuttuni tulisi enne nähtyni näkyisi, virstan vastahan mänisin venehell on vettä myöte suksill on saloo myöte aitoa ylentämään veräjeä purkamaha. Ratkosin risuset aiat, aiat rautaset alennan. Miepä kättä käpsäjäisin vaikka on käärmes kämmenellä, mie kaglalla kapusin vaikka on kalma kaglallani, mie suuta suihkovaisin vaikka ois suu suven veressä sekä vierehe mänisin vaikka ois vieru verta täynnä. |
If the one I know came now the one I've seen were in sight I'd snatch a kiss from his mouth though his mouth bled from a wolf I would touch him on the hand though a snake were in his palm! Had the wind a mind and the gale a tongue it would bring word, take a word set an extra word astir between two lovers. I will sooner leave fine foods and forget rectory roasts before I leave my sweetheart the one I tamed all summer and persuaded all winter If the one I know came now the one I've seen were in sight I'd go a mile to meet him by boat on water on skis through backwoods to lift up a fence to unlatch a gate: I would tear brushwood fences iron fences I'd bring down. I would touch his hand though a snake were in his palm I'd climb on his neck though death were upon his neck I would kiss his mouth though his mouth bled from a wolf and to his side I would go though his side were all bloody. |
Trans. Copyright © Keith Bosley. Original with acknowledgements to the Finnish Literature Society, Helsinki.