Current version
Here is the version in the Byzantine Catholic Hymnal (2007):
In the town of Bethlehem
The English translation is by Monsignor William Levkulic. See this article for the Slavonic.
Discussion
There are three basic problems with this hymn, as a translation of V Viflejemi novina:
- It is awfully short (which could be remedied by adding more verses from the Slavonic) and not very theological.
- It changes the ending of the melody substantially from the Slavonic, moving the accent from the next-to-last note ("MaRIa") to the third note from the end ("O SAvior").
- It changes the ending of each verse from a reference to Mary to a reference to Christ, and in the process makes the first verse non-sensical: is the entire hymn addressing Christ? ("O Savior")
This is one of the two or three cases where I think we would be best off coming up with an entirely new translation.
Here is the Slavonic text, together with two translation: the first one is from My Divine Friend (1959), a Ukrainian Sunday and holyday missal by Redemptorist Father Michael Schudio, and the second is from the compact disk, "There Is Great Rejoicing: Carols of Southern and Eastern Europe", recorded by the Schola Cantorum of Saint Peter's in the Loop, Chicago (1993). The second translation retains the references to Mary except the first verse, which used an existing translation.
| V Viflejemi novina, D'iva Syna porodila, Porodila v blahodati, Neporočna D'iva Mati, Marija. |
Bethlehem gives tidings, A Son is born to a maiden Overshadowed with God's graces The pure Virgin Mother of God Mary. |
There is joy in Bethlehem: Christ the Lord is born to us. Angels singing, shephers kneeling, Wise men following a star For Christ is born. |
| Položila na s'iňi V Viflejemskoj jaskiňi. Josif D'ivu pot'išaje, Povivati pomohaje, Mariji. |
On the hay in a manger In the Bethlehem stable Lay the Infant, swaddled warmly, Joseph aiding the young Mother Mary. |
There she places her own son In the cave of Bethlehem Joseph comforts there the Virgin And he helps swaddle the Baby With Mary. |
Slava Boža i chvala |
Unto God all glory and praise In a manger come to pass: Angels fly down from the heavens To the Son of God give glory With Mary. |
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| Sereď temnoj noči divne svitlo bje v oči. Jasna zorja zasvitila hde Díťatko porodila Marija. |
In the darkness of night There appears a strange brightness. A large star appears and stands still Over the crib of Son and Mother Mary. |
In the midst of the dark night To the eyes so wondrous bright A new dawn is brightly shining Where the Infant lies new-born there With Mary. |
Nedaleko pastyrji |
From the near fields the shepherds Watching flocks in the valley Hasten quickly to the stable And with Jesus greet his Mother Mary. |
There nearby the shepherds stood In the valley, tending flocks; They come running to the manger Where they meet the Infant lying With Mary. |
| Na kolina padajut podarunki skladajut. Čto ubohij dati može žertvujeme, Diťa Bože, Mariji. |
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Sče prichoďat tri cari |
From the East came the Three Kings, The three Wise Men, star-gazers. They present their gifts for Jesus Frankincense, and gold and myrrh to Mary. |
And the Three Kings also come From the east they follow the star. There to Jesus they give presents Frankincense, gold and myrrh there With Mary. |
I my tože pospišme |
Let us also then hasten 'Tis our God and our Master Humbly bringing him our offerings With the Christ Child fondly loving Mary. |
So we too must now make haste To bring gifts to God our King! Let us humbly come before Him, Bless the Son of God who's born now Of Mary. |
And of course, if we find some verses that simply resist a singable translation, we COULD omit those, or choose the "best" ones. The other option is to provide a literal English translation, as we did with Boh predvičnyj.
Thoughts or suggestions?
Please leave a comment on this blog entry: Five Christmas Songs.