Ainulindalë Quenyanna

Here’s the juicy part! My biggest project so far. I had this idea in 01/16/11. Why isn’t there a translation to Quenya about the genesis of Arda and everything in it? Elves should be able to read on their mother tongue, right? So, I felt like doing it. Bold, very bold indeed. I don’t know if I’m gonna accomplish it or not, but slowly I go,  patiently I’m doing it…so let’s see where I’m heading to.

Click on the pictures below to access their pages with analysis 

I designed my translation to go hand in hand with ‘The Silmarillion’ textbook.  I used the 2001 2nd edition from Houghton Mifflin.  So,  each exact line in my Quenya translation corresponds to the English version. Pages as well. The one you see above for example is page 15 from the first word to the last. I had to deal with a lot of empty space, so I decided to fill in some florals and other decorations of the page like ink stains, to make it look like an ancient manuscript. Tengwar italics are used to express the direct speech of Ilúvatar in this particular passage and I think I’m gonna make it standard for the whole translation instead of quotes or anything like it. It’s beautiful and it’s a convention that may help me to synchronize Quenya pages to English ones.

Enough with the talk and let’s head to the text! Below you’ll find the paragraphs in order of publication:

Here we are! Page 5. A whole year has gone by since I started Ainulindalë Quenyanna Project. It’s been quite a ride! Now, some Ainur are presented to us and we can even read a conversation between Ilúvatar and Ulmo about the importance of water and all the extraordinary results achieved by the evil deeds of Melkor. Interesting, huh? So, as before, let’s get down and analyze one by one:

§14

Mal exë Ainur yétaner imbar sina tulcaina taura

nómessë Ambarwa, ya i Eldar estar Arda, i Cemen; ar

órentar ner alassëa calassë, ar hendintat cenië rimbë quiler ner

quanta’lassëo; mal pan i rávë’arwa fellentë

hoa úquildë. Ar cennentë i súri ar i vista, ar i

hróni yaiva carna né Arda, angaina’r sarna’r telemna’r

malta’r ermalíva: mal imbi sinë nén laitanentë

antáravë. Ar equë i Eldar nenessë marë

i láma Ainulindaleva er, ambë lá exa erma ya

Ardassë ná; ar Hínali Ilúvataro er hlarer

sérelórë ómain Eärwa, ar er umintë ista i casta hlarintë.

§14

 But other Ainur looked this habitation in the firm vast

places of the World, that the Eldar call Arda, the Earth; and

their hearts were joyous in light, and their eyes beholding many colours were

full of gladness; but because the roaring noise of the sea they felt

big unrest. And they saw the winds and the air, and the

substance of which made Arda was, of iron and stone and silver and

gold and physical matters: but among these water they praised

most greatly. And says the Eldar in water lives

echo of Ainulindalë still, more than any substance that

in Arda is; and many Children of Ilúvatar still listen

restless to the voices of the Sea, and yet they don’t know the reason they listen.

Now click and listen §14:

Moving on, let’s introduce §15 where we read for the first time about the Ainur and their delights, what they do best. Ulmo with water, Manwë with the air and winds, Aulë with the fabric of the Earth…all instructed by the wisdom of Ilúvatar.

§15

Sí nenna Ainu i Eldar esta Ulmo quernë

sanwerya, ar ilyo antumna nes pëantaina Ilúvatarnen

lindalessë. Mal vilyar ar súrion Manwë olë anávië, i

ná anarta Ainuron. Lannëo Cemenwa Aulë anávië, yan

Ilúvatar antië curu ar handë ve farëa ve

Melcoren; mal i alassë Auleva ná i carda carmeva,

ar carna engwessë, lá arwa lá

túrerya; tánen antas ar umis hosta, ar ná léra caurello,

autië illumë vinya carda.

§15

Now to water Ainu that Eldar call Ulmo turned

his thought, and of all the deepest he was instructed by Ilúvatar

in music. But of the airs and winds Manwë much had thought, who

is the noblest of Ainur. Of the fabric of Earth Aulë had thought,

to whom Ilúvatar had given skill and knowledge as enough as

to Melcor; but the delight of Aulë is the deed of making,

and in the thing made, not possessing not

its mastery; therefore he gives and doesn’t hoard, and is free from fear,

passing always new work.

And now…listen to §15 in Quenya, about Ulmo, Manwë and Aulë:

Oh…here comes an excellent paragraph, §16. I love this one! Ilúvatar talks to Ulmo and show him with incredible wisdom how good was the work of Melkor in his “water” realm. Who saw that coming, huh? The word ‘good’ and ‘Melkor’ at the same sentence! Wow! I love this paragraph! So, here it is:

§16

Ar Ilúvatar quentë Ulmon, ar equë: “Ma umil cenë manen sinomë

titta’rdassë, Núressë Lúmeva Melcor ohtacárië

nórenyanna? Oanties sára langë niquë, ar

er nancáries i vanessë ehteleryaiva, hya calima

ringweryaiva. Á cenë i lossë, ar i handa mólë nixeva! Melcor

oantië úrer ar nárë ú lando, ar úmies carë parca

námalya hya turë i lindalë’ärwa. Á cenë i

tárië ar alcar fanyar ar i vorahyalë hísir; ar

á hlarë i lanta misteva Cemenenna! Ar fanyassen sinë nalyë

sacaina Manwenna, meldolya, i melil.”

§16

And Ilúvatar spoke to Ulmo, and said he: “Do you see not how here

in little realm, in the Deeps of Time Melkor made war

upon your country? He had devised bitter extreme(ly) cold, and

yet not unmade the beauty of your fountains, or your bright

cold lakes. Behold the snow, and the cunning work of frost! Melkor

had devised heats and fires without limit, and he had not made dry

your desire nor controlled the music of the sea. Behold the

height and glory of the clouds and the everchanging mists; and

listen to the fall of rain upon the Earth! And in these clouds you are

pulled (closer) to Manwë, your friend, who  you love.”

LISTEN:

And here comes the answer of Ulmo to the wisdom of Ilúvatar in the following paragraph §17:

§17

 Sië Ulmo tóquentë: “Anwavë, Nén ná quérina sí vanima lá

órenya návë, lá yando hurin sanwenya ontië i

niquis, lá hya ilya lindalenyassë né i lantië misteva.

Cestuvan Manwë, ya ecë men carë lindi tennoio

alasselyan!” Ar Manwë ar Ulmo ner yestallo

otornor, ar ilyë engwessen ner voronda

Ilúvatardur.

§17

Then Ulmo answered: “Truly, Water is turn now more beautiful than

my heart thought, not also my secret thought devised the

snowflake, nor in all my music was the falling of rain.

I will seek Manwë, that may we make melodies for ever

to your delight!” And Manwë and Ulmo were from the beginning

sworn brothers, and in all things were steadfast

servants of Ilúvatar.

NOW LISTEN:

And here we are, at the end of page 5! Now comes the 18th paragraph and here the Ainur perceive a new thing, something not known before and they gazed upon it and it was darkness!

§18

Mal talumë Ulmo quentë, ar talumë Ainur er cenner

olos’ina, nes mapaina ar nurtaina henillon; ar

yétanes’en ten yassë lúmë yana cennentë vinya engwë,

Mornië, ya úmientë ista nó hequa sanwessë. Mal

(to be continued…)

§18

But at the moment Ulmo spoke, and when the Ainur were yet seeing

this vision, it was taken and hidden from their eyes; and

it seemed to them that in that hour they saw a new thing,

Darkness, which they hadn’t known before except in thought. But

(…to be continued)