Translations of the Ring Rhyme

This page features my translations of the Ring Rhyme, arranged alphabetically by language. If you see a language represented here, this means that either I am not aware of a version (published or otherwise) of the Rhyme in that language or I don't like what I have seen.

The following are my guidelines when translating the Rhyme:

  • The rhyme scheme of the English version, ababAccA, is to be preserved if at all possible. The scansion need not be the same (given that languages vary widely in word length and stress patterns), but the thing must scan. The use of other poetic devices, and the interpretation of these, is up to the language's own traditions (this is why the Irish version alliterates but rhymes somewhat loosely).
  • Lines 5 and 8 must be exactly the same.
  • The translation of Lines 6 and 7 (the Ring Inscription), about which Gandalf says `This is what in the Common Speech is said, close enough', must in fact be as close to the Black Speech original as possible, and it must be self-sufficient.
  • The text must sound ominous.

    If you feel like criticising the grammar, style etc. of any of the translations, I'm all ears.

    Akkadian (Old Babylonian dialect)

    šaláš unqátim ana šarrí *nimrí ša ultu šamê namurratsunú,
    sibettum ana bélí *kazádáya in ékallátim šapal šadêm,
    tišettum ana márí awílútim ša mútum ixxazú carratsunú,
    ište'at unqum ana bélim eþêm, a šášiná a qátim nadêm
    in mátim eþêm, in mát marri dúrim ašar našûmatú šímatsunú.
    ište'at unqum kálšiná a macá, ište'at unqum a bêlišiná,
    ište'at unqum kálšiná a nacá ú in eþûtim ecélišiná,
    in mátim eþêm, in mát marri dúrim ašar našûmatú šímatsunú.

    Egyptian

    xmt.t xtm.wt n itj.w n.w *nmr.w ntj.w m p.wt tp pr.sn,
    sfx.t xtm.wt n sr.w n.w dlg.w imj.w aH.w.sn n.w inr,
    psD.t n rmT.w ip.w mwt.tj.sn wn.wt ktt.t wsr.sn,
    xtm.t waj.t n nb.w nj kk.w Hmssj Hr zmA.t m Tnr
    m tA nj Sw.wt, m tA nj mr-dAr r D.t r nHH r dAr.sn ::
    xtm.t waj.t gmt.sn r Dr.sn, xtm.t waj.t HqA.sn,
    xtm.t waj.t int.sn r Dr.sn, r Dt m zm3wj mxA.sn,
    m tA nj Sw.wt, m tA nj mr-dAr r D.t r nHH r dAr.sn ::

    Irish

    Trí Fháinne do Ríthe na Síthe, slua na réaltaí sa spéir,
    Seacht gcinn dosna hAbhacaibh uaibhreacha síos ina n-allaíbh d'art,
    Naoi gcinn dosna Fearaibh básmhara go mbainfidh Éag a neart,
    Aon Fháinne amháin don Tiarna Dubh, chun go ndeintear a réir,
    Go maire an Oíche sa tsaol mór mar i dtír Mordor féin.
    Aon Fháinne iad uile do stiúradh, Aon Fháinn' amháin iad d'fháil,
    Aon Fháinne iad uile a cheapadh 's iad do chuibhriú faoin Scáil,
    Go maire an Oíche sa tsaol mór mar i dtír Mordor féin.

    Klingon

    chal bIngDaq wej Qebmey Hev 'e'lIv jawpu';
    nagh vaSmeyDaq Do'rIv chuQunvaD Soch veb;
    Hegh pIHbogh Human Segh jubbe'vaD Hut chu';
    quS'a' qIjDaq ba'bogh joH qIjvaD wa' Qeb,
    morDor puHDaq, QIbmeyDaq 'oH chenmoHlu'.
    Hoch SeHmeH wa' Qeb 'ej bIH maghmeH wa' Qeb,
    Hoch qemmeH 'ej ramDaq bIH baghmeH wa' Qeb,
    morDor puHDaq, QIbmeyDaq 'oH chenmoHlu'.

    Romany (Kalderash dialect)

    Trin angrustya ka le ray *ëlfanë tela 'l śon,
    Yefta 'l *gnomanë thagarengë othe ando phay,
    In'ya 'l manušëngë -- dikh mila, martyako-le von,
    Ëkh angrusti zurali ka 'l tunyariko ray
    Ando them Mordor, le vuśalina kay pašlyon.
    Ëkh angrusti t' arakhël savorrë, ëkh t' inkërël len darate,
    Ëkh angrusti te anel savorrë, len vi te phandel ratyate
    Ando them Mordor, le vuśalina kay pašlyon.

    Russian

    Vot tri kol'ca -- dlja znatnyx èl'fov, kljuchi prirody storozhit',
    Da sem' kolec -- dlja gordyx gnomov, chto k zolotu pitajut strast',
    Da devjat' -- smertnym chelovekam, nedolgo suzhdeno im zhit',
    Odno zh Kol'co -- vladyke Mraka, nad mirom vsem chtob prinjal vlast',
    Chtob vsem im vechno, vekovechno prestolu tëmnomu sluzhit'.
    Odno Kol'co -- chtob vsemi pravit', odno Kol'co -- ix razyskat',
    Odno Kol'co -- chtob vsex dostavit' i v mrake Mordora svjazat',
    Chtob vsem im vechno, vekovechno prestolu tëmnomu sluzhit'.

    Created and maintained by Ivan A Derzhanski.
    Last modified: 19 March 1999.