Hey all. So, I felt in the mood to do another semi-random translation, but this time around I figured I'd take a different tack on it. In keeping with something I thought the Cats might like, I decided to do a translation of "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. This time around I decided to be nice to y'all and provide not only the original text but how I chose to interpret it (i.e. what the Kilrathi text literally means). So, without any further ado:
KR'AHNGAHARGIN
"ATTACK OF THE LITTLE-ARMORED LEGION"
("THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGAGE")
gathleshkile'i ras
"lyrics by"
(A poem, written by)
ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON TERRAN'HRA
(KAL AHN'ZAHRA dai KOTHA'A laq LEDEGATHLESHKILE'I lak GAR'IRGA nar THA'HRORK)
("ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON THE TERRAN")
~~~~
Tretreokh'pokko'treoktomak, tretreokh'pokko'treoktomak,
Tretreokh'pokko'treoktomak,
Ga ma'hara tha'in'Gu
Danisvorqsivai treok'okko'okto.
2,011 mak, 2,011 mak,
2,011 mak,
All inside the valley of Death
Rode 600 warriors
(Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.)
~~~~
"Nisjha, Ahngahargin!
"Kr'derani'i!", gar'lek:
Du tha'in'Gu
Danisvorqsivai treok'okko'okto.
"Ahead, Little-Armored Legion!
"Attack the guns", it said:
To the valley of Death
Rode 600 warriors.
("Forward, the Light Brigade!
"Charge for the guns!" he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.)
~~~~
"Nisjha, Ahngahargin!"
Hu'ha'k g'kilk'fak?
Ja'lg'esh sivai'ik va
Mang'hra'dyakda'k ivalgagamaksdyapav)
Ahead, Little-Armored Legion!
There was any afraid man?
Though the soldiers knew not
Someone had made a very big and stupid mistake.
("Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Someone had blunder'd)
~~~~
Garga'aj'hagathle va,
Garga'aj'hanhakil va,
Garga'aj'ha anruni amaksgu:
Du tha'inGu
Danisvorqsivai treok'okko'okto.
Their purpose is to respond not,
Their purpose is to understand not,
Their purpose is only to do and to die:
To the valley of Death
Rode 600 warriors.
(Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.)
~~~~
Rani'i du garga'ud,
Rani'i du garga'uch,
Rani'i du garga'nisjha
Jakgaga maks da'kel'lekarhga;
Cannons to their right,
Cannons to their left,
Cannons to their forward
Fired very much and made the sound of thunder;
(Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd; )
~~~~
Kr'k ra hujainimakshujagagai,
Garga'danisvorq fasmakski,
Du lanagkhi'Gu,
Du lanagkh'Nargrast,
Danisvorqsivai treok'okko'okto.
Attacked with little bullets and very big bullets,
They rode bravely and good,
To the jaws of Death,
to the mount of Hell,
Rode 600 warriors.
(Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.)
~~~~
Ga'garga'qith'raki'd'aiyeq ja'lesh garga'ha'q'hafk,
Garga'd'aiyeq takh garga'ha'qork dudak,
Chakja'ai lanma,
Kr'anrasiv, deshas
Hraga'rah dalpak.
All of their swords flashed when they were unsheathed,
They flashed as they were turned in the air,
Striking the gunners there,
Attacking an army, while
All people of the world thought.
(Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air,
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder'd)
~~~~
Jaq du dakji'rani'i'ahninga
Garga'r'akorkma'ga'sha rothraks
Kilk'dymga'qithmaksTha'kilicha'ak'hra
Dakekrgavkmaksguk aqdaki'qith'raki.
R'inrgk thraks.
Jumped through the smoke of the battery guns
They destroyed the line of the enemy directly
Free Man and Man of the Land of Rowing Men
Fell and died from the strokes of blades.
Shattered greatly.
(Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.)
~~~~
Garga'danisvorq jaqdu jha, qu va
Va sivai treok'okko'okto.
They rode to return then, but not
Not 600 warriors.
(Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.)
~~~~
Rani'i du garga'ud,
Rani'i du garga'uch,
Rani'i du garga'nischur
Jakgaga maks da'kel'lekarhga;
Cannons to their right,
Cannons to their left,
Cannons to their behind
Fired very much and made the sound of thunder;
(Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd)
~~~~
Kr'k ra hujainimakshujagagai,
Deshas orsivmakstarkhani ha'kguk,
Garga'hra mas dyaktuk kiga,
Jaq du lanagkhi'Gu,
Jaqduk aqlanagkh'Nargrast,
Ga mas laneshk erg garga,
Laneshk erg sivai treok'okko'okto.
Attacked with little bullets and very big bullets,
While war-beast and heroes were killed,
Those people that had fought very good,
Came through jaws of Death,
Returned from the mouth of Hell,
All that remained about them,
Remained about 600 warriors.
(Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.)
~~~~
Ja'lesh garga'skabak h'injaqinra?
Kra mas garga'ak ha'q'ropa!!
Hraga'rah dalpak.
Rakh garga'kra mas garga'ak,
RakhAhngahargin,
thraksivai treok'okko'okto.
When their glory can become lesser?
The attack that they did was insane!
All people of the world thought.
Honor their attack that they did,
Honor the Little-Armored Legion,
Noble 600 warriors.
(When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made,
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred.)
Figuring out the translation for "half a league" - that was interesting...
