Puistin maata velloltain
In the SKVR edition: [Toksova]. Europ. J 287. 47.
SKVR textEnglish
1Puistin maata velloltain,I scattered land from my brothers,
2Anoin ainoaiseltain.I begged from the sole kin.
3Vello vasten vastaeli:My brother countered, replying:
4Mitä maata neitoselle"Why land for a maiden,
5Ja mitä pakenevalle,And for one who flees?
6Maa on neion esliinassa,Land lies in her apron,
7Pienar neion pintelissa,A scrap in her hem,
8Pakenevan palmikossa.The fugitive’s in her braid."
9Anto kuitenkin vähäisenYet he gave a trifle:
10Risukkoa raasikkoaTwiggy underbrush,
11Ja palaisen paasikkoaAnd slabbed stone,
12Ja sirusen siivon maata.A splinter’s slice of earth.
13Nuo mie kynnin kynsilläin,I plowed them with my nails,
14Astuvoin kätösilläin,Trod with my palms,
15Varpahillain vakosin.Balanced on my toes.
16Tuo kylvin mie sinoja,Then I sowed flax,
17Pilaelin pellavaista.Tended the flaxfield.
18Kulu tuosta yötä kaksi,Two nights passed,
19Yötä kaksi, yötä 3,Two nights, nights—
20Jopa viipyit viikon päivät.Till a week had lingered.
21Mänin katsoon mie sinoja.I went to check the flax,
22Sino itki kitkiäistä,The flax wept of weeds,
23Pellavas puhastajaista.Flaxfield mourned blight.
24Käin mä kitkemään sinoja,I went to weed the flax,
25Puhastamaan pellavaista.To cleanse the flaxfield.
26Ajo luoja tietä myöten,The Creator came by road,
27Maariainen maata myöten.Mary across the land.
28Luoja anteli apua:The Creator gave aid:
29"Jumal auksi, neito nuori,"God aid you, young maiden,
30Kuin sie tietäisit vähäisen,If you but knew a little,
31Arvoaisit pikkaraisen,Valued even a crumb,
32Et sie kitkisi sinoja,You’d not weed the flax,
33Puhastaisi pellavaista;Nor cleanse the flaxfield;
34Jo emois kotonta kuoli."Your home’s mother has died."
35Minä itkien kotihin.Weeping, I turned home.
36Käin mie käyten, juoksin juosten,I walked, then ran,
37Hyppäsin hypyn jal'oilla.Leapt with my legs.
38Jo kuuluu kotonta kolke,Home’s knock echoed,
39Vello vesti lastumaalla.Brother built in the yard.
40Mie kyselin velloltain:I asked my brother:
41"Mitäs vestät, veikkosein,"What build you, dear brother,
42Vestät sie vesivenettä,A boat for the waters,
43Vesilaivava rakennat?"A ship for the sea?"
44Vello vasten vastaeli:My brother countered, replying:
45"En vestä vesivenettä,"I build no water-boat,
46Vestän kuolleelle kotia,A home for the dead,
47Kaonneelle kartanota."An estate for the gone."
48Kuka meilt kotonta kuoli?"Who of our home has died?"
49Jo emoin kotonta kuoli."Our home’s mother died."
50Miä itkien tupahan.I wept into the house.
51Millä mie pesen emoni?"How shall I wash Mother?
52Ostan saxan saippuaa,I’ll buy German soap,
53Sillä mie pesen emoni.With it wash Mother."
54Millä voatitsen emoni?"How shall I clothe Mother?
55Ostan linnan liissinkiä,I’ll buy castle linen,
56Sillä voatitsen emoni.With it clothe Mother."
57Millä vyötitsen emoni?"How shall I belt Mother?
58Ostan sulkkia syleltä,I’ll buy feathers by the armful,
59(Annoin riunan annoin kaksi),(Gave one ribbon, then two),
60Sillä vyötitsen emoni.With them belt Mother."
English translations by DeepSeek R1, provided by Lidia Pivovarova (University of Helsinki). AI-generated translations may contain inaccuracies.
The text is that of the SKVR digital edition of the Finnish Literature Society (SKS), with these changes:
- The editors’ signs inside the verses ([ ], ⌈ ⌉, *, [!], [?]) are left out, as in the poem reader; the letters they enclose are kept.
- The edition’s line numbers are replaced by a number on every verse, counted as in the poem reader.
- The editors’ notes, and the marks in the verses that point to them, are left out; they can be read at SKS.
Source
Text: SKVR (Suomen Kansan Vanhat Runot), the digital edition of the Finnish Literature Society (SKS), licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Permanent address of this poem at SKS: http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-016486 · Read at SKS ↗
Added by RunoVerse: the English translations, the song types, the verse numbers and the links.