Translations for Watermark

All lyrics are by Roma Ryan unless otherwise noted.

The mystical incantations throughout these songs are not translated since they have no English equivalent.


Cursum Perficio

Latin
Cursum perficio.
Verbum sapienti:
quo plus habent,
eo plus cupiunt.
Post nubila, Phoebus
Iternum
I finish the course.
A word to the wise: [1]
the more [people] have,
the more they want.
After the clouds, Phoebus [2] [3]
[4]
  1. To be precise, "sapienti" is the dative singular of the adjective "sapiens" (knowing or wise). Therefore, without a noun, "sapienti" can only refer to a wise man or woman, while "to the wise" refers to more than one, which the Latin does not state.
  2. Phoebus: the Roman god of sunlight, prophecy, music, and poetry (same as the Greek god Apollo) [Lat. < Gk. Phoibos < phoibos, radiant]. When not capitalized, the sun.
  3. This is also a modern Latin proverb meaning "after clouds (comes) the sun" or "after rain comes the sunshine".
  4. In the Watermark notes, this word is spelled "iternum", which is either a nonexistent word or a poetic form. In all probability, it is either a misspelling of "eternum" (eternal), a misspelling of "iterum" (again and again), or a poetic form meaning "journey". Here are the various possibilities played out:

Storms in Africa

Irish Gaelic
Cá fhad é ó
Cá fhad é ó

Siúil tríd na stoirmeacha.
Dul tríd na stoirmeacha.

Cá fhad é ó
an tús don stoirm.
Cá fhad é ó
an tús go deireadh.

Tóg do chroí.
Siúil tríd na stoirmeacha.
Tóg do chroísa.
Dul tríd na stoirmeacha.

Turas mór.
Tor tríd na stoirmeacha.

Turas fada.
Amharc tríd na stoirmeacha.

How far is it from
How far is it from

Walking through the storms.
Going through the storms.

How far is it from
the beginning to the storm
How far is it from
the start to the end.

Lift your heart.
Walking through the storms.
Lift your heart!
Going through the storms.

Great journey.
Heavy through the storms.

Long journey.
Look through the storms.

Storms in Africa

Irish Gaelic, as recorded by Enya [1]
Cá fhad é ó
Cá fhad é ó

Siúil trí na stoirmeacha.
Tar trí na stoirmeacha.

Cá fhad é ó
na néalta dubh'.
Cá fhad é ó
an tús go deireadh.

Tóg do chroí.
Siúil trí na stoirmeacha.
Tóg do chroíse.
Tar trí na stoirmeacha.

Turas fada.
Tar trí na stoirmeacha.

Turas fada.
Amharc trí na stoirmeacha.

How far is it [2]
How far is it

Walk through the storms. [3] [4]
Come through the storms.

How far is it from
the black clouds.
How far is it from [5]
the beginning to an end.

Lift your heart.
Walk through the storms.
Lift your heart!
Come through the storms.

A long journey.
Come through the storms. [6]

A long journey.
Look through the storms.

  1. The lyric Enya actually sings differs somewhat from that found in liner notes and printed music. Notice also that two voices alternate through the lyric until they unite in the final line. Styling of the lines distinguishes them.
  2. "Cá fhad é ó" means "How far is it from" or "How long is it since".
  3. The verbs "siúil", "tar", "tóg", and "amharc" are imperative singular forms. There is symmetry in their use.
  4. If Enya sings "tríd", rather than "trí", her "d" is indistinct. "Tríd na" is a variant of the standard "trí na".
  5. "Ó" (from) and the definite article are normally combined into a single word: ó + an = ón.
  6. The liner notes do place the word "tar" here.

The Longships

Irish Gaelic
Hi-ri-u
Ho-ro-ho
Ho-ri-u
Him-o-ro-ho

Hoireann is oro
Tá muid beo
Him oro ho
Go deor na ndeor
(Incantations not translated)





We are alive

Forever and ever

Na Laetha Gael M'óige

Irish Gaelic
Na Laetha Geal M'óige
The Bright Days of My Youth
(In ómós do mo mháthair agus do m'athair)

Ag amharc trí m'óige,
Is mé 'bhí sámh,
Gan eolas marbh
Bhí mé óg gan am,

Anois, táim buartha,
's fad ar shiúil an lá.
Ochón 's ochón ó.

Na laetha geal m'óige
Bhí siad lán de dhóchas
An bealach mór a bhí romham anonn
Bhí sé i ndán domh go mbéinn, slán, slán.

Anois, táim buartha,
's fad ar shiúil an lá.
Ochón 's ochón ó.

Na laetha geal m'óige
Bhí siad lán de dhóchas
An bealach mór a bhí romham anonn
Bhí sé i ndán domh go mbéinn, slán, slán.

Anois, táim buartha,
's fad' ar shiúil an lá.
Ochón 's ochón ó.

(In honor of my father and mother)

Looking back over my youth,
I was content,
Without knowledge of death
I was young, without time,

Now I'm sorrowful,
The day is long past.
Alas and woe, oh.

The bright days of my youth
They were full of hope
The great journey that was before me then
Was what was destined to be, bye bye.

Now I'm sorrowful,
The day is long past.
Alas and woe, oh.

The bright days of my youth
They were full of hope
The great journey that was before me then
Was what was destined to be, bye bye.

Now I am sorrowful,
The day is long past.
Alas and woe, oh.

Storms in Africa (Part II)

Though I walk through
warm sands in Africa
winds will grow soon
to storms in Africa.

How far to go
I cannot say.
How many more
will journey this way?

Dark skies fall on
black earth and ivory.
Far from your sun
clouds now close over me.

How far to go
I cannot say.
How many more
will journey this way?

Storms have come!
rains wash the earth away
Dark skies fall down
into another day.
Rains have now come
from storms in Africa
Time will go on
through storms in Africa




Credits

Cursum Perficio
Translation by Konrad Schroder, notes by Mauro Cicognini, Duncan Jones, Daniel Quinlan, Teresa Negrucci, and Kimmo Savolainen.
Storms in Africa
Translation by Fidelma McGinn. Corrections from Willie Arbuckle.
Storms in Africa
As recorded by Enya: Transcription and translation by Richard Manser.
Storms in Africa (Part II)
Transcription by Jagg Groeg.
The Longships
Translation by Fidelma McGinn. Corrections from Willie Arbuckle.
Na Laetha Geal M'óige
Text taken from translations by Dennis Ryan, Anne-Marie Curtis (posted by Kirsten Starcher), Dennis Foley, and Marion Gunn (posted 2 December 1991 on GAELIC-L mailing list). Corrections from Willie Arbuckle.


Index | The Celts | Watermark | Shepherd Moons | The Memory of Trees | A Day Without Rain | Singles

24 February 2000 - Maintained by Daniel Quinlan