FIN > EN / Kotiteollisuus - Mahtisanat

Could anyone help me translate this song?

On itkuvirret nilkkoihinsa kahleiksi sidottu
ja ruisleipänsä sisään on kivi leivottu
reppunsa on murheista, painajaisista ommeltu
kasvoilla hymy hyytynyt

Iskelmien kaiho on vaalentanut hapsensa
ja samalla myrkyllä hän saastuttaa lapsensa
kirosi ja meihin loi vihaavan katseensa
eikä siihen tyytynyt

Ja hän lausui sanoja, joista nyt saa
nauttia koko kansa ja pohjoinen maa:
“Jos iloitset, älä sitä muille jaa
ole yksin oman surusi kantaja
himoitse sitä mikä on toisen omaa
vaihda vaimosi naapurin rouvaan.
punainen tupa, perunamaa, ranta ja
tila-auto olkoon onnesi antaja!”

Se Jumalasta, Kekkosesta seuraavana on
elämänsä on suoritus kuin tammikuu tipaton
lippu puolitangossa pihallansa aina on
uskoo samaan lottoriviin

Se osaa juhlia vain vappuna tai juhannuksena
laulunsa soi kaihona ja kaipauksena
se itsepäinen luupää makaa haudattuna
palvottuun mausoleumiin

Ja hän lausui....

Kuka lausui....?

Hmmm, there is kinda much mentions about Finnish tradition... I'll mention them, too. Also, there is not said if this person mentioned in the song is "he" or "she" (Finnish "hän" means both). I'll mark "hän" as "he".



Mahtisanat
The Might Words / The Spell Words [Note: The meaning is literally "The Might Words", but it means mainly "Spell Words"]

On itkuvirret nilkkoihinsa kahleiksi sidottu
The moaning hymns cuff his ankles [Note: "Moaning hymns" (fin. itkuvirret) are unwritten rite poems that is performed normally by crying and weeping, nowadays practiced only by Karelian people (an ethnic group in Finland and Russia]
ja ruisleipänsä sisään on kivi leivottu
And a stone is baked into his rye bread [Note: This is probably a hint to Kalevala. In the book, an evil mistress of house bakes a stone into a bread of her farmhand and makes his knife - only memory from his parents - break down]
reppunsa on murheista, painajaisista ommeltu
His backpack is sown from mourn, nightmares
kasvoilla hymy hyytynyt
The smile from his face has disappeared

Iskelmien kaiho on vaalentanut hapsensa
The nostalgia of schlagers has paled his hair
ja samalla myrkyllä hän saastuttaa lapsensa
And he poisons his own children with the same venom
kirosi ja meihin loi vihaavan katseensa
He sweared and stared at us hating
eikä siihen tyytynyt
And he didn't calm down

Ja hän lausui sanoja, joista nyt saa
And he told words of which
nauttia koko kansa ja pohjoinen maa:
The whole people and the northern land can enjoy:
“Jos iloitset, älä sitä muille jaa
"If you are happy, don't share it to other
ole yksin oman surusi kantaja
Be alone the carrier of your mourn
himoitse sitä mikä on toisen omaa
Lust what is owned by the another person
vaihda vaimosi naapurin rouvaan.
Change your wife to the mistress of neighbour
punainen tupa, perunamaa, ranta ja
May a red cottage, a potato field, a beach and [Note: "Red cottage and potato field" (Punainen tupa ja perunamaa) is a phrase that is mainly used to descripe the traditional dream settlement of a Finnish person]
tila-auto olkoon onnesi antaja!”
A roomy car be the bringer of your happiness!

Se Jumalasta, Kekkosesta seuraavana on
Who cares about God, the next one from Kekkonen [Note: Kekkonen was a legendary president of Finland, known about his long career]
elämänsä on suoritus kuin tammikuu tipaton
The life, the performance is like the Sober January [Note: The Sober January (tipaton tammikuu) is a New Year promise to not to drink alcohol that time]
lippu puolitangossa pihallansa aina on
The flag is always on the half-pole [Note: At least in Finland, there is a tradition to lower the flag to the middle (in fact, 2/3) height when someone is mourning someone else's death.]
uskoo samaan lottoriviin
He always believes in the same lottery line

Se osaa juhlia vain vappuna tai juhannuksena
It can party just in the May Day and the Midsummer
laulunsa soi kaihona ja kaipauksena
His song plays as nostalgia and missing
se itsepäinen luupää makaa haudattuna
It stubborn bonehead lies now as buried
palvottuun mausoleumiin
In his worshipped mauseleum

Ja hän lausui....
And he told...

Kuka lausui....?
Who told...?


Here it is!

oooooooooooo what an great song! thank you for translatinng it even thought it wasn't me who requested it LOL

tuhannet kiitokset!!!

You're both welcome! And in Finnish: Olkaa hyvät molemmat!

Thank you NyttyNuti for the very helpful translation. However, I noticed some eye catching oddities in the translation, most notably "naapurin rouva", which definitely is not "mistress of neighbour" (mistress=rakastaja). The correct generic translation is "lady next door". (Of course it can also be translated to "neighbor's wife", but this translation adds the assumption that rouva=wife which may not be the case).

Here's my take on it:

Mahtisanat
The Words of Power

On itkuvirret nilkkoihinsa kahleiksi sidottu
His ankles shackled by lamentation
ja ruisleipänsä sisään on kivi leivottu
and a stone baked into his rye bread
reppunsa on murheista, painajaisista ommeltu
his back pack sewn from grief and nightmares
kasvoilla hymy hyytynyt
the smile on his face is gone

Iskelmien kaiho on vaalentanut hapsensa
The longing for schlagers has lightened his hair
ja samalla myrkyllä hän saastuttaa lapsensa
and he contaminates his children with the same poison
kirosi ja meihin loi vihaavan katseensa
he swore and gave us a look of hatred
eikä siihen tyytynyt
and he did not settle for that

Ja hän lausui sanoja, joista nyt saa
And he spoke words, that
nauttia koko kansa ja pohjoinen maa:
the whole people and the northern land now can enjoy:
“Jos iloitset, älä sitä muille jaa
"If you are happy, do not share your happiness with others
ole yksin oman surusi kantaja
be the sole carrier of your own sorrow
himoitse sitä mikä on toisen omaa
desire what belongs to someone else
vaihda vaimosi naapurin rouvaan.
replace your wife with the lady next door
punainen tupa, perunamaa, ranta ja
a red cottage, a potato plot, a beach, and
tila-auto olkoon onnesi antaja!”
an SUV, let them be the bringers of your happiness!"

Se Jumalasta, Kekkosesta seuraavana on
According to God, he succeeds Kekkonen
elämänsä on suoritus kuin tammikuu tipaton
his life is a cumbersome achievement
lippu puolitangossa pihallansa aina on
the flag is constantly flown at half-staff in his yard
uskoo samaan lottoriviin
he believes in the same set of lottery numbers

Se osaa juhlia vain vappuna tai juhannuksena
He only knows how to party on May Day or on Midsummer
laulunsa soi kaihona ja kaipauksena
his song rings nostalgically and longingly
se itsepäinen luupää makaa haudattuna
the stubborn bonehead now lies buried
palvottuun mausoleumiin
in a worshipped mausoleum

Ja hän lausui....
And he spoke...

Kuka lausui....?
Who spoke...?

Originally Posted by pnielsen

Thank you NyttyNuti for the very helpful translation. However, I noticed some eye catching oddities in the translation, most notably "naapurin rouva", which definitely is not "mistress of neighbour" (mistress=rakastaja). The correct generic translation is "lady next door". (Of course it can also be translated to "neighbor's wife", but this translation adds the assumption that rouva=wife which may not be the case).

I think "neighbor's wife" is a better translation as it's about desiring what belongs to someone else.

Another thing I'd like to correct is "Se Jumalasta, Kekkosesta seuraavana on". Yes, you're right, it can mean "According to God, he succeeds Kekkonen" but in this case it means "He is the next from God, Kekkonen"

So, my corrected version is:

Mahtisanat
The Words of Power

On itkuvirret nilkkoihinsa kahleiksi sidottu
His ankles shackled by lamentation
ja ruisleipänsä sisään on kivi leivottu
and a stone baked into his rye bread
reppunsa on murheista, painajaisista ommeltu
his backpack sewn from grief and nightmares
kasvoilla hymy hyytynyt
the smile on his face is gone

Iskelmien kaiho on vaalentanut hapsensa
The longing for schlagers has lightened his hair
ja samalla myrkyllä hän saastuttaa lapsensa
and he contaminates his children with the same poison
kirosi ja meihin loi vihaavan katseensa
he swore and gave us a look of hatred
eikä siihen tyytynyt
and he did not settle for that

Ja hän lausui sanoja, joista nyt saa
And he spoke words, that
nauttia koko kansa ja pohjoinen maa:
the whole people and the northern land now can enjoy:
“Jos iloitset, älä sitä muille jaa
"If you are happy, do not share your happiness with others
ole yksin oman surusi kantaja
be the sole carrier of your own sorrow
himoitse sitä mikä on toisen omaa
desire what belongs to someone else
vaihda vaimosi naapurin rouvaan.
replace your wife with the neighbor's wife
punainen tupa, perunamaa, ranta ja
a red cottage, a potato plot, a beach, and
tila-auto olkoon onnesi antaja!”
an SUV, let them be the bringers of your happiness!"

Se Jumalasta, Kekkosesta seuraavana on
He is the second to God, Kekkonen
elämänsä on suoritus kuin tammikuu tipaton
his life is a cumbersome achievement
lippu puolitangossa pihallansa aina on
the flag is constantly flown at half-staff in his yard
uskoo samaan lottoriviin
he believes in the same set of lottery numbers

Se osaa juhlia vain vappuna tai juhannuksena
He only knows how to party on May Day or on Midsummer
laulunsa soi kaihona ja kaipauksena
his song rings nostalgically and longingly
se itsepäinen luupää makaa haudattuna
the stubborn bonehead now lies buried
palvottuun mausoleumiin
in a worshipped mausoleum

Ja hän lausui....
And he spoke...

Kuka lausui....?
Who spoke...?

Originally Posted by Karolo

"He is the next from God, Kekkonen"

I'm not sure what that sentence means. Do you mean "He is the next sent by God, Kekkonen". If this is not what you wanted to say, then my next guess would be "He is the second to God, Kekkonen"?

Originally Posted by pnielsen

I'm not sure what that sentence means. Do you mean "He is the next sent by God, Kekkonen". If this is not what you wanted to say, then my next guess would be "He is the second to God, Kekkonen"?

Yeah, "He is the second to God, Kekkonen" is the best translation. Even though you can interprete the sentence in two ways. He's the most important thing after God and Kekkonen, or he's the most important thing after God (i.e. Kekkonen).

The music video for Mahtisanat can be found in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYhetCCKZkM

The are some Kalevala-style lyrics at the beginning of the music video:

Mahtisanat

Sampo
Siitä seppä Ilmarinen, takoja iän ikuinen, takoa taputtelevi, lyyä lynnähyttelevi.
Siitä jauhoi uusi Sampo, kirjokansi kiikutteli.
Jauhoi purnun puhteessa; yhden purnun syötäviä, toisen jauhoi myötäviä, kolmannen kotipitoja.

---

Words of Power

Sampo
From there, the blacksmith Ilmarinen, Forger from eternal age, forged and tapped, hammered and beat. (1)
Then the newly-made sampo was grinding, The multi-colored cover was rocking. (2)(3)
It ground a bowl-full of material the twilight time; one bowl of things to eat, It ground another bowl of things to sell, third of things to enjoy. (4)

Translation notes:

(1) "Iän Ikuinen" means a person or creature which was already living in
the ages before the great flood. Also means "from antediluvian age".
(2) Kirjokansi means "multi-colored or pattern-decorated cover". When
talking about forged item, "kirjo" means "mottled color case hardening".
This is old heat-treating method, which leaves hardening colors on steel
surface and makes it wear and rust resistant.
(3) The rocking cover is a feature found in mills. When the mill is
running, a camshaft will cause rocking or shaking motion which keeps
grain flowing through the mill.
(4) "Puhde" is the time of twilight, when it is too dark to be working
outside but is still too early to go asleep. During this time men would
be working indoors at firelight, making various crafts. Since northern
Europe has long twilight, "puhdetyöt" or "twilight crafts" consists of
large variety of arts and crafts.
(5) In the music video at 1:28, the men are playing "Pulikanveto", which is
a tug-of-war and flexibility exercise where both men are holding on to a
wooden rod. However, it appears that the actors here do not know how to
do it properly
6) "punainen tupa, perunamaa, ranta" = "a red hut, a potato patch, a beach,"
Tupa is a single-room hut with fireplace, and is the minimal form of
permanent housing. To protect the hut from weather, houses were painted
with a paint made by boiling rye four and red ochre.
When a man owns a "red hut, potato patch and a beach" he has the minimal
requirements for sustainable living as a farmer/fisher.

---

"Se Jumalasta, Kekkosesta seuraavana on
elämänsä on suoritus kuin tammikuu tipaton"

"He is the next in line after God and Kekkonen. (7)
His whole life is as difficult as spending January without alcohol." (8)

(7) Urho Kekkonen was the longest-serving President of Finland
(1956–1982). It was a common joke that if somebody had unlimited
political power, he would be next in line after God and Kekkonen.
(8) "Tipaton Tammikuu" means "spending whole January without alcohol",
which is very difficult thing to do in the gloomy winter of Finland.
More modern version of this is "Heroiiniton Helmikuu", or "spending the
whole February without using heroin".

Originally Posted by Karolo

Yeah, "He is the second to God, Kekkonen" is the best translation. Even though you can interprete the sentence in two ways. He's the most important thing after God and Kekkonen, or he's the most important thing after God (i.e. Kekkonen).

I don't think it can be understood in two ways. "He is the second to God, Kekkonen" = "Only God is greater than Kekkonen"

To get the other meaning, you have to say "He is the third to God and Kekkonen"