Hi! If it’s not to much trouble I was wondering if there is a translation for the far over the misty mountains song. Most specifically the first part. Far over the misty mountains cold To dungeons deep and caverns old We must away ere break of day To seek the pale enchanted gold.

thedwarrowscholar:

Hello Anon,

Thank you for that question. 

This has been one of the projects (translating the original J.R.R. Tolkien poem) I’ve been working on for a long time (it seems forever) in between video and dictionary updates and many other side projects.

Your question made me set some time apart and redo/complete a large part of the poem, including your requested translation.  As far as I’m aware the song from the first Hobbit movie

is just over a minute long and contains only 2 or the original 26 quatrains (of which 13 are translated below). Those 2 used in the movie I’ve highlighted below.

The form used is: Original English Text – Neo-Khuzdul Translation [literal translation back to English]

Over The Misty Mountains Cold – Uru Malasul’abbad Kall. [Over Mist-like-mountains Cold.]

Far over the Misty Mountains cold, – Udlag uru Malasul’abbad kall, [Far away over mist-like-mountains cold,]
To dungeons deep and caverns old, – Du khaffad buzrâ r’agâr gamil, [To dungeons deep and caverns old,]
We must away, ere break of day, – Madlagi mat, tabi ibrizbakn, [We-go far away must, before sunrise,]
To seek our pale enchanted gold. – D’anshut kidizmâ majalakalbul lubma. [To seek gold-our enchanted pale,]

The dwarves of yore made mighty spells, – Khazud adrân farin tamahîn zarâd belkul, [Dwarves of ancient times (they) made spells mighty,]
While hammers fell like ringing bells, – Ina telâkh taslini azafr kethâm zurum, [While (smith-)hammers fell like bells ringing,]
In places deep, where dark things sleep, – Ni bizrîn, kûr kêl dush zelefôn, [In deep-places, where dark (unknown) things sleep,]
In hollow halls beneath the fells. – Ni dûm tumun undu zudrahanâd. [In halls hollow under the fells (high hills)]

For ancient king and elvish lord – Khama Uzbad farin ra zabad fundul [for King ancient and lord elvish]
There many a gleaming golden hoard – Yom êthârul mamamshul kidzul anlâkhul [There many that-which-is-hoarded golden shiny]
They shaped and wrought, and light they caught, – Biratakhsigîn ra tamahîn, ra ulkhud mahtatisîn, [They formed and made, and light they caught,]
To hide in gems on hilt of sword. – Du maharruk n’ibîn ai-kenaru zagr [To hide in gems on hilt of sword.]

On silver necklaces they strung – Ai-khagsmesêm kiblul takarrisîn [On silver necklaces they continued to attach (string)]
The flowering stars, on crowns they hung – Thatûr nangâ, ai-kalâm takhfishîn [Stars flowering, on crowns they hung]
The dragon-fire, on twisted wire – ‘urs uslukhul, ai-sanjezer masafrul [fire dragon-like, on wire twisted]
They meshed the light of moon and sun. – Mahnetejôn ulkhudu izgil ra ibriz. [they meshed light of moon and sun.]

Far over the Misty Mountains cold, – Udlag uru Malasul’abbad kall, [Far away over mist-like-mountains cold,]
To dungeons deep and caverns old, – Du khaffad buzrâ r’agâr gamil, [To dungeons deep and caverns old,]
We must away, ere break of day, – Madlagi mat, tabi ibrizbakn, [We-go far away must, before sunrise,]
To claim our long-forgotten gold. – Du jalâzrul kidizmâ sigin-magalyul. [To claim our gold long-(that which is)forgotten]

Goblets they carved there for themselves, – Ishlekrathkhdebân yom takfinîn khama izdufan, [Goblets there they carved for themselves,]
And harps of gold, where no man delves – Ra siginzadkhlefam kidzul, kûr mabakh ‘utn gunuda [And golden harps, where no man delves]
There lay they long, and many a song – Yom tashragîn sigin, ra êthârul kamâth [There they lay long, and many songs]
Was sung unheard by men or elves. – Makemethôn binmakaltul udu ‘atân fa fanâd. [were (being) sung not (that which is) heard by men or elves.]

The pines were roaring on the heights, – Tarbzarâs tamgirîn aya azadâr, [(The) pine trees were roaring upon (the) heights,]
The wind was moaning in the night, – Bagd tanraniki ni zann, [(The) wind was moaning in (the) night,]
The fire was red, it flaming spread, – ‘urs kasat baraz, ‘ursul mahtamnigi, [(The) fire was red, firey it spread,]
The trees like torches blazed with light. – Zarâs azafr ‘urstherâk biratarzidîn y’ulkhud, [(The) trees like torches blazed with light.]

The bells were ringing in the dale, – Kethâm zurum ni bizar, [The bells were ringing in the dale,]
And men looked up with faces pale. – R’atân tasakhumunîn ya durûz lubma. [And men looked up with faces pale.]
The dragon’s ire, more fierce than fire, – Khezraru uslukh, ‘ugmazul m’urs, [Ire of the dragon, fiercer than fire,]
Laid low their towers and houses frail. – Tashragi bazir zarrakhizd ra zahhar sabk. [(he) laid low towers-their and houses frail.]

The mountain smoked beneath the moon. – ‘Abad tashiri undu izgil. [(the) mountain (he) smoked under the moon.]
The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom. – Khazâd, taklitîn faithû dumsu. [(the) dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.]
They fled the hall to dying fall – Mahtashikîn dum du saln tamradi [They fled the hall to fall dying]
Beneath his feet, beneath the moon. – Undu ifâthhu, undu izgil. [Beneath feet-his, beneath the moon.]

Far over the Misty Mountains grim, – Udlag uru Malasul’abbad sulukh, [Far away over mist-like-mountains grim,]
To dungeons deep and caverns dim, – Du khaffad buzrâ r’agâr zukun, [To dungeons deep and caverns dim,]
We must away, ere break of day, – Madlagi mat, tabi ibrizbakn, [We-go far away must, before sunrise,]
To win our harps and gold from him! – D’azkuf siginzadkhlefâm ra kidiz biyhu! [To win harps-our and gold from-him.]

The wind was on the withered heath, – Bagd kasat ai-Funjumatanul, [(the) wind was on the Withered Heath,]
But in the forest stirred no leaf: – Ak ni zarsthuhru lu turuthumuna injam: [But in forest (group-of-trees) stirred up (disrupted the quiet) no leaf:]
There shadows lay be night or day, – Yom ‘azûn shurugôn zann ra nurt, [There shadows lay night and day,]
And dark things silent crept beneath. – Ra kêl dush takt rurukifôn undu. [And things (unknown) dark silent crept under.]

The wind came down from mountains cold, – Bagd nekhifa biy ‘abbad kall, [(the) wind came down from mountains cold,]
And like a tide it roared and rolled. – R’azafr ‘âzah’âl mugura ra mahmegema. [And like tide (sea-flow) it roared and rolled.]
The branches groaned, the forest moaned, – Zarasî birahufunôn, zarsthuhru naranika, [(the) branches (elements of trees) groaned, the forest moaned.]
And leaves were laid upon the mould. – Ra nijâm shurugôn ai-makarfrolkâmin. [And leaves were laid upon the crumbling-soil (mould)]

The wind went on from West to East; – Bagd ganaga aya biy Zelem du Nud; [(The) wind (he) went from West to East;]
All movement in the forest ceased. – Sullu shuftu ni zarsthuhru tadrabi. [All movement in the forest stopped.]
But shrill and harsh across the marsh, – Ak rakhsh ra girigh urununur khulumshâlat, [But shrill and harsh across the marsh,]
Its whistling voices were released. – Kemâth-hu temmul makhuruyôn. [Voices-its whistling (they) were released.]

One of these days I’ll put some extra time aside to complete the whole poem and check the translation again (for any mistakes), but first I want to focus on some of the other more urgent projects I’m busy with (such as the new lessons).

Ever at your service,

The Dwarrow Scholar