So here you go: the second and refined translation of the first strophe:
|
Sîon, trûre
dîn burchmûre hât von schûre
und von winde manigen stôz.
Darnach weine
dem ortsteine der alleine
dîne wende tzusamne slôz:
Den wînt nam abe mit tzangen
sînen kloben, nû lâ toben
daz volc, lâ die wahtaer slâfen!
Der küninc ist ûf gegangen
und sîn her an die wer
owê wâfen, îmmer wâfen!
Waz sol echt nu hie geschen?
der künic wil sen
wie sîn stat behüetet sî.
Son engilt nicht wan der tôt
– owê der nôt! –
her ist mit tzôrne bî.
Noch wachent alle
vûr dem walle, wachent wol
dâ man
wachen sol! |
Sion, mourn:
your walls weakened
from of the thunderstorms and the
wind
After that, cry
for the capstone, for the only
one,
that would keep your walls firm.
The wind took with pincers
its solidity*; the folk
raves now, and the ward sleeps!
The king is gone out
and his army is unarmed;
Alas, to arms, always to arms!
What should happen here now?
The King wants to see
that his city is safe.
So there’s nothing except Death
– alas! the danger! –
he is here with anger.
Still keep watching out
for the walls... watch indeed
keep
watching where one needs to watch! |
*viz. the capstone’s solidity, its power to keep the walls firm
