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LT → Estonian → Juhan Liiv → Ta lendab mesipuu poole → English
  • Juhan Liiv
    Juhan Liiv – Ta lendab mesipuu poole

    English translation

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Estonian
Original lyrics

Ta lendab mesipuu poole

Ta lendab lillest lillesse
ja lendab mesipuu poole;
ja tõuseb kõuepilv ülesse,
ta lendab mesipuu poole.
 
Ja langevad teele tuhanded,
veel koju jõuavad tuhanded
ja viivad vaeva ja hoole
ja lendavad mesipuu poole.
 
Hing, oh hing, sa raskel aal –
kuis õhkad isamaa poole;
kas kodus sa, kas võõral maal –
kuis ihkad isamaa poole!
 
Ja puhugu vastu sull’ surmatuul
ja lennaku vastu sull’ surmakuul:
sa unustad surma ja hoole
ning tõttad isamaa poole!
 
Hing, oh hing, sa raskel aal –
kuis õhkad isamaa poole;
kas kodus sa, kas võõral maal –
kuis ihkad isamaa poole!
 
English
Translation

He Flies Toward the Beehive

He flies from flower to flower
and flies toward the beehive;
and the lightning clouds are rising –
Yet he flies toward the beehive.
 
And thousands go down;
thousands make it home
and will endure hard work and care
and fly to the beehive!
 
Soul, oh soul, when the times are hard –
How you desire to be in your fatherland;
whether you’re home or in a foreign land –
you want to be in your fatherland!
 
And death’s wind might be blowing against you
and a bullet of death might be coming toward you:
you forget about death and care
and hurry to your fatherland!
 
Soul, oh soul, when the times are hard –
How you desire to be in your fatherland;
whether you’re home or in a foreign land –
you want to be in your fatherland!
 
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Translations of "Ta lendab mesipuu ..."

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Comments
JosephEHJosephEH    Sun, 29/06/2025 - 14:41

Thank you for this translation!

Suggestion: I think “thunderclouds” is a more idiomatic translation than “lightning clouds”. I have never heard the latter used. “Thunderclouds are riding” would sound very natural. It evokes feelings of an approaching storm growing taller and darker with rumbles and flashes of lightning - both a literal and idiomatic warning to seek shelter.

PääsukePääsuke
   Mon, 30/06/2025 - 06:36

It's not my translation, I found it online (Matis Rüütel is the author). So I don't feel comfortable making changes to it, even though I have edited one minor word. Thanks for your suggestions all the same.

JosephEHJosephEH    Mon, 30/06/2025 - 11:05

*thunderclouds are rising, not riding. Stupid autocorrect.

JosephEHJosephEH    Mon, 30/06/2025 - 11:07

I understand. Thanks for letting me know the source!

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