A Frisian Folksong

I found this song, Buurlala, on Geoff Grainger's website. Buur means farmer in Frisian and la indicates the diminutive. What I found so charming is that it so perfectly outlines the picture of a peasant. Peasants are tied to the soil, to the here and now and have no high regard for the abstract. They are relatively powerless and are subject to the vagaries of war, famine and the weather. They try not to get too elated over good fortune because they know trouble will surely follow. I had an even harder time translating this song because I never spoke Frisian. It is very close to the Saxon language (which I have not spoken or even heard spoken for many decades), but it has it's own vocabulary for many things. For example, the Saxon word for crab is Krabbe but the Frisian word is Dwarsloper. The rule for pronounciation of the letter "G" is the same as in the Saxon language. It is pronounced like "ch" if it is not immediately followed by a vowel. Again, because of the lack of umlauts on my keyboard, I am adding an "e" after the vowels to make them umlauts. AA represents a vowel that is in between an "a" and an "o". To my knowledge, this vowel is found only in the Saxon, Frisian and Scandinavian languages. To some this might suggest that German and English are comparatively impoverished in vowels.

In translations, as a rule I try to stay as close to the original as possible, even if it means a tiny bit of work for the English reader. For example, in a previous song, I did not translate the word "clock" into the English "O'clock" because O'clock would not have scanned and I reasoned that any English speaker above the level of moron would understand the meaning anyway. You cannot translate anything perfectly but the further you stray from the original, the more you are creating something new entirely.

Buurlala

1. As Buurlala geboren weer do weer he noch so luett. (x2)
Sien moder nehm em woll op den Arm un legg em in de Wegg so warm.
"Deck mi to", seggt he. "Deck mi to ", seggt he. "Deck mi to", seggt Burrlala (x2)

2. As Buurlala na School hen muess, do wer he noch so dumm. (x2)
Er wue nix von worue, woans, verleet sik heel op Hans und Franz
"Segg mi to", seggt he. "Segg mi to", seggt he. "Segg mi to", seggt Buurlala (x2)

3. As Buurlala ranwussen weer, en staatchen Kerl weer. (x2)
Sien Haar weer dicht an'n Kopp afschoorn, de Kragen reck em bet oever de Ohrn
"Steiht mi goot", seggt he ". "Steiht mi goot", seggt he. "Steiht mi goot", seggt Burrlala (x2)

4. As Buurlala op Posten stuenn, woll mit sien laden Gewehr. (x2)
Do keem en Kerl ut Frankriek her, de wull gern weten, 'neem Dueuetschland weer.
"k scheet di doot!", seggt he. "k scheet di doot!", seggt he. "k scheet di doot!", seggt Burrlala (x2)

5. As Buurlala nu starven wull, ganz musenstill he leeg. (x2)
De Oellern Stuennen an sien Graff, un wishen sik de Tranen af.
"Weent man nich!', seggt he. "Weent man nich!", seggt he. "Weent man nich!" seggt Buurlala (x2)

6. As Burrlala nu storven weer, bi Petrus klopp he an. (x2)
Och Petrus, leve Petrus mien, ik muech so gern in'n Heven sien.
"Maak mi op!", seggt he, "Maak mi op!", seggt he. " Maak mi op!", seggt Buurlala (x2)

7. As Buurlala in'n Heven weer, uns Hergott sproeoek to em. (x2)
"Na Buurlala, wo gefallt dat di, hier baven in de Heven bi mi?".
"Na, dat geight", seggt he. "Na dat geight", seggt he., "Na dat geight", seggt Buurlala (x2)

My English translation:

Buurlala

1. As Buurlala was born, he was so very small (x2)
His mother took him up in her arm and put him in the cradle so warm.
"Cover me up!", said he. "Cover me up!", said he. "Cover me up", said Buurlala (x2)

2. When Buurlala had to go to school, he was so very dumb (x2)
He knew nothing of why and where, depended wholly upon Hans and Franz.
" Say it to me!", said he. "Say it to me!", said he. "Say it to me!", said Buurlala (x2)

3. As Buurlala entered the army, a stately lad was he (x2)
His hair was cut close to his head, his collar reached over both his ears.
"Stands me good!", said he. "Stands me good!", said he. "Stands me good!", said Buurlala.

4. When Buurlala as sentry stood, with his loaded gun (x2)
There came a lad out of France, who wanted to bet he could take Germany
"I'll shoot you dead!", said he. "I'll shoot you dead!", said he. "I'll shoot you dead!", said Buurlala (x2)

5. As Buurlala lay dying, still as a mouse he lay (x2).
The elders stood by his grave and wiped their tears away
"Don't cry!", said he. "Don't cry!", said he. "Don't cry!", said Buurlala (x2)

6. When Buurlala died, he knocked on St Peter's door (x2)
Oh Peter, dearest Peter mine, I would so much like to be in heaven.
"Open up!", said he. "Open up!', said he. "Open up!", said Buurlala.

7. As Buurlala entered heaven our lord God spoke to him (x2)
"Well Buurlala, how do you like here, up in heaven with me?"
"it's OK!", said he. "It's OK!", said he. "It's OK!", said Buurlala (x2)

note: Even in Heaven, Buurlala remains a peasant, not allowing elation to get the better of him. I translated "Na, dat geight" as "I'ts OK" because that would better convey Buurlala's ambivalent response into English than a more litteral translation of "well, it goes".