Songs

Csalfa sugár

by György Ligeti From Öt Arany-dal (5 Arany Songs) (1952)

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Text & Translation

Csalfa sugár
Hungarian source: János Arany

Kis bokor, ne hajts még,
Tél ez, nem tavasz;
Kis lány, ne sóhajts még;
Nem tudod, mi az.

Bokor új hajtását
Letarolja fagy;
Lány kora nyílását
Bú követi, nagy.

Szánnam a bokorkát
Lomb - s virágtalan:
S a lányt, a botorkát,
Hogy már oda van!

Treacherous ray of Sunlight
English translation © Laurie Anne McGowan

Little bush, don't bud yet,
It is winter, not spring;
little girl, don't sigh,
You don't know, what that is.

The young shoots of the bush
are ravaged by the frost;
the early bloom of the girl
is followed by much sorrow.

I'm sorry for the bush,
with no leaves or blossoms;
and for the girsl, the little silly,
wilted so soon!

Csalfa sugár
Hungarian source: János Arany

Treacherous ray of Sunlight
English source: Laurie Anne McGowan

Kis bokor, ne hajts még,
Little bush, don't bud yet,
Tél ez, nem tavasz;
It is winter, not spring;
Kis lány, ne sóhajts még;
little girl, don't sigh,
Nem tudod, mi az.
You don't know, what that is.

Bokor új hajtását
The young shoots of the bush
Letarolja fagy;
are ravaged by the frost;
Lány kora nyílását
the early bloom of the girl
Bú követi, nagy.
is followed by much sorrow.

Szánnam a bokorkát
I'm sorry for the bush,
Lomb - s virágtalan:
with no leaves or blossoms;
S a lányt, a botorkát,
and for the girsl, the little silly,
Hogy már oda van!
wilted so soon!

Composer

György Ligeti

György Sándor Ligeti was a Hungarian-Austrian composer of contemporary classical music.

Poet

János Arany

János Arany was a Hungarian journalist, writer, poet, and translator. He wrote over 102 ballads, which have been translated into over 50 languages.

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