(MUSIC VIDEO) SASMOS CYCLE - "BURNING CANDLE"
With a posting on Nov. 13 we started the project of translating a number of songs in the cycle of music for the Alpha TV series "Sasmos", composed by Nikos Terzis with lyrics written by Yannis Kotsiras. "Kερί αναμμένο" ("Burning Candle") is the third such effort.
A recurring theme in Greek culture is light, often symbolized by a single flame. It seems a small thing, but once you get into the subject it becomes clear how fundamental it is. The Uncreated Light is none other that God Himself. It doesn't become more essential than that. The entire Orthodox world is geared towards that one moment in the year, when after Great Lent, on Holy Saturday the Holy Fire ('Αγιος Φως, Holy Light) is distributed from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem to the entire Orthodox world. It is considered by many the longest-attested annual miracle in the Christian world (Orthowiki).
March 9, 2023 Panikrecordstube: Βασίλης Σκουλάς - Κερί Αναμμένο - Official Lyric Video (Vasilis Skoulas - Burning Candle).
In this video Father Peter Heers explains the meaning of fire to Orthodox Christians even further (video). Without this piece of theology Christianity does not even make sense. It's all but lost in the West.
The sacred fire as symbolized by a burning candle to keep our nous enlightened and our hearts open, our own as well as of our loved ones, is an essential part of Orthodox life.
The Burning Candle, a tender balade conveying subliminal love, may be the most beautiful piece in the entire Sasmos cycle composed by Terzis and scored by Kotsiras.
The piece has cost me considerably more trouble to translate than any of the other translations to date. I am at the third version, an merging of two approaches, the literal translation and the more interpretive way of dealing with the challenge.
I may keep polishing, and in the end one of these versions might conceivable do justice to the original work. Or maybe not. Still, I feel this one may be ready for sharing. Let me know what you think.
αγάπη απλόχερα να με κερνάς
και εγώ κερί θα ‘μαι αναμμένο.
Μιλάς, κι αρχίζουν όνειρα μην το ξεχνάς
κι όταν σε σκέφτομαι να με τηράς
γιατί κερί θα ‘μαι αναμμένο.
Πονάς, βαθιά στα στήθια όταν αγαπάς
την κάθε αλήθεια δεν την εξεχνάς
είναι στον στίχο μας γραμμένη.
Κρατάς, καρδιά στα χέρια σου και την φυλάς
και την αγάπη μας δεν την πουλάς
είναι στο δέρμα χαραγμένη.
Γελάς, κι ανθίζει ολόγυρα μη σταματάς
αγάπη απλόχερα να με κερνάς
και εγώ κερί θα ‘μαι αναμμένο.
Φωτιές ανάβουμε του Αη Γιαννιού πολλές
να γίνουνε οι μέρες φωτεινές
γιατί κερί είμαι αναμμένο.
Γιορτές μας το ‘χουν γράψει οι μοίρες οι καλές
κι όταν ανθίζουν οι πορτοκαλιές
θα σου κρατώ κερί αναμμένο.
Πονάς, βαθιά στα στήθια όταν αγαπάς
την κάθε αλήθεια δεν την εξεχνάς
είναι στον στίχο μας γραμμένη.
Κρατάς, καρδιά στα χέρια σου και την φυλάς
και την αγάπη μας δεν την πουλάς
είναι στο δέρμα χαραγμένη.
Μην κλαις όπου κι αν πάω θα ‘χω δυο φωτιές
από τις ματιές σου αυτές τις μαγικές
αν μου κρατάς κερί αναμμένο.
Burning candle
You laugh, and blossoms abound don't stop
love treats me so generously
and I will be a candle burning
Speak, and dreams begin don't you forget
that when I think of you holding me
love treats me so generously
and I will be a candle burning
Speak, and dreams begin don't you forget
that when I think of you holding me
I'll be a burning candle
You hurt, deep inside your breasts when you love
its truths you won't forget
You hurt, deep inside your breasts when you love
its truths you won't forget
is written in our songs
Hold on, to the heart entrusted to you
don't forsake our love
Hold on, to the heart entrusted to you
don't forsake our love
it's engraved into the skin
You laugh, and blossoms abound don't stop
love treats me so generously
and I will be a candle burning
Fires, we kindle many on St John's Day
You laugh, and blossoms abound don't stop
love treats me so generously
and I will be a candle burning
Fires, we kindle many on St John's Day
so that the days become bright
because the candle is lit
Our feasts have written our good fortunes
and when the orange trees blossom
I will hold your burning candle
You hurt, deep inside your breasts when you love
its truths you won't forget
Don't cry, wherever I go I carry two torches
because the candle is lit
Our feasts have written our good fortunes
and when the orange trees blossom
I will hold your burning candle
You hurt, deep inside your breasts when you love
its truths you won't forget
is written in our songs
Hold on, to the heart entrusted to you
don't forsake our love
Hold on, to the heart entrusted to you
don't forsake our love
it's engraved into the skin
Don't cry, wherever I go I carry two torches
kindled from your magic eyes
if you keep a candle lit for me
if you keep a candle lit for me
YouTube Playlist.
For an introduction, notes, the genesis of the music cycle and links to watch episodes of "Sasmos", check the link list.
Most translations do not make it to this blog. The lyrics must have some bearing on the issues we are dealing with here. Those that do not meet the criteria, are posted on the blog Greek Lyrics to English (link).
Most translations do not make it to this blog. The lyrics must have some bearing on the issues we are dealing with here. Those that do not meet the criteria, are posted on the blog Greek Lyrics to English (link).
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