Ivan Benak

pučki pjesnik · folk poet  ·  Sopje 1933. – Valpovo 2015.Sopje 1933 – Valpovo 2015

Duhovne pjesme

Sveta tri kralja

Spiritual poems

The Three Kings

BALTAZAR

BALTAZAR

Baltazar se po imenu zovem,poštovan sam u narodu svojem.Čuo jesam da se kralj rodio.Iz daljine ja sam dohodio.Došao sam da mu se poklonimi bogate darove donosim.

Baltazar's the name I'm known by here,by my people honoured far and near.Word has reached me of a king's new birth;I have come from far across the earth.I have come to bow before him low,bringing costly gifts I shall bestow.

MELKIOR

MELKIOR

Melkior sam iz zemlje daleke,tamo imam zasluge velike.U mom carstvu mene sve veseli,imam svega što mi srce želi.Čuo jesam da se kralj rodio,zato sam ga sada posjetio.Da se kralju nebeskom poklonimi mnoge mu darove donosim.Ja mu nosim: tamjan, smirnu, zlato,neka raste i kraljuje slavno.

Melkior am I, from a distant land,where great merits to my credit stand.In my kingdom all things make me glad,all my heart desires I've always had.I have heard a king has come to earth,so I've come to visit at his birth,that I might bow down to heaven's Kingand present the many gifts I bring.Frankincense I bring, and myrrh, and gold:may he grow and reign in glory untold.

GAŠPAR

GAŠPAR

Crn sam Gašpar, crna slova pišem.Iz Babilona u Betlehem stižem,da se kralju nebeskom poklonimi darove ja mu lijepe nosim.Sretan život ja mu želim javno,u svom carstvu da kraljuje slavno.

Black am I, Gašpar; black I write my name;from Babylon to Bethlehem I came,that I might bow down to heaven's Kingand present the lovely gifts I bring.Happy life I wish him, loud and plain:in his realm in glory may he reign.

Valpovo, 12. 12. 2012.

Valpovo, December 12, 2012

Translator's note. Speaking parts for the three kings in the Epiphany custom of the star-singers, children dressed as the Magi who go from house to house. Baltazar, Melkior and Gašpar are the Croatian forms of Balthasar, Melchior and Caspar.