Si lasto enni! Narathon narn o lhû io anann,
Now listen to me! I will tell a story from a time long ago,
ir i Ardhon neth ah i ngelaidh yrn.
when the world was young and the trees tall.
In elenath hílasser erui or aelin a thaur,
The stars shone in solitude over lakes and forests,
ah i ngwaloth dharthasser mi dinnu vronwe.
and the flowers waited under unbroken twilight.
I ardhon northas mi dhúath, dan estel ú-'wann.
The world slept in shadow, but hope was not dead.
Ylynn 'oeol reviasser nuin vorchaint,
Terrifying monsters prowled under the shadows,
a na cairch* vaeg a hind laew, faranner edhil a lhevain,
and with piercing fangs and many eyes, they hunted elves and beasts, 
a mîn 'rovan, ú-rim charthanner an edraith.
And within the wilderness, few hoped to be saved.
Alae! I núaith 'erthib! Man amarth in edhil?
Alas! The terrible shadows! What fate shall befall the elves?
Dan in elenath hílasser am i 'ostanner, ah estel ú-'wann.
But the stars they shone upon those who feared, and hope was not dead.
Annûn chaeron athaeron, mi nôr vain ah aer,
Far west across the Great Sea, in a country fair and holy,
i melain velig mudasser lim min hant în.
the mighty Valar were labouring swiftly in their garden.
I galad od gelaidh i-mbelain revias nan heleg en-forod,
The light from the trees of the Valar is far gone to the ice of the north,
dan garanner i thuiw vedui o chelaid mi gaim în.
but they held the last fruits of light in their hands.
I ngelaidh velui o aerlinn laew gwasser! Dan estel ú-'wann.
The lovely trees of many hymns died! But hope was not dead.
Ned oer ioer, i ngelaidh belianner i chelaid în chelevon a mallen,
In days of old, the trees spread their silvery and golden light,
ah erin erthad i galad vain, ha lû 'lass,
and at the mingling of the beautiful lights, it was a time of joy,
ah i melain ah in edhil erthanner am mereth veren.
and the Valar and the elves gathered for joyous festival.
Lû 'wann. I galad velui dorthasser hi vin gaim melain, min duiw
That was no more. The last light dwelt now in the hands of the Valar, in the fruits,
i ennin trî nirnaeth, ir estel thinnas. Dan estel ú-'wann.
that was born through tearful lamentation, when hope failed. But hope was not dead.
I melain thelanner ortho i thuiw faen erin Menel,
The valar intended to raise the radiant fruits to the sky,
ias erdh bain egennir gail dîn aen.
where all world would have seen their light.
Tass melain heriant ab Ódhellim edledhianner sui naur min fuin.
The Valar's toil began after the Ñoldor had gone to exile like fire in the dead of the night.
Manwe 'ârant i thuiw mi baur în aer a Belegol agor chîr essain,
But Manwë held the fruits in his blessed hand and Aulë made ships for them,
a na-vedui, Elbereth beniant hain mi chîr hin, ah estel ú-'wann!
and at the end, Elbereth set them in these ships, and hope was not dead!
Dan cîr ú-'êrir revio ben-ciryn. Man brenio i naur i chelaid?
Yet ships may not sail sailorless. Who may endure the fire of the fruits?
Mi Ennorath, gwaith Fëanor linner naergoen nínil,
In Middle Earth, the people of Fëanor sung tearful laments,
an i chûr Fëanor 'wannas nuin giliath, mi nagor nórui.
because [lit. for] the fiery spirit of Fëanor had departed under the stars, in a fiery battle.
Lith lilthasser* erin amar sui main ginui* a dínin.
Dust danced over the earth like visibile wraiths, so silent.
Amarth veleg i-Ngódhil agar naeth, dan estel ú-'wann!
The great doom of the Ñoldor wrought [lit. made] grief, but hope was not dead! 
Bragol, i dhínen 'wannas. Calar gelevon revias erin Menel,
Suddenly, the silence died. A lamp of silver sailed upon the sky,
a bain Fingolfin nellant i rom în ir i melain aun galad adammen*,
and fair Fingolfin blew his horn when the Valar gave us light again,
a lhyth tuiasser nuin dail în ah aew linner.
and flowers sprang under his feet and birds sang.
Gwaith bain en-ardhon idirer i eriad e-gýron, ah i ngoth 'rogasser.
All the people of the world watched the rising of the moon, and the enemy felt terror.
Faron Tauron, Tilion reviant i gair en-Ithil, ah estel ú-'wann!
A hunter of Oromë, Tilion sailed the ship of the moon, and hope was not dead!
Tilion drevant i Menel ah in gîl în aun estel i ardhon,
Tilion traversed the heaven and his silvery light gave the world hope,
dan i melain nauthanner lim ammeleg ah erin aur tollui, Anar erias.
but the Valar had conceived a truly great, sparkling light and on the eight day, Anar arose.
Eriol, i aglar în sílas sui ruin aer am orodrim annui ah in fain.
Rising, her brilliance shon like holy fire upon the western mountains and the clouds.
He awarthant i fân în a thias hi sui lach chell a beleg.
She forsook her manifested body and now she appeared like a mighty naked flame.
Ennorath hílasser mi 'lawar ah eiliain lilthasser mi lanthiriath. Estel!
Middle Earth shon in sunlight and rainbows danced in waterfalls. Hope!
In Ódhellim dyngir edraith an erdh Círdan a Thingol,
The Ñoldor was able to bring aid to the realms of Círdan and Thingol,
ah i morchaint dhreganner na balanhaid nyll ah i narthasser dengin.
and the shadows fled to dark distant places and those who remained were slain.
Si tuianner 'wend ah estel agor yst laew mi dýr vain a rhoe.
Now sprouted friendship and hope built many settlements in lands fair and wild.
Na vedui! I ardh in-edhil galasser mi galad hain i nae bain grogar,
At last! The realm of the elves grew in a new light that all shadows fear,
ah sîdh dirnen berianner in Ennorath ah estel ú-'wann!
and a watchful peace protected the central lands, and hope was not dead!
Eglerio i melain! Liltho a lhinno erin eriad i Anor ah i Ithil!
Praise the Valar! Dance and sing at the rising of the sun and the moon!
Estel n'uir ú-'wann: erias an i Anor!
Hope is forever [lit. towards eternity] not dead: it rose with the sun! 
Sui mîl vín a meleth vín, thôg vín erin men guil.
Like our affections and our love, it guides us on the road of life.
Estel uivellon vín. Garo n'uir estel, mellyn nín!
Hope is our forever friend. Have forever hope, my friends!
A melo noss lín, mellyn lín a nothrim lín! I veth!
And love thy family, thy friends and thy kindred! The end!
* 'fang' pl. 'carch'; a > ai; used to avoid confusion with sickle, cerch.
* 'danced' pl. 'litha-'; liltha- derived from LILT
* 'visible' pl. 'cenui'; derived from cen- (to see) and the ending -ui
* 'to us again' 'adammen'; derived from ad- (again) and the pronoun in dative ammen
Pictures taken from various places on the Internet. Props to their respective aritst! For questions or comments on the text, do not hesitate to give me a /tell or a private message on Laurelin Archives!
