Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/205

Runo XLIII]

And be joyous all our lifetime,

And thereafter die in honour,

In our pleasant land of Suomi,

And in beautiful Carelia.

“Keep us, O thou great Creator,

Guard us, Jumala most gracious,

From the men to us unfriendly,

And from that old woman’s malice.

Guard us from terrestrial evils,

And the spells of water-sorcerers.

“O protect thy sons for ever,

May’st thou always aid thy children,

Guard them always in the night-time,

And protect them in the daytime,

Lest the sun should cease from shining,

Lest the moon should cease from beaming,

Lest the winds should cease from blowing,

Lest the rain should cease from falling,

Lest the Frost should come and freeze us,

And the evil weather harm us.

“Build thou up a fence of iron,

And of stone a castle build us,

Round the spot where I am dwelling,

And round both sides of my people.

Build it up from earth to heaven,

Build it down to earth from heaven,

As my own, my lifelong dwelling,

As my refuge and protection,

That the proud may not devour us,

And they may not spoil our harvests,

In the course of all our lifetime,

When the golden moon is shining.”

Rh