Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/284

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Sailing in his boat of copper,

In his vessel made of copper,

Sailed away to loftier regions,

To the land beneath the heavens.

There he rested with his vessel,

Rested weary, with his vessel,

But his kantele he left us,

Left his charming harp in Suomi,

For his people’s lasting pleasure,

Mighty songs for Suomi’s children.

Now my mouth must cease from speaking,

And my tongue be bound securely,

Cease the chanting of my verses,

And my lively songs abandon.

Even thus must horses rest them,

When a long course is completed,

Even iron must be wearied

When the grass is mown in summer,

And the water-drops be weary,

As they trace the river’s windings,

And the fire must be extinguished

When throughout the night ’tis burning.

Wherefore should our songs not falter;

As our sweet songs we are singing,

For the lengthy evenings’ pleasure,

Singing later than the sunset?

Thus I heard the people talking,

And again it was repeated:

“E’en the waterfall when flowing

Yields no endless stream of water,

Nor does an accomplished singer,

Sing till all his knowledge fail him.

Better ’tis to sit in silence

Than to break off in the middle.”

Now my song remains completed,

’Tis completed and abandoned.

In a ball I wind my lays up,

As a ball I cast them from me,

On the storehouse floor I lay them,