Noldoran Naica, or the Grief of the Ñoldor King, was written by Vaeril Vanimonion, following the death of his father, the king of Ailinosto, during the year SA 1. Written in Quenya, it became well-known among Teleri and Ñoldors still living in Middle Earth, and was even heard by Sindar elves who refused to explain this song in their own langage. His song was then used for his own funeral in TA 567 by elves of the Woodland Realm after the Lanthir Auth. Although Thranduil loved Vaeril's songs, he always refused to let someone translate them from Quenya to Sindarin, thinking that it would loose all the meaning
All lyrics[]
Lyrics in Quenya []
In Imíca Oronli, in han taurë
Man indyo qualinë
I Aran lomë, së seruva si
Netauno I luinë së caituvanë
A ! Manwë ! Laita hé lo lirëlya !
Colë hé an i norë i túra erë
Hé as ohtarëma, taurë, a haiya
Vayanë a yára ondonë
Ando hautauvar nyérë , Eldar ilya Nainaë
Nienórë raná urna i quilë hlónanë
A ! Manwë ! Laita i erë larna !
Undu i lamma kyermënna...
Lyrics in English[]
Amid the Mountains, beyond the Forest
Descent of those who never die
" The King has passed ", he will now rest
In the Blue Woods he will now lie
Oh ! Manwë ! Bless him by thy song !
Carry him to the land of the Great Ones
Him with our soldiers, oh far, oh beyond
The Seas and Ancient Stones
Long will take the grief, Eldar shall all weep
Mourns is wandering over the waning rivers
Oh ! Manwë ! Bless the ones asleep !
Beneath the sound of our prayers...
Explanations []
First four sentences[]
Amid the Mountains, beyond the Forest : It is related to the place where Ailinosto was standing, Next to the Mountains of Ered Mithrim, linked to the forest of Mirkwood.
Descent of those who never die : Vanimon, such as Carnadhiel , was an elf. The term " Those who never die " is linked to the fact that elves don't die. It can be linked to the Ñoldor race too.
" The King has passed " : Vaeril placed the first sentence as a dialog, remembering how a gard anounced him that his father passed away.
In the Blue Woods : The Blue Woods were the Woods of Death, linked to Ailinosto, were all burials were taking place.
Second four sentences[]
Bless him by thy song ! : For a part of Ñoldors, Manwë's songs were supposed to honour the dead ones. They considered his songs as blessings.
The land of the Great Ones : A synonym of the Grey Fields were are resting all those who died in Middle Earth.
With our soldiers : Vaeril wanted to link all other soldiers who passed away by trying to help his father to catch the one who poisonned him.
The Seas and Ancient Stones : As Vaeril never saw Aman, he is trying to link he World of the Dead ones with Valinor. The Ancient Stones are, for him, the gates of the new world.
Third four sentences[]
Long will take the grief : Vaeril knew that the grief of his father would take more than one hundred years.
Mourns is wandering over the waning rivers : The sentence explains the situation of Ailinosto during this time, when Carnadhiel was on her way to create Nénharda and when the power of his race started to fade.
Bless the ones asleep : The ones asleep are now all soldiers who fought for their kingdom. It includes Maedhros himself.
Beneath the sound of our prayers : Vaeril desires Manwë to sing all proudness of the dead ones, the same " ones asleep " are supposedly lying under the prayers of the living ones.