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Du fatter ej Bølgernes evige Gang, Ej Aanden, som svulmer i Tonernes Klang, Ej Følelsen dybt i Blomstens Duft, Sollysets Flamme mod Storm og Luft, De Fugles Kviddren af Længsel og Lyst, Og tror dog, Du fatter en Digters Bryst? Der svulmer det mer end i Bølgens Gang, Der findes jo Kilden til hver en Sang, Der voxer Blomsten med evig Duft, Der brænder det uden den kjølende Luft, Der kjæmpe Aander i Længsel og Lyst, De kjæmpe mod Døden dybt i hans Bryst!
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Hans Christian Andersen (1805 - 1875), "Du fatter ej Bølgernes evige Gang", written 1830, appears in Enkeltdigte - Tree Smaae-Digte [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907), "En Digters Bryst", op. 5 no. 2 (1864-1865), published 1865 [ voice and piano ], from Hjertets melodier, no. 2, Copenhagen [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Geoffrey Cooper) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Tu ne comprends pas l'éternel mouvement des flots", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Bertram Kottmann) , "Du fasst nicht der Wogen ewigen Gang", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 84
You do not understand the eternal movement of the waves nor the spirit that swells in the sonorous tone nor feelings deep in a flower's scent nor sunlight flaming against storm and wind nor the bird's chirping of longing and pleasure And so you think you understand a Poet's Breast? It swells more than the movement of the waves You find, indeed, the source of every song The flowers with everlasting fragrance It burns without a cooling breeze, Fighting the spirits with longing and pleasure he fights against death, deep in his breast!
About the headline (FAQ)
Translation of title "En Digters Bryst" = "A poet's breast"Text Authorship:
- Translation from Danish (Dansk) to English copyright © 2017 by Geoffrey Cooper, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in Danish (Dansk) by Hans Christian Andersen (1805 - 1875), "Du fatter ej Bølgernes evige Gang", written 1830, appears in Enkeltdigte - Tree Smaae-Digte
This text was added to the website: 2017-10-15
Line count: 12
Word count: 93