Christmas stands at the snowy gate | Christmas stands at the snowy gate

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by Zachris Topelius (1818 - 1898)

Translation © by David McCleery

Nu står jul vid snöig port

Language: Swedish (Svenska)

Our translations: ENG FIN FRE

Nu står jul vid snöig port,
klappar på och myser:
Kära barn släpp in mig fort!
Här står jag och fryser.
Se, min korg är full och tung!
Båd' åt gammal och åt ung
har jag gåvor rara;
får jag hos dig vara?
-- Ja, kom, Ja, kom, kära jul!

"Jag för med mig tända ljus
och en gran från skogen,
frid och fröjd i varje hus,
vänskap så förtrogen.
Fattig man skall ej bli glömd,
där han hungrar tyst och gömd,
och var sorg, som gråter,
skall bli tröstad åter."
"Ja, kom ja, kom, kära jul!"

Text Authorship:

by Zachris Topelius (1818 - 1898) [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 Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957), "Nu står jul vid snöig port", op. 1 no. 1 (1913), published 1921 [voice and piano], from 5 julsånger, no. 1. [ sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (David McCleery) , "Christmas stands at the snowy gate", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , "Nyt seisoo joulu lumisella portilla", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Maintenant Noël se tient à la porte enneigée", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2010-01-15
Line count: 18
Word count: 96

Christmas stands at the snowy gate

Language: English after the Swedish (Svenska)

Christmas stands at the snowy gate,
And knocks with a happy smile:
“Quick, dear children, let me in!
It’s freezing out here.
Look, my basket is heavy and laden
with special gifts 
for both old and young;
will you invite me in?” -
“Come in, yes come in, dear Christmas!”

“I’ve brought candles to light
And a fir tree from the forest,
In every home will be peace and joy,
Friendship and affection.
The poor shall not be forgotten
wherever they starve, quiet and hidden,
And every sorrow, every tear
Will be comforted.”
“Come in, yes come in, dear Christmas!”

Text Authorship:

Translation from Swedish (Svenska) to English copyright © 2018 by David McCleery, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in Swedish (Svenska) by Zachris Topelius (1818 - 1898)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2018-02-26
Line count: 18
Word count: 99