English translations of Fire Dikt fra Fiskerjenten, opus 21

by Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907)

1. Det første Møde
 (Sung text)
by Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907), "Det første Møde", op. 21 (Fire Dikt fra Fiskerjenten) no. 1 (1870), published 1873 [ voice and piano ], see the footnotes section above
Language: Norwegian (Bokmål) 
Det første mødes sødme,
det er som sang i skogen,
det er som sang på vågen
i solens sidste rødme, --
det er som horn i uren
de tonende sekunder,
hvori vi med naturen
forenes i et under.

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Note: another form of the text can be found in Bjørnson, Bjørnstjerne. Samlede Værker, Mindeutgave, Første bind, Kristiania og Kjøbenhavn, Gyldendalske Boghandel Nordisk Forlag, 1910, p. 80: 

Det første møtes sødme,
det er som sang i skogen,
det er som sang på vågen
i solens siste rødme, --
det er som horn i uren,
de tonende sekunder,
hvori vi med naturen
forenes i et under.

Note: White uses "forenes Inett under" as the last line (possibly a typo).

by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832 - 1910)
1. The sweetness of a first meeting
Language: English 
The sweetness of a first meeting,
It's a song from the forest,
It's a song from the harbour
in the last ray of sundown,
It's a horn call from the mountainside
for those echoing seconds
when we and Nature
are united in wonder.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Norwegian (Bokmål) to English copyright © 2013 by Nigel Parker, (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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This text was added to the website: 2013-04-02
Line count: 8
Word count: 43

Translation © by Nigel Parker
2. God morgen
 (Sung text)
by Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907), "God morgen", op. 21 (Fire Dikt fra Fiskerjenten) no. 2 (1870-1872), published 1873 [ voice and piano ]
Language: Norwegian (Bokmål) 
Dagen er oppe, Glæden tændt,
Mismodets Skyborg stormet og brændt,
over de glødende Fjelde
Lyskongens Hærskarer tjelde.
"Oppe, oppe!" Fugl i Lund.
"Oppe, oppe!" Barnemund,
oppe mit Haab med Solen.

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by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832 - 1910)
2. Good morning
Language: English 
The sun has risen, joy aroused,
The stronghold of darkness is stormed and defeated,
The glowing mountains are bathed
in the morning rays,
Wake, wake up: birds in the woods,
Wake, wake up: children's voices,
Wake with hope and gladness.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Norwegian (Bokmål) to English copyright © 2013 by Nigel Parker, (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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This text was added to the website: 2013-04-02
Line count: 7
Word count: 40

Translation © by Nigel Parker
3. Jeg giver mit Digt til Vaaren
 (Sung text)
by Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907), "Jeg giver mit Digt til Vaaren", op. 21 (Fire Dikt fra Fiskerjenten) no. 3 (1870-1872), published 1873 [ voice and piano ]
Language: Norwegian (Bokmål) 
Jeg giver mit Digt til Vaaren,
skjøndt endnu den ej er baaren,
jeg giver mit Digt til Vaaren
som Længsler til Længsler lagt.
Saa slutter de to en Pagt --:
at lokke paa Sol med Liste,
saa Vinteren Nød maa friste,
at slippe et Kor af Bække,
saa Sangen ham maa forskrække,
at jage ham ud af Luften
med idelig Blomsterduften, --
jeg giver mit Digt til Vaaren!

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by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832 - 1910)
3.
[Translation not yet available]
4. Tak for dit Råd
 (Sung text)
by Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907), "Tak for dit Råd", op. 21 (Fire Dikt fra Fiskerjenten) no. 4 (1870-1872), published 1873 [ voice and piano ]
Language: Norwegian (Bokmål) 
Tak for dit Raad,
men jeg lægger min Baad
ind i Brændingens Brus
til det fristende Sus.
Om end Rejsen skal blive den sidste, jeg gjør,
jeg maa prøve, hvad ikke jeg prøvede før.

Ej blot til Lyst
jeg forlader din Kyst, ---
jeg maa Storsjøen naa,
jeg maa Havstyrten faa,
jeg maa Kjølen se, naar det krængende skjær',
jeg maa friste, hvorlangt og hvorlænge det bær'!

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by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832 - 1910)
4. You may not approve
Language: English 
You may not approve,
But I'm steering my boat
into the burning breakers,
Into the bracing howl of the sea,
And even if it's the last thing I do,
I must try what I never did before.

It's not done lightly that
I leave your coast,
But I must reach the ocean,
I must feel the power of the swell,
I must see the keel of the boat while avoiding a treacherous shoal,
I must see how long and how far I can reach.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Norwegian (Bokmål) to English copyright © 2013 by Nigel Parker, (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: 

Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2013-04-02
Line count: 12
Word count: 84

Translation © by Nigel Parker