by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Translation © by Are Frode Søholt

A Lyke‑Wake Dirge: Versus IV: Postlude
 (Sung text for setting by I. Stravinsky)
 See base text
Language: English 
Our translations:  CAT FRE ITA NYN SPA
 ... 

If ever thou gav'st meat or drink,
Every nighte and alle,
The fire shall never make thee shrink;
And Christe receive thy saule.

If meat or drink thou ne'er gav'st nane,
Every nighte and alle,
The fire will burn thee to the bare bane;
And Christe receive thy saule.

This ae nighte, this ae nighte,
Every nighte and alle,
Fire and sleete and candle-lighte,
And Christe receive thy saule.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 7-9 of the original text.

Composition:

    Set to music by Igor Stravinsky (1882 - 1971), "A Lyke-Wake Dirge: Versus IV: Postlude", 1951-2, first performed 1952, stanzas 7-9 [ soprano, tenor, women's chorus, and instrumental ensemble ], from cantata Cantata, no. 7

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author ( 15th century )

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Jean-Pierre Granger) , "Chant funèbre", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • NYN Norwegian (Nynorsk) (Are Frode Søholt) , "Sørgesong", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • SPA Spanish (Español) (Pablo Sabat) , "Canto fúnebre"


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 36
Word count: 211

Language: Norwegian (Nynorsk)  after the English 
 ... 

Om du nokon gong ga mat 'ell drykk
Kvar ei natt og all'
Skal flammen aldri gje deg stryk
Og Herren ta di sjel

Om ei du ga mat 'ell drykk til nokon
Kvar ei natt og all'
Vil flammen brenne deg inn till berr' bein
Og Herren ta di sjel

I denne natt, i denne natt
Kvar ei natt og all'
Eld og husrom og levande lys
Og Herren ta di sjel

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 7-9 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from English to Norwegian (Nynorsk) copyright © 2004 by Are Frode Søholt, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you must ask the copyright-holder(s) directly for permission. If you receive no response, you must consider it a refusal.

    Are Frode Søholt. We have no current contact information for the copyright-holder.
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Based on:

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This text was added to the website: 2008-03-28
Line count: 36
Word count: 221