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På silvermolnets kant satt aftonstjärnan, Från lundens skymning frågte henne tärnan: Säg, aftonstjärna, vad i himlen tänkes, När första kyssen åt en älskling skänkes? Och himlens blyga dotter hördes svara: På jorden blickar ljusets änglaskara, Och ser sin egen sällhet speglad åter; Blott döden vänder ögat bort -- och gråter.
På silfvermolnets kant satt aftonstjernan, Från lundens skymning frågte henne tärnan: Säg, aftonstjerna, hvad i himlen tänkes, När första kyssen åt en älskling skänkes? Och himlens blyga dotter hördes svara: På jorden blickar ljusets englaskara, Och ser sin egen sällhet speglad åter; Blott döden vänder ögat bort -- och gråter.
Authorship
- by Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804 - 1877), "Den första kyssen", appears in Lyriska dikter II [author's text checked 1 time 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 Ruben Liljefors (1871 - 1936), "Den första kyssen", op. 36 (Två dikter) no. 1. [ sung text verified 1 time]
- by Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957), "Den första kyssen", op. 37 no. 1 (1900), published 1906 [voice and piano], from Fem sånger, no. 1. [ sung text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (David McCleery) , "The first kiss", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , "Ensi suudelma", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Le premier baiser", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Der erste Kuss", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Bertram Kottmann
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 49
As the evening star sat on the edge of the silver-lined cloud The maiden asked her from the twilit grove: "Tell me, evening star, what do they think in heaven When a lover receives her first kiss?" And heaven’s bashful daughter replied: "The angels look to earth And see the reflection of their bliss. Only death turns away, and weeps."
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:
- a text in Swedish (Svenska) by Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804 - 1877), "Den första kyssen", appears in Lyriska dikter II
This text was added to the website: 2018-01-21
Line count: 8
Word count: 60