När du, min Gud, befaller mig att sjunga, känns det som skulle mitt hjärta brista av stolthet. Jag ser upp mot ditt ansikte, och i mina ögon komma tårar. Allt det i mitt liv som är strävhet och missljud, smälter till en enda ljuvlig harmoni, och min dyrkan tager vingar likt en glad fågel över havet. [... ... ...] I det vida sprider min visa ut sin vinge; med dess yttersta spets vidrör den dina fötter, som jag aldrig kunde drömma om att nå. Drucken av sjungandets glädje, glömmer jag mig och kallar dig vän, som är min herre.
E. Kallstenius sets stanzas 1, 2, 4, 5
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Andrea Butenschön (1866 - 1948), first published 1915 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in Gitanjali, no. 2, first published 1912
Based on:
- a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), appears in গীতাঞ্জলি (Gitanjali), no. 2 [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Edvin Kallstenius (1881 - 1967), no title, op. 32 no. 1 (1944), stanzas 1,2,4,5 [ baritone and orchestra ], from cantata Sångoffer, no. 1
Score: IMSLP [external link] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English [singable] (Edvin Kallstenius)
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Edvin Kallstenius)
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Daphnis [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-07-24
Line count: 16
Word count: 96
When thou, my God, commandest me to sing it seems as if my heart is breaking with proudness. I look up to thy holy face and slowly my eyes with tears are filling. All things in my life that are harsh and discordant melt into a sole delightful, pleasing sound. My adoration spreads its pinions like a glad sea-bird cross the waters. [... ... ...] In the widest regions my song will spread its wing-strokes. Its uttermost quill grazes against thy feet, which never I could dream that I would reach. Drunk with the rapture of singing I forget myself and call thee my friend who art my Lord.
About the headline (FAQ)
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
From the Kallstenius score.
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation by Edvin Kallstenius (1881 - 1967)
Based on:
- a text in Swedish (Svenska) by Andrea Butenschön (1866 - 1948), first published 1915
Based on:
- a text in English by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in Gitanjali, no. 2, first published 1912
Based on:
- a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), appears in গীতাঞ্জলি (Gitanjali), no. 2 [text unavailable]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Daphnis [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-07-28
Line count: 16
Word count: 106