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
Wenn Du, mein Gott, befiehlest, dass ich singe, ist es als wollte das Herz vor Stolz mir zerspringen. Ich seh auf in Dein Angesicht, und in meine Augen treten Zähren. All das, was in mir war voll Herbeheit und Missklang, schmilzt li eine wonnig schöne Harmonie. Meine Sehnsucht breitet Schwingen wie ein froher Vogel überm Meere. [... ... ...] In das Weite schwingt mein Gesang den leichten Flügel; mit dem äussersten Rand streift er an Deine Füsse, denen nie ich durfte träumen mich zu nahn. Trunken vor Freude des Singens schier vergess ich mich und nenne Dich Freund, der Du bist Herr.
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: 2026-07-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 99