by
Charles Cotton (1630 - 1687)
Pastoral
Language: English
Our translations: CAT FRE NYN SPA
The day's grown old; the fainting sun
Has but a little way to run,
And yet his steeds, with all his skill,
Scarce lug the chariot down the hill.
The shadows now so long do grow,
That brambles like tall cedars show;
Mole hills seem mountains, and the ant
Appears a monstrous elephant.
A very little, little flock
Shades thrice the ground that it would stock;
Whilst the small stripling following them
Appears a mighty Polypheme.
And now on benches all are sat,
In the cool air to sit and chat,
Till Phoebus, dipping in the West,
Shall lead the world the way to rest.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Pastoral", op. 31 no. 1 (1943), published 1944, first performed 1943 [ tenor, horn, and strings or piano ], from Serenade for tenor, horn and strings, no. 1, London : Boosey & Hawkes [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Pastoral", copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Jean-Pierre Granger) , "Pastorale", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- NYN Norwegian (Nynorsk) (Are Frode Søholt) , "Hyrdedikt", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Pablo Sabat) , "Pastoral"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 105
Hyrdedikt
Language: Norwegian (Nynorsk)  after the English
Dagen eldast; den svinnande sola
Har berre ein kort veg att
Og likevel trekkjer hesten, enn så dugande den er
Knappast vogna nedover åsen.
Skuggane veks no så pass langt
At kjerret synest som høge sedertre
Moldvarphaugar som høge fjell, og mauren
Som ein mektig elefant.
Berre ein bitte liten flokk
Skuggelegg trefald det dei hadde beitt ned
Medan jyplingen som føl dei
Vert ein mektig Polypheme.
Og no har alle sett seg ned,
For ein prat i den friske lufta,
Inntil Phoebus, som heng ned i vest
Fører verda fram mot kvild.
Text Authorship:
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2008-03-28
Line count: 16
Word count: 93