With a primrose | Scorn not the first primrose of Spring

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by John Olaf Paulsen (1851 - 1924)

Translation © by Michael P Rosewall

Med en primulaveris

Language: Norwegian (Bokmål)

Our translations: ENG FRE GER

Du Vårens milde, skjønne Barn,
tag Vårens første Blomme,
og kast den ej, fordi du ved,
at Somrens Roser komme.

Ak, vist er Somren lys og smuk
og rig er Livets Høst,
men Våren er den dejligste
med Elskovs Leg og Lyst.

Og du og jeg, min ranke Mø,
står jo i Vårens Rødme!
Så tag da min Blomst,
men giv igjen dit unge Hjertes Sødme.

Text Authorship:

by John Olaf Paulsen (1851 - 1924), "Med en Primulaveris", written 1876, appears in Mol og Dur [author's text not yet checked 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 Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907), "Med en primulaveris", op. 26 (Fem digt) no. 4 (1876), published 1876 [ voice and piano ], Copenhagen [sung text checked 1 time]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Wilhelm Henzen (1850 - 1910) , "Mit einer Primula veris" ; composed by Wilhelm Kienzl.
- Go to the text.

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

ENG English [singable] (Michael P Rosewall) , "With a primrose", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Avec une primevère", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Bertram Kottmann) , "Mit einer Schlüsselblume", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Hans Schmidt) , "Am Strome"

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 66

With a primrose

Language: English after the Norwegian (Bokmål)

Scorn not the first primrose of Spring
I bring to you, dear maiden, 
Because you think that summer days
With roses will be laden.

Ah, Summertime is bountiful,
With days so warm and bright;
But Sprintime has the larger share
Of loving and delight.

Now you and I, my lovely maid,
Must to sweet Spring surrender.
So, take my flow'r and give to me
Your own dear heart so tender!

Text Authorship:

Singable translation from Norwegian (Bokmål) to English copyright © 2025 by Michael P Rosewall, (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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in Norwegian (Bokmål) by John Olaf Paulsen (1851 - 1924), "Med en Primulaveris", written 1876, appears in Mol og Dur
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2025-10-26
Line count: 12
Word count: 70