Text & Translation
Demanten på marssnön
Swedish source:
Josef Julius Wecksell
en diamant så klar.
Ej fanns en tår, en pärla,
Som högre skimrat har.
Utav en hemlig längtan
hon blinker himmelskt så:
hon blickar emot solen,
där skön den ses uppgå.
Vid foten av dess stråle
Tillbedjande hon står
och kysser den i kärlek
och smälter i en tår.
O, sköna lott att älska
Det högsta livet ter,
att stråla i dess solblick
och dö, när skönst den ler!
The diamond on the March snow
English translation ©
Daniel M. Grimley
a diamond so clear.
Never was a tear, or pearl
That had a greater shine.
Out of a secret longing
she sparkles like the heavens:
she looks up to the sun
the moment it ascends.
At the foot of its beam
Adoringly she stands
and kisses it in passion
and melts it in a tear.
O, fairest fate to love
The highest that life brings,
to glisten in its radiance,
and die, amid its smile.
Demanten på marssnön
Swedish source:
Josef Julius Wecksell
The diamond on the March snow
English source:
Daniel M. Grimley
På drivans snö där glimmer
Upon the driven snow there glitters
en diamant så klar.
a diamond so clear.
Ej fanns en tår, en pärla,
Never was a tear, or pearl
Som högre skimrat har.
That had a greater shine.
Utav en hemlig längtan
Out of a secret longing
hon blinker himmelskt så:
she sparkles like the heavens:
hon blickar emot solen,
she looks up to the sun
där skön den ses uppgå.
the moment it ascends.
Vid foten av dess stråle
At the foot of its beam
Tillbedjande hon står
Adoringly she stands
och kysser den i kärlek
and kisses it in passion
och smälter i en tår.
and melts it in a tear.
O, sköna lott att älska
O, fairest fate to love
Det högsta livet ter,
The highest that life brings,
att stråla i dess solblick
to glisten in its radiance,
och dö, när skönst den ler!
and die, amid its smile.
Composer
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer and violinist of the late Romantic and early-modern periods. He is best known for his set of seven symphonies, but he also composed over a hundred songs for voice and piano, and various pieces inspired by nature…
