Songs

Elsk, 'Love'

by Edvard Grieg From Haugtussa (1895) Op. 67

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Text & Translation

Elsk, 'Love'
Norwegian source: Arne Garborg

Den galne Guten min Hug hev dåra;
eg fangen sit som ein Fugl i Snåra;
den galne Guten, han gjeng so baus;
han veit at Fuglen vil aldri laus.

Å gjev du batt meg med Bast og Bende,
Å gjev du batt meg, so Bandi brende!
Å gjev du drog meg so fast til deg,
at heile Verdi kom burt for meg!

Ja kund’ eg trolla og kund’ eg heksa,
eg vilde inn i den Guten veksa,
eg vilde veksa meg i deg inn
og vera berre hos Guten min.

Å du som bur meg i Hjarta inne,
du Magti fekk yver alt mit Minne;
kvart vesle Hugsviv som framum dreg,
det berre kviskrar um deg, um deg.

Um Soli lyser på Himlen blanke,
no ser ho deg, det er all min Tanke;
um Dagen dovnar og Skoming fell:
skal tru han tenkjer på meg i Kveld?

Love
English translation © William Jewson, © BIS Records AB, adapted by Claire Booth

The crazy boy has bewitched my mind
I am caught fast like a bird in a snare;
The crazy boy walks so tall –
He knows this bird will never flee.

Oh, if you could only bind me tight with cords
So tight that the cords burnt.
And if you could only draw me so tight to you
That all the world would seem to disappear.

If I knew how to do spells and magic
I would grow within the boy.
I would grow inside you
And be one with my own boy.

Oh you, who bear me within your heart,
You have power over my will;
Every little memory that comes to mind
Simply whispers of you.

When the sun shines in the sky
It looks at you – that’s how I feel;
But when the day grows weary and dusk falls:
Will he be thinking of me tonight?

Elsk, 'Love'
Norwegian source: Arne Garborg

Love
English source: William Jewson, © BIS Records AB, adapted by Claire Booth

Den galne Guten min Hug hev dåra;
The crazy boy has bewitched my mind
eg fangen sit som ein Fugl i Snåra;
I am caught fast like a bird in a snare;
den galne Guten, han gjeng so baus;
The crazy boy walks so tall –
han veit at Fuglen vil aldri laus.
He knows this bird will never flee.

Å gjev du batt meg med Bast og Bende,
Oh, if you could only bind me tight with cords
Å gjev du batt meg, so Bandi brende!
So tight that the cords burnt.
Å gjev du drog meg so fast til deg,
And if you could only draw me so tight to you
at heile Verdi kom burt for meg!
That all the world would seem to disappear.

Ja kund’ eg trolla og kund’ eg heksa,
If I knew how to do spells and magic
eg vilde inn i den Guten veksa,
I would grow within the boy.
eg vilde veksa meg i deg inn
I would grow inside you
og vera berre hos Guten min.
And be one with my own boy.

Å du som bur meg i Hjarta inne,
Oh you, who bear me within your heart,
du Magti fekk yver alt mit Minne;
You have power over my will;
kvart vesle Hugsviv som framum dreg,
Every little memory that comes to mind
det berre kviskrar um deg, um deg.
Simply whispers of you.

Um Soli lyser på Himlen blanke,
When the sun shines in the sky
no ser ho deg, det er all min Tanke;
It looks at you – that’s how I feel;
um Dagen dovnar og Skoming fell:
But when the day grows weary and dusk falls:
skal tru han tenkjer på meg i Kveld?
Will he be thinking of me tonight?

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