Songs

Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte

by Jean Sibelius

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Text & Translation

Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte
Swedish source: Johan Ludvig Runeberg

Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte,
kom med röda händer. Modern sade:
"Varav rodna dina händer, flicka?"
Flickan sade: "Jag har plockat rosor
och på törnen stungit mina händer."

Åter kom hon från sin älsklings möte,
kom med röda läppar. Modern sade:
"Varav rodna dina läppar, flicka?"
Flickan sade: "Jag har ätit hallon
och med saften målat mina läppar."

Åter kom hon från sin älsklings möte,
kom med bleka kinder. Modern sade:
"Varav blekna dina kinder, flicka?"
Flickan sade: "Red en grav, o moder!
Göm mig där och ställ ett kors däröver,
och på korset rista, som jag säger:

En gång kom hon hem med röda händer,
ty de rodnat mellan älskarns händer.
En gång kom hon hem med röda läppar,
ty de rodnat under älskarns läppar.
Senast kom hon hem med bleka kinder,
ty de bleknat genom älskarns otro."

The maiden came from her lover’s tryst
English translation © Maria Forsström

The maiden came from her lover's tryst,
Came with red hands. The mother said:
"Whence redden your hands, maiden?"
The maiden said: "I have picked roses
And stung my hands on the thorns."

Again she came from her lover's tryst,
Came with red lips. The Mother said:
"Whence redden your lips, maiden?"
The maiden said: "I have eaten raspberries
And with the juices painted my lips."

Again she came from her lover's tryst,
Came with pale cheeks. Her mother said:
"Whence pale your cheeks, maiden?"
The maiden said: "Make me a grave, o mother!
Hide me there and put a cross on top,
And on the cross carve, what I say:

Once she came home with red hands,
Since they had reddened between her lover's hands.
Once she came home with red lips,
Since they reddened under her lover's lips.
Lastly she came home with pale cheeks,
Since they had paled with her lover's unfaithfulness.

Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte
Swedish source: Johan Ludvig Runeberg

The maiden came from her lover’s tryst
English source: Maria Forsström

Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte,
The maiden came from her lover's tryst,
kom med röda händer. Modern sade:
Came with red hands. The mother said:
"Varav rodna dina händer, flicka?"
"Whence redden your hands, maiden?"
Flickan sade: "Jag har plockat rosor
The maiden said: "I have picked roses
och på törnen stungit mina händer."
And stung my hands on the thorns."

Åter kom hon från sin älsklings möte,
Again she came from her lover's tryst,
kom med röda läppar. Modern sade:
Came with red lips. The Mother said:
"Varav rodna dina läppar, flicka?"
"Whence redden your lips, maiden?"
Flickan sade: "Jag har ätit hallon
The maiden said: "I have eaten raspberries
och med saften målat mina läppar."
And with the juices painted my lips."

Åter kom hon från sin älsklings möte,
Again she came from her lover's tryst,
kom med bleka kinder. Modern sade:
Came with pale cheeks. Her mother said:
"Varav blekna dina kinder, flicka?"
"Whence pale your cheeks, maiden?"
Flickan sade: "Red en grav, o moder!
The maiden said: "Make me a grave, o mother!
Göm mig där och ställ ett kors däröver,
Hide me there and put a cross on top,
och på korset rista, som jag säger:
And on the cross carve, what I say:

En gång kom hon hem med röda händer,
Once she came home with red hands,
ty de rodnat mellan älskarns händer.
Since they had reddened between her lover's hands.
En gång kom hon hem med röda läppar,
Once she came home with red lips,
ty de rodnat under älskarns läppar.
Since they reddened under her lover's lips.
Senast kom hon hem med bleka kinder,
Lastly she came home with pale cheeks,
ty de bleknat genom älskarns otro."
Since they had paled with her lover's unfaithfulness.

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…

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