Text & Translation
Princessen, 'The Princess'
Norwegian source:
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Smågutten gik nede og blæste på Lur.
‘Hvi blæser du altid, ti stille, du Små,
det hæfter min Tanke, som vide vil gå,
nu når Sol går ned, nu når Sol går ned.’
Prinsessen sad højt i sit Jomfrubur,
Smågutten lod være at blæse på Lur.
‘Hvi tier du stille, blæs mere, du Små,
det løfter min Tanke, som vide vil gå,
nu når Sol går ned, nu når Sol går ned.’
Prinsessen sad højt i sit Jomfrubur,
Smågutten tog atter og blæste på Lur.
Da græd hun i Aftnen og sukkede ud:
‘O sig mig, hvad er det mig fejler, min Gud!’
Nu gik Solen ned, nu gik Solen ned.
The Princess
English translation ©
William Jewson, © BIS Records AB, adapted by Claire Booth
Below her a young boy blew on his horn.
‘Oh, why all this playing? Be quiet, young boy.
Don’t trouble my thoughts – they want to soar
As the sun goes down.’
The princess looked down from her tower.
Below her the young boy stopped playing his horn.
‘Why are you so silent? Play on, young boy.
Give wings to my thoughts – they want to soar
As the sun goes down.’
The princess looked down from her tower.
Below her the boy began to play again.
She wept in the twilight and sighed bitterly:
‘Tell me, O God, what I’m longing for?’
And the sun went down.
Princessen, 'The Princess'
Norwegian source:
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
The Princess
English source:
William Jewson, © BIS Records AB, adapted by Claire Booth
Prinsessen sad højt i sit Jomfrubur,
The princess looked down from her tower.
Smågutten gik nede og blæste på Lur.
Below her a young boy blew on his horn.
‘Hvi blæser du altid, ti stille, du Små,
‘Oh, why all this playing? Be quiet, young boy.
det hæfter min Tanke, som vide vil gå,
Don’t trouble my thoughts – they want to soar
nu når Sol går ned, nu når Sol går ned.’
As the sun goes down.’
Prinsessen sad højt i sit Jomfrubur,
The princess looked down from her tower.
Smågutten lod være at blæse på Lur.
Below her the young boy stopped playing his horn.
‘Hvi tier du stille, blæs mere, du Små,
‘Why are you so silent? Play on, young boy.
det løfter min Tanke, som vide vil gå,
Give wings to my thoughts – they want to soar
nu når Sol går ned, nu når Sol går ned.’
As the sun goes down.’
Prinsessen sad højt i sit Jomfrubur,
The princess looked down from her tower.
Smågutten tog atter og blæste på Lur.
Below her the boy began to play again.
Da græd hun i Aftnen og sukkede ud:
She wept in the twilight and sighed bitterly:
‘O sig mig, hvad er det mig fejler, min Gud!’
‘Tell me, O God, what I’m longing for?’
Nu gik Solen ned, nu gik Solen ned.
And the sun went down.
Composer
Poet
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson was a Norwegian writer. In 1903 he received the Nobel Prize in Literature, becoming the first Norwegian Nobel laureate. Bjørnson is considered to be one of The Four Greats (De Fire Store) among Norwegian writers, the…