A Danish choir favourite - Jeg veed jeg vorder dig aldrig kjær - in English. Written by Ernst von der Recke

 

I know I’ll never be dear to you

I know I’ll never be dear to you

to please you I can’t aspire,

for you and I are like day’s bright hue

and like night’s great darkness entire.

As night’s sole yearning is from afar

in search of daytime to wander,

my thoughts and longings, where’er you are,

will follow you and grow stronger.

And could I but gather from deep sea bed

pink coral sprays in profusion,

I’d trade them all for your lips so red

that caused me such grief and confusion.

And though I picked flowers of every size,

a myriad flowers most sightly,

from north to south I would find no eyes

whose clearness stood out so brightly.

May guardian angels watch over you,

and heav’n to bless you conspire,

for you and I are like day’s bright hue

and like night’s great darkness entire.