Monday 25 April 2016

Jeppe Aakjær's 'Jeg bærer med smil min byrde' in English

I bear with a smile my burden

I bear with a smile my burden,
I carry with songs my load,
I’m just like the untamed herdsman
who cattle to grass would goad.

Look, dew from the north is drifting
out over the bowed fields of corn,
the sun from the earth is lifting
its disc among oxen's curved horns!

Past glittering meadows I’m gazing
across to the fjord turning blue,
the craft sailing there find quite dazing,
but fail to find words that speak true.

The shawn to my lips I press tightly,
its sound let bleat o’er the lea,
till springs in the grove babble brightly,
and bucks begin braying with glee!

How can you keep brooding and weeping
while all of God’s heaven is blue!
My heart with joy can’t stop leaping
at grassblades sprinkled with dew.


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