En sangers bøn
A Singer’s Prayer

Music: Lord of Spirits, Friedrich August Reissiger (1809-1883)
Lyrics: Norwegian Poet Johan Sebastian Welhaven, in En Digtsamling, 1859 (1807-1873)
Translation: Dr. Alf Lunder Knudsen

Lord of Spirits, You shall reign
O’er the treasures you gave me.
Also show me your mercy
When my song has ceased to be
Since my heart beats harder
In indescribable thoughts
About the great mystery of life.

Let my singer’s laurel be tossed
On the coast of oblivion into dust
When only there, where all’s revived,
The depth of the soul’s pure voice,
When only there I join in
The great ode is sung before the throne
With the harps of Heaven.