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MUSIC: LARS MAGNUS BÉEN (1820-1905)
LYRICS: JOHAN LUDVIG RUNEBERG (1804 – 1877)
TRANSLATION and COMMENTARY: DR. ALF LUNDER KNUDSEN and DR. JEFFREY R. HIGHLAND
Maj-sång: “Beautiful May, welcome to our place once more. Beautiful May, welcome, our friend of games! Feeling’s divine flame awakened by your brightness . . . Hear thousand birds are singing with thankful tongues, just like us, just like us. Welcome beautiful May!”
Swedish church musician and composer Lars Magnus Béen (1820-1905) was born in the parish of Helsingborg and a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music. He was Director of Skånska husarregimentet (The Husar Regiment Band of Skåne) (1838-1858) and promoted to Staff Trumpeter/ Bugler (1844). Béen pursued organ studies at Kungliga Musikalska Akademien (KMA), passing the exam in 1850. From 1855 on he served as organist in congregations in Allerum and Fleninge congregations. In 1859 He was designated agré at the KMA in 1859 and associé #77 on February 28, 1857.
Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804 – 1877) was a Finno-Swedish lyric/ epic poet born in Jacobstad, Finland. He was the national poet of Finland and the author of the Vårt land (Our Land), which became the Finnish National Anthem. Runeberg was also involved in the modernization of the Finnish Lutheran hymnal and produced many texts for the new edition.
Sköna Maj, välkommen till vår bygd igen!
Sköna Maj, välkommen, våra lekars vän!
Känslans gudaflamma väcktes vid din ljusning.
Jord och skyar stamma kärlek och förtjusning.
Sorgen flyr för våren, glädje ler ur tåren. Sorgen flyr för våren, glädje ler ur tåren.
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Beautiful May, welcome to our place once more
Beautiful May, welcome, our friend of games!
Feeling’s divine flame awakened by your brightness.
Earth and sky proclaim love and enthusiasm.
Sorrow flees from spring, joy smiles through/over tears.
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Sköna Maj, välkommen till vår bygd igen!
Sköna Maj, välkommen, våra lekars vän!
Känslans gudaflamma väcktes vid din ljusning.
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Beautiful May, welcome to our place once more
Beautiful May, welcome, our friend of games!
Feeling’s divine flame awakened by your brightness.
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Nu ur lundens sköte, och ur blommans knoppar
Stiga dig till möte glada offer opp.
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Now from the grove’s bosom, and from flower’s buds
Joyful offers rise to meet you.
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Blott ditt lov de susa, dessa friska rosen häckar,
Till din ära muntert brusa våra silverbäckar.
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Just your praise they sing, these fresh roses breed/ produce create
In your honor our silver-rivers roar gaily
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Nu ur lundens sköte, och ur blommans knoppar
Stiga dig till möte glada offer opp.
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Now from the grove’s bosom, and from flower’s buds
Joyful offers rise to meet you.
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Sköna Maj, välkommen till vår bygd igen!
Sköna Maj, välkommen, våra lekars vän!
Känslans gudaflamma väcktes vid din ljusning.
Jord och skyar stamma kärlek och förtjusning.
Sorgen flyr för våren, glädje ler ur tåren.
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Beautiful May, welcome to our place once more
Beautiful May, welcome, our friend of games!
Feeling’s divine flame awakened by your brightness.
Earth and sky proclaim love and enthusiasm.
Sorrow flees from spring, joy smiles through/over tears.
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Sköna Maj, välkommen till vår bygd igen!
Sköna Maj, välkommen, våra lekars vän!
Känslans gudaflamma väcktes vid din ljusning.
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Proud to be your Mother
I sit safely in my beloved land.
You giants split the threatening chains,
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Hör med tacksam tunga tusen fåglar sjunga
liksom vi, liksom vi:
Välkommen sköna Maj!
Välkommen sköna Maj!
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Hear thousand birds are singing, with thankful tongues.
Just like us, just like us:
Welcome beautiful May!
Welcome beautiful May!
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Phonics
Shönah ’my’ vehl-com-èhn ’til’ vår bügd eyèhn!
Shönah ’my’, vehl-com-èhn, våra leh-kars vèhn!
Chyens-lans guda-flamma vektes vid din ’you’-sning.
Yôr okk shüar stah-ma cher-lehk okk förchoos-ning.
Sor-gen flür föhr våren, glèd-yeh lèhr oor tårèhn.
Shönah ’my’ vehl-com-èhn ’til’ vår bügd eyèhn!
Shönah ’my’, vehl-com-èhn, våra leh-kars vèhn!
Chyens-lans guda-flamma vek-tes vid din yous-ning.
New oor lundens shøh-te, okk oor blomans knoppar
Stigah deeg til möh-te glada offer opp.
Blot dit lov dee soosa, dessa friska rôsen hekkar,
Til din ehra muntert broosa våra silverbekkar.
New oor lundens shøh-te, okk oor blomans knoppar
Stee-gah deeg til möhte gladah offer opp.
Shönah ’my’, vehl-com-èhn til vår bügd eeyèhn!
Shönah ’my’, vehl-com-èhn, våra lekars vèhn!
Chyens-lans guda-flamma vek-tes vid din yous-ning.
Yôr okk shüar stahma cher-lèhk okk förchoosning.
Sorgen flür ’fir’ våren, glèd-yeh lèhr oor tårèhn.
Shönah ’my’, vel-com-èhn ’til’ vår bügd eeyéhn!
Shönah ’my’, vel-com-èhn, våra leh-kars vehn!
Känslans guda-flama väcktes vid din ’you’-sning.
Her’ med takk-sam toonga toosen fåglar shungah
liiksom ’v’, liiksom ’v’:
Vehl-comehn shöh-nah ’my’!
Vehl-comehn shöh-nah ’my’!
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