by
Zachris Topelius (1818 - 1898)
Giv mig ej glans
Language: Swedish (Svenska)
Our translations: ENG FIN
Giv mig ej glans, ej guld ej prakt
i signad juletid.
Giv mig Guds ära änglavakt
och över jorden frid.
Giv mig en fest
som gläder mest,
den konung jag har bett till gäst!
Giv mig ej glans, ej guld, ej prakt,
giv mig en änglavakt!
Giv mig ett hem på fosterjord,
en gran med barn i ring,
en kväll i ljus med Herrens ord
och mörker där omkring!
Giv mig ett bo
med samvetsro,
med glad förtröstan, hopp och tro!
Giv mig ett hem på fosterjord
och ljus av Herrens ord!
Till hög, till låg, till rik, till arm,
kom, helga julefrid!
Kom barnaglad, kom hjärtevarm
i världens vintertid!
Du ende, som
ej skiftar om
min Herre och min konung, kom!
Till hög, till låg, till rik, till arm
kom glad och hjärtevarm!
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957), "Giv mig ej glans", op. 1 no. 4 (1909), from 5 julsånger, no. 4. [ sung text verified 1 time]
- by Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957), "Giv mig ej glans", 1942. [solo voice and three- or four-part women's chorus] [ sung text verified 1 time]
- by Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957), "Giv mig ej glans", 1942. [solo voice, men's chorus, and mixed chorus] [ sung text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Alexandra Glynn) , "I seek no gold or majesty", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FIN Finnish (Suomi) (Erkki Pullinen) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 27
Word count: 134
I seek no gold or majesty
Language: English after the Swedish (Svenska)
I seek no gold or majesty,
no pearl or shining gem,
but Lord above, I pray to Thee
for peace on earth to men.
O Lord divine,
my heart is Thine!
Oh, let my thoughts to Thee incline!
I seek no pearl or shining gem
but peace on earth to men.
Among the children, in our home
give blessed harmony.
The light that on the shepherds shone,
oh, let it shine on me!
O Word of light,
O truth and might,
oh, shed thy blessing glad and bright.
O Word of grace and pardon free:
Give peace and harmony.
Let Christmas come to rich and poor,
its brilliant light unfold
and with the wealth of God allure
to heaven's streets of gold.
I long for Thee,
I wait for Thee,
O Lord, I need Thy charity!
May rich and poor alike abide
in peace at Christmastide.
Note: based on the Finnish. A reworking of a 1924 translation by Ida Kaskinen
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Swedish (Svenska) to English copyright © 2009 by Alexandra Glynn, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2009-01-18
Line count: 27
Word count: 146