Agathe Backer-Grøndahl Aftnen er stille / Evening is still

Aftnen er stille  poem by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

Aftnen er stille,
timerne trille
lydløse ned i det evige væld.
Kun mine tanker
lyttende vanker,
– vil hun ej komme,
– ej komme i kvæld?

Vinteren drømmer,
stjernerne svømmer
gennem dens florlette syner og ler,
nævnende sommer,
elskov og blommer,
– tør hun ej møde,
– ej møde mig mer?

Havet, med panden
is-lagt mod stranden,
sukker i længsel og rejsesyg ro.
Skibe for anker,
sejlfyldte tanker,
– o, vi må findes,
– må findes, vi to!

Aftnen er stille  translation by Hélène Lindqvist (Caution! This translation has not been native-norwegian-speaker-approved – enjoy at your own risk! 🙂 )

Evening is still
the hours fall
silently through eternal space
Only my thoughts
walk restlessly
– will she not come,
not come tonight?

The winter dreams
the stars swim,
through its gauzy visions and smiles
summer drawing near
love and flowers
– dares she not meet,
not meet me any more?

The sea, with its forehead
iced on the beach
sighs in longing and travel-sick calm
Ships at anchor
sails filled with thoughts
– O, we must meet,
must meet, the two of us!

Learn about Agathe Backer-Gröndahl here.