Søvnen

Da barnet sov ind med hånd under kind,
kom englene til med latter og spil.
Da barnet det våkned, stod moderen over:
Du smiler så vakkert, du små, når du sover!

Dets mor gik til Gud, og barnet kom ud,
det sovnede ind med tårer på kind,
men hørte straks latter og moderord ømme,
thi englene fulgte med barnlige drømme!

Snart blev det så stort, at tåren frøs bort.
Det sovnede ind med tanker i sind.
Men englene veg ej, de svævede over,
tog tanken og hvisked: hav fred, mens du sover.

by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Frederick Delius (1862-1934) , "Søvnen", 1888, from Five Songs from the Norwegian, no. 1, also set in English
by Halfdan Kjerulf (1815-1868) , "Søvnen", op. 14 no. 2 (1861).

by Frederick Delius (1862-1934) , "Slumber song", 1888, from Five Songs from the Norwegian, no. 1, also set in Norwegian (Bokmål)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Slumber song

While infancy dreamed from heaven there teemed
An angel array with song and with 
And when he awoke his fond mother caressed him.
In joy that he smiled as the bright angels blessed him. 

To heaven was her prayer mid sorrow and care
Unrestful he slept, in sorrow he wept. 
A rustling was heard and again she caressed him
In joy that the hovering angels had blessed him. 

To manhood he grows, the tear again flows
No rest is in sleep, his grief is too deep. 
The angels desert not, still nearer they press him
And sing "Be at peace" as with slumber they bless him.

Singable translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , "Slumber song"

a text in Norwegian (Bokmål) by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832-1910)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

by Frederick Delius (1862-1934) , "Slumber song", 1888, from Five Songs from the Norwegian, no. 1, also set in Norwegian (Bokmål)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.