This is a more accurate (albeit perhaps less musical) translation. ♫ *Härlig är döden, när modigt i främsta ledet du dignar,* _Lovely is death when bravely in the foremost line you succumb_ *dignar i kamp för ditt land, dör för din stad och ditt hem.* _succumb in struggle for your country, dying for your city and your home_ *Därför med eldhåg upp att värna fädernejorden!* _Therefore with rapture up to guard the ancestral land!_ *Ila att offra med fröjd livet för kommande släkt!* _Hurry to sacrifice with delight your life for future kin!_ *Fram, I ynglingar, fram i täta, oryggliga leder!* _Forward, youths, forward, in dense, immutable lines!_ *Aldrig en känsla av skräck, aldrig en tanke på flykt!* _Never a sense of terror, never a thought of flight!_ *Skam och nesa drabbar en här, då i fylkingespetsen* _Shame and disgrace befalls an army when at the tip of the array/formation*_ *framom de unge man ser gubben förblöda och dö.* _ahead of the young you see the old man bleed out and die._ *Detta höves ju främst en yngling, medan han ännu* _This behooves mainly a youth, whilst he still_ *älskligt i lockarna bär vårliga blommornas krans.* _lovingly in his curls bears the wreath of spring flowers._ *Fager för kvinnor, ståtlig för män må han synas i livet;* _beauteous for women, stately for men he may appear in life;_ *skön är han ännu som död, fallen i slaktningens mitt.* _He’s still fair as dead, fallen in the midst of the slaughter._ ♫ *(Svin>fylking< = Swine>Array< = wedge >formation< )
The original text of this song was written by Tyrtaios more than 2500 years ago. He was from Sparta. Rydberg edited this text a bit. To him this text was true in the historical case of Dexippos, who was from Athens and that is why it is called song of the Athenians, and not of the Spartians. Sibelius composed the song in 1899 just after the Russian tzar had practically ended the Finnish autonomy. To Sibelius this was a way to protest against the tzar, and this song got immediately a very big success in Finland. Sibelius had composed his first symphony at the same time, but the people liked this song much more than the symphony. Only some classical music lovers paid any attention to the symphony, which mad Sibelius rather bitter. The Finnish translation was made in the following year. This has been a relatively popular song in the Finnish schools. As a young boy I have sung it many times. It has a very good rhythm.
![Ateenalaisten Laulu [Swedish Poem] [English and Finnish lyrics]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/IcaXBxV_tA0/mqdefault.jpg)
![Ateenalaisten Laulu [Swedish Poem] [English and Finnish lyrics]](/img/tr.png)
![Soldatgossen [Finnish Poem] [English and Swedish lyrics]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hjRpWWO8D_c/mqdefault.jpg)
Had a problem with content ID but it works now!
tack så mycket
This is a more accurate (albeit perhaps less musical)
translation.
♫ *Härlig är döden, när modigt i främsta ledet du dignar,*
_Lovely is death when bravely in the foremost line you succumb_
*dignar i kamp för ditt land, dör för din stad och ditt hem.*
_succumb in struggle for your country, dying for your city and your home_
*Därför med eldhåg upp att värna fädernejorden!*
_Therefore with rapture up to guard the ancestral land!_
*Ila att offra med fröjd livet för kommande släkt!*
_Hurry to sacrifice with delight your life for future kin!_
*Fram, I ynglingar, fram i täta, oryggliga leder!*
_Forward, youths, forward, in dense, immutable lines!_
*Aldrig en känsla av skräck, aldrig en tanke på flykt!*
_Never a sense of terror, never a thought of flight!_
*Skam och nesa drabbar en här, då i fylkingespetsen*
_Shame and disgrace befalls an army when at the tip of the array/formation*_
*framom de unge man ser gubben förblöda och dö.*
_ahead of the young you see the old man bleed out and die._
*Detta höves ju främst en yngling, medan han ännu*
_This behooves mainly a youth, whilst he still_
*älskligt i lockarna bär vårliga blommornas krans.*
_lovingly in his curls bears the wreath of spring flowers._
*Fager för kvinnor, ståtlig för män må han synas i livet;*
_beauteous for women, stately for men he may appear in life;_
*skön är han ännu som död, fallen i slaktningens mitt.*
_He’s still fair as dead, fallen in the midst of the slaughter._
♫
*(Svin>fylking< = Swine>Array< = wedge >formation< )
The original text of this song was written by Tyrtaios more than 2500 years ago. He was from Sparta. Rydberg edited this text a bit. To him this text was true in the historical case of Dexippos, who was from Athens and that is why it is called song of the Athenians, and not of the Spartians. Sibelius composed the song in 1899 just after the Russian tzar had practically ended the Finnish autonomy. To Sibelius this was a way to protest against the tzar, and this song got immediately a very big success in Finland. Sibelius had composed his first symphony at the same time, but the people liked this song much more than the symphony. Only some classical music lovers paid any attention to the symphony, which mad Sibelius rather bitter.
The Finnish translation was made in the following year. This has been a relatively popular song in the Finnish schools. As a young boy I have sung it many times. It has a very good rhythm.
So good
Ah skit, Nu börjas det igen.
Till och med bättre på finska, egentligen för bruk mot Ryssland 1939-45.