10 , 2007
Song #1

Gerna vill jag strängen röra!
Gladly will I pick the strings ( or "eagerly I play guitar")

Kommen bröder låt oss sjunga
Come, brother let us sing
Med varänn en liten sång
With each other a little song
Tro och hopp och kraft åt hjertat
Faith and hope and strength of heart
Ger musiken mången gång
Music gives often times

Come brother, let us sing, and join together in a song
Our hearts can grow in faith and hope, if we simply sing along

ref:
Gerna vill jag strängen röra
Gladly will I pick the strings
Någon själ till ljus och tröst
Any soul to light and consolation
Lycklig om min sång kan göra
With good fortune my song can bring
Jesus känd för något bröst
Jesus' love for every heart

Eagerly I pick the strings, to bring light and consolation
Hopefully my song will tell, Jesus' love for every nation

Sjunga vill jag för små barnen
I will sing for little children
Samla in för Herren Krist
Gather in for the Lord Christ
De små löftes rika knappar
These promising little notes
Innan blomman än de mist
Before to flower they miss (Lest they miss life's blooming)

This song is for the little ones, to bring them to the Lord
To bring the budding plant to bloom, these little notes afford

Sjung for mödans barn som sträfvar
Sing for brave children (prisoners) who are punished
Tungt med jerna, eller hand
Weighted down in irons, or other ways
Om den tjänst som Jesus bjuder
If they serve at Jesus' bidding
Om det sälla hvilans land sjunga
Round that blest land of rest will sing

This song is for prisoners, bound up with various chains
When Jesus' words become their own, sing blessed songs again

Sjung för den som verlden frestar
Sing for those who the worlds' temptations
Matta lågan återständ
Weakened flame/light restore
Sjung böjde vandringsmanen
Sing (for) the stooping pilgrim
Och hans blick till målet vänd
And turn his eye to the goal

Sing for those who, temptation torn, walk in a fading light
Sing for the weary wandring ones, to guide them to the right

Tills vi skönja morgonsljuset
Till we discern the morning light
Tills ve hemlof få en gång
Till we "at home" have/get in course of time
Tills vi bo i fadershuset
Till we dwell in the father's house
Sjung med mig en hemlandssång
Sing with me a homeland song

Till in the early morning light, at last we glimpse our home
Till we shall reach the father's house, we'll sing this homeland song

Narrative:
Several years ago I tried to translate this song but gave up in discouragement. Obscure terms and variant spellings prevented a meaningful understanding with only the dictionary to help. After a year or two of daily practice reading and building vocabulary the task was much easier. This was probably the "opening" song since it introduces the instrument (guitar) and purpose of the singer in simple and direct terms. It is relatively short. It is aimed at the young and those who are feeling oppressed. It expresses faith and faith in music as a means to convey the message. The title line, "willingly I stir the strings" presented quite a problem. I was familiar with the Swedish word "röra" from the prosaic word for egg gravy; egg arora. We recognize the idiomatic "stirring the strings" and the kitchen equivalent "stirring the eggs" but a smoother translation is needed. American country idiom would have "pickin", or an older term "strumming." Röra also appears in connection with revivals, as in "stirring of the spirit" in the missionfriend idiom, and I first was distracted by this possibility. Once I recognized "strängen" as strings, the rest was easy. "Knappar" in the last line of verse two means "click" but it can mean the sound of a single string being plucked on a stringed instrument, which is what I assume here. "löftes rika" is idiomatic "promising". De små (the small) might mean "the children" and often does, but I attached it to the "clicks" which I render as "notes." It was a difficult line.

Gladly I Play for You (tune: Majestic sweetness sits enthroned -194 Green hymnal)

1)
Come brother, let us join as one, together in a song
Our hearts can grow in faith and hope, if we just sing along

refrain:
With eagerness I pick the strings, His light and life to bring
And hope that Jesus' love for all, will sound in what we sing

2)
This song is for the little ones, to bring them to the Lord
To bring the budding plant to bloom, these little notes afford

3)
This song is for the prisoners, bound up with various chains
When Jesus' words become their own, sing blessed songs again

4)
Sing for those who, temptation torn, walk in a fading light
Sing for the weary wandring ones, to guide them to the right

5)
Till in the early morning light, at last we glimpse our home
Till we shall reach the Father's house, we'll sing this homeland song