Mary asked me to proofread her spelling of the Swedish text. It's one of our most loved christmas hymns and it's number 121 in our new hymn book. It sais: "Words: Abel Burckhardt ? (1805-1882)" (so they were not sure) It was translated to Swedish 1851, and is revised after that. The version Mary has posted here contains some old spelling so it's an old version.

In Mary's first link I found the same info and a little more:

"Words: Possibly Abel Burckhardt. Translated to Swedish, 1851; translated from Swedish to English by Claude W Foss (1855-1935). Music: "Juldagsmorgon," German folk tune, 1823. If you have any information on Abel Burckhardt, or know this hymn's original language, would you send us an e.mail? Thanks!"

Burckhardt - he must be deutch? So the text was not at all Swedish from the beginning? And where is the deutch original text? It's too much for me to read in this thread and I don't understand everything.

I guess there aren't so many (nobody!) who understand the Swedish text but here it is again, with some corrections. The English text is quite a good translation so I don't have to say more about it.

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NÄR JULDAGSMORGON GLIMMAR

När juldagsmorgon glimmar,
Jag vill till stallet gå,
Där Gud i nattens timmar
Re'n hvilar uppå strå.
Där Gud i nattens timmar
Re'n hvilar uppå strå.

Hur god du var, som ville
Till jorden komma ner!
Nu ej i synd jag spille
Min barndoms dagar mer!
Nu ej i synd jag spille
Min barndoms dagar mer!

Dig, Jesus, vi behöfva,
Du käre barnavän!
Jag vill ej mer beröfva
Med synder dig igen!
Jag vill ej mer beröfva
Med synder dig igen!

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Berit in Sweden