Maj vare välkommen [English translation]

Welcome spring, the time of the month of May

- May, be welcome -

bless this mild summer

- For the linden wears green leaves in the spring -

Now we carry May in our village

and praise it with new songs

Now the oppression of winter is gone from the land

and leaves and grass are so green now

The little lark's dulcet tone1

Now warbles loud with lovely song

Grant us a bountiful year

preserve both house and farm2

Give us favourable weather

so both ground and marsh may flourish3

With sweat, we've worked the earth

and left our grain in her

Let barley grow on the fields

and grass grow in the meadows

Let fruit grow on the trees for must4

that it might make us merry

That bees give wax and honey sweet

for remedies, food and candles and mead

Strong hops hang on the bars

such bitter wormwood on the meadows

Let herbs grow for flavour and food

give peas, roots and cabbage on plates

Bless the water salt and fresh

for the people, with herring and fish

Let us with health use it

-May, be welcome -

yours in fright and steady peace5

- For the linden wears green leaves in the spring -

1. Also 'clang', 'ring', 'timbre'.2. "Gård" can mean 'house', 'farm', 'yard', 'ranch' etc.3. Lit. 'become green'.4. Pressed fruit juice.5. I interpret this as an expression similar to "in good times and in bad".

• Artist:Ranarim