Björk
"Luktar-Gvendur"


Hann veitti birtu á bádar hendur
Um baeinn sérhvert kvöld
Hann luktar Gvendur á lidinni öld
Á gráum hærum gloggt var kenndur
Vid glampa á ljosafjöld
Hann luktar Gvendur á lidinni öld

Hann heyrdist ganga hægt og hljótt
Um hverja götu fram á nott
Hans hjartasá med bros á brá
Ef ungan svein og yngismey
Hann adeins sá hann kveikti ei
En eftirlét theim rókkur skuggablá

Í endur minning æskutid
Hann aftur leit, en ástmey blid
Hann órmum vafdi fast svo ung og smá
Hann veitti birtu á bádar hendur
Um bæinn sérhvert kvöld
Hann luktar Gvendur á lidinni öld

Hann heyrdist ganga haegt og hljótt
Um hverja götu fram á nott
Hans hjartasá med bros á brá
Ef ungan svein og yngismey
Hann adeins sá hann kveikti ei
En eftirlét theim rókkur skuggablá

Í endur minning aeskutid
Hann aftur leit, en ástmey blid
Hann órmum vafdi fast svo ung og smá
Hann veitti birtu á bádar hendur
Um baeinn sérhvert kvöld
Hann luktar Gvendur á lidinni öld
Hann luktar Gvendur á lidinni öld

Translation:
Gvendur the lamplighter

He shed his light wherever he went
Around the town each night
Lamplighter-Gvendur of time long past
Known by his gray head
Light shining off his hair
Lamplighter-Gvendur of time long past

He could be heard walking quietly
Each street at night
His wounded heart would yet smile
If he spied a young couple
He would not light his lamp
Leaving them in the shade of darkness

And he reminisced about his youth
Looking back on his sweet love
Hugging tight his sweet young girl
He shed his light wherever he went
Around the town each night
Lamplighter-Gvendur of time long past

He could be heard walking quietly
Each street at night
His wounded heart would yet smile
If he spied a young couple
He would not light his lamp
Leaving them in the shade of darkness

And he reminisced about his youth
Looking back on his sweet love
Hugging tight his sweet young girl
He shed his light wherever he went
Around the town each night
Lamplighter-Gvendur of time long past