Den lilla bäcken [English translation]

I was a child with clear sweet senses

And on my being the sun shone down

My life was new and yet without memories

And through the night the moon did gently glide

And I was young, with steady steps on the earth

I lived in freedom among trees and wild animals

And like in clay I formed my words

And pure was the heart they came out of

And the little brook runs towards the river

And the river runs towards great seas

And you will never ever find again

Where the little brook went1

And I became a man with a hat and heavy boots

I learned the reins2 of propriety and custom3

And learned to smile when the ground seemed to heave4

From the weight of enemies who cut us down

I look at the world through the gazes of the dead5

With other people's worries I buy my peace

And I kick downwards while kissing upwards6

And stuffed7 I snore, with the destitution of my soul next to me

And the little brook runs towards the river

And the river runs towards great seas

And you will never ever find again

Where the little brook went

I gather time like the mouse gathers scraps,

To the building of life, I gather years

Because everything great and strong is built from crumbs

And the truth is made from regretted lies

In the vaults of the mouth I feel the words sound

Like echoes of everything that has been said before

My faith is weak and my wisdom8 is scant

And everything is beginning, in-the-middle-of, and end

And the little brook runs towards the river

And the river runs towards great seas

And you will never ever find again

Where the little brook went

1. Or "ended up".2. That is, he learned to let those things keep himself under control.3. While meaning "custom", "sed" is also related to "sedlighet" which has connotations of decency and moral behavior.4. Or "shake", or something in between: the ground did seem to rise and fall.5. Or lit. "the gazes of dead people".6. Lit. "And I punch downwards while licking upwards", but it's only figurative, and the idea is the same. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiss_up_kick_down7. Or "satisfied" in the bodily sense.8. "Klokenskap" is not a very common word these days and most would probably use "klokhet" instead.