Peder Dasses Klage-Sang udi hans 6 aars langvarige Sygdom:
En Krop, opfylt med gruus og steen,
har tusind gange breck og meen.
Jeg troer den ey med Pen og Fier
ud skrives kand saa som den er.
Jeg har hos mig befundet det,
jeg er af piine trætt og mætt.
Jeg ønsker tit all verdens vey:
jeg ønsker døden, døer dog ey.
Hvad Byrde, som mig er omspendt,
er Gud alvidende bekjændt.
En anden til og fra kan gaa:
men jeg er den, der piines maa.
Det Best hvær dag for ploven gaaer
har tusind gange bedre kaar;
udstaaer det dagens slæb og sved,
saa har det dog om natten fred.
Men jeg maa piines dag og stund,
om natten faar jeg ey en blund.
Mitt liv vil revne midt i to,
hvorledes skal jeg nyde ro?
Skal jeg en draabe af mig faae,
det er, som aanden ud vil gaae,
ret ligesom en Syl og Kniv
stod midt igjennem Lem og Liv.
I 6 aar har jeg været svag,
og aldrig haft en rolig dag.
Forløs mig nu, min Fromme Gud,
det syvend' aar af fængslet ud!
Hver syvend' Dag er en Sabbath,
min Sag giør klar, O Jesu! at
jeg for all møye engang maae
en salig tiime hos dig faae.
Jeg din Discipel har behov,
at jeg af skolen faaer forlov,
skarp skolemester du har vært,
men Gud ske lov for hver en snert!
Har jeg, o Gud, fortørnet dig,
saa har du nu hudflenget mig,
at jeg er om og om bespent
og faaer den løn jeg har fortient.
Men hvad for Løn, hvad er det alt
mod det der blive bør betalt.
I Pinen jo ti tusind Aar
til Gjelds Afløsning ey forslaaer.
Men naar jeg hen til andre ser,
som er af samme malm og ler,
da synes deres lidelse
slet intet mod min bræk og væ.
Hver tykkes have nok i sit
men hvor det gaaer, saa har jeg mit
udveyet i qvintin og lod
og dobbelt fremfor andre faaed.
Ja mange mellem sig har spurt:
hvad mon den arme mand har gjort,
at han saa piines dag og nat,
er andre til exempel sat?
Er ingen i det heele land
saa grov en syndere som han?
Saa bliver spot til skade lagt
og mange domme fældt og sagt.
Dog, hvor med andres domme gaar,
min sygdom har de samme kaar;
om himmel, jord, om land og vey
mig ynke vil, det hielper ei.
Min Qvinde, som vel tusend gang
har hørt min suk og jammersang,
ved neppelig paa hvilcken sted
hun være vil for yncksomhed.
Min Søn og Datter og enhver
af Søskende og Slegtninger
har seet, hvad suk og modig graad
jeg her i Verden har udstaaed.
Og om min piine fattes prov
og flere skudsmaal har behov,
spørg hver en Fjæl samt Nøgletræd
som er udi mit sengestæd.
Spørg bjelkerne i Huuset er,
spørg Vægger, Naver, Tag og Spær,
spørg bord og bænke, de skal dig
fortælle, hvor det er med mig.
En barne-fødsel er vel stræng
for qvinden i sin barselseng;
men naar hun fostered har fød,
har hun forvundet all sin Nød.
Men jeg har baared hidindtil
det foster, som mig dræbe vil,
i 6 aar har jeg baaret det,
ti maa jeg engang blive trett.
O Gud, all verdens Frelsermand
som alle ting forandre kan,
forandre du min Sorg, min Nød!
Til livet eller salig død.
Petter Dasse’s Lament concerning his illness of six years
A body full of grit and stone
Countless infirmities has known;
And yet I ween with pen or quill
One never can describe such ill.
Such is the life I’ve now acquired,
Of pain I am both sick and tired.
At times I wish my end were nigh:
I long for death, yet do not die.
The burden that my back has bent
Is known to God omniscient,
While others can go forth and back:
I am the one stretched on the rack.
The beast that each day pulls the plough
Is better off than me, I vow;
Should it withstand its daily toil,
Nothing at night its peace will spoil.
All day my pain won’t let me think,
At night I cannot sleep a wink,
My life is almost rent in twain,
When may I e’er find rest again?
Shall I squeeze out a single drop,
My mind beside itself says stop;
’Tis like an awl or knife that cuts
Stabbed ’twixt my member and my guts.
For six years weakness has held sway,
I have not had a quiet day.
Oh God of Mercy, grant me peace:
Year seven me from gaol release!
The Sabbath comes each seventh day,
Prepare my case, Jesu, I pray
That for my trials I after this
May share with you an hour of bliss.
I your disciple beg reprieve,
That from your school I may have leave,
As master you were sometimes brash,
But God be praised for every lash!
If I, oh God, have made you wroth
You now have flayed me, by my troth,
I’m now oppressed by countless hurts
And well receive my just deserts.
What are such wages when compared
With what from no man should be spared.
A thousand years of torment can
Ne’er pay the debt incurred by man.
When though on others my eyes play
Who are of selfsame ore and clay,
I find their sufferings are nought
With pains compared with which I’m fraught.
Each seems to have sufficent load
But when apportioned what I’m owed
’Tis weighed by merest ounce and jot,
And double weight would seem my lot.
Yes, wondered must have many a one
Just what the wretched man has done
That day and night so pained is he:
Shall he thus an example be?
Is there then no one in the land
As great a sinner as this man?
To injury they insult add
And many deem him to be bad.
No matter what their judgments be,
My illness stays the same to me;
Should heaven, sea and sky and earth
Take pity, it’s of little worth.
My wife, who time and time again
Has heard me sigh and e’er complain,
Knows hardly, faced with such duress,
Where she would be for piteousness.
My son and daughter, family,
Relations, can’t have failed to see
Just how much sighing and brave tears
I have endured down through the years.
And should my pain need proof entire
And testimonials require,
Ask every trunnel, every board
That in my bed is neatly stored.
Ask every house-beam for sure proof,
Ask walls and joints, ask rafters, roof,
Ask chairs and tables – all will tell
Just how things are with me as well.
Though childbirth often is unkind
To women when they are confined;
Once to their child they’ve given birth
Their pain gives way to joyous mirth.
I though have carried and have fed
The foetus that will leave me dead,
For six years borne it undesired,
It’s hardly odd that I’ve grown tired.
Oh God, our Saviour and our King,
Who can transform most everything,
Transform my pain while I’ve yet breath!
To life or to a blessed death.
