Another poem by Emil Aarestrup

ER DU EN CHRISTEN? – SPURGTE DU MIG NYLIG

Er Du en Christen? – spurgte du mig nylig –

Hvadeller en fortvivlet Hedning?

Snart til at troe det ene, snart det andet

Gav mine Ord dig, Glut, Anledning.

Jeg tilstaaer dig, at det er længe siden,

Jeg tænker paa en Sag saa vigtig,

Og det er vanskeligt for Øieblikket

At fatte distinktionen rigtig.

Dog eet: paa mine mange Synder troer jeg,

Og paa en Himmel – fast i Blinde!

Men jeg er sandselig, og kan min Lykke

Ei i Protestantismen finde.

Het Hellige maa mine Hænder røre,

Maa med det Jordiske sig blande,

Maa sig forvandle, under mine Bønner,

Til Guddomslegemet, det sande.

ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN? – WAS YOUR RECENT QUERY

Are you a Christian? – was your recent query –

Or are you a despairing heathen?

My answer, lass, went one way then the other

And offered little rhyme or reason.

I must admit for many years I’ve failed to

Consider such a weighty matter,

And it is somewhat difficult at present

To know the former from the latter.

Except: my many sins I can believe in,

As in a heaven – although blindly!

And, sensual, I find no joy in taking

The Protestant persuasion kindly.

That which is holy must needs touch my fingers,

Must with the earthly go in harness,

Must in my prayers be transsubstantiated,

Become what is true God incarnate.