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Anna Bijns (1493-1575) 'Refereyn' in English

Ballade

To be a woman’s fine, a man far better.

You maids, you widows keep this to the letter:

Don’t haste or fret to see yourselves soon wed.

It’s said that manless you are honour’s debtor;

If finding food and clothes though does not fetter,

Let no man master both your house and bed.

Take my advice: Be wary where you tread

It seems to me, where’er I cast my gaze,

That if a woman choose – though nobly bred

And rich in goods – to wed she all her days

Will spend short-tethered; if alone she stays

Instead both pure and chaste she’ll, I profess,

Be mistress of a life excelling praise.

With marriage I’ve no quarrel, nonetheless

Not tied by husbands women prosper best.

Maids fair of face make wives plain to behold,

Poor frumps, poor drudges; take care, young and old!

From wedlock’s hold I thus should clearly sheer.

Alas, once they are wed they’ve soon extolled

A love which they believe cannot grow cold;

This they will rue within just half a year:

The yoke of marriage makes life far too drear!

Of this all those who’ve wed are well aware!

And women make much clamour out of fear

When husbands seek distraction here and there,

Spend nights and days in inn and gambling lair;

Then wives swear that they rue their foolishness,

But friends and family can’t ease their care.

So stay on guard, and hear what I profess:

Not tied by husbands women prosper best.

The man comes home at times drunk as a lord,

Pesters his wife, exhausted by her chores;

No time to pause if she the house shall run.

And should she feel like countering his roars,

He strikes her in the face or to the floor;

That drink-logged vat’s commands she may not shun.

For all he’ll do is rant and rave at one,

So are things done; poor wife who such must bear!

And if with other women he’s begun,

What joy to rule the home when he’s not there.

You maids, you women, quench your thirst elsewhere

Ere you would hitch yourself up to distress.

Though you a view opposed to mine all share,

I simply do not care, but still profess:

Not tied by husbands women prosper best.

Unkept, a woman must man’s wealth forgo;

His will though likewise she need never know.

And freedom, I maintain, is of great worth.

Without account she’s free to come and go;

Though she must spin to earn her bread, all know

To feed one mouth it takes a lesser purse.

Not tied, she’s envied everywhere on earth,

And though a husband’s income is denied,

As mistress she is master of her hearth.

To freely move is joy none can deride.

To sleep or wake at will she may decide,

With none to chide – so stay untied, don’t rest.

Lost freedom is the worst ill ever tried.

Wives everywhere, though good blokes line your nest,

Not tied by husbands women prosper best.

                                 Princess

Though women may have wealth none can deny,

They’re viewed as slaves by men both low and high.

Should they with fine words ply, then stop them short

And tell them to push off if they should try;

In number good men with white ravens vie.

Away from all gifts shy that they have brought,

As soon as in their mesh the woman’s caught,

Love is as nought, ’tis seen repeatedly.

In marriage man’s deception’s grimly taught,

With sorrows fraught, she suffers constantly;

He squanders all her wealth, won’t let her be.

No game for free, but heavy curse no less.

Oft money rules not love when you can see

Such men run till their lungs burst out their chest.

Not tied by husbands women prosper best.

To listen to the poem in English, go to here

Benny Andersen - 1929-2018

Ode to death

When I just think about myself

I think: good enough

you’ve made some wrong moves

but also left your mark

have quite a bit to regret

and a bit to be proud of

sum total:

it could have gone much worse

but actually went much better

you were given plenty

you’ve passed the test

have yet to pass on

a good day to die

though Monday would suit better.

Contents of 'Fashioners of faith' - and access to the music

For anyone interested in listening to the music of the hymns translated in 'Fashioners of faith', you can always go to the site listed for DDS below the contents of these four sections:

CONTENTS

KINGO

1.       Her huiler jeg i livsens haab

2.      Keed af verden, og kier ad himmelen (Far, Verden, far vel) (DDS 614)

3.      Hver har sin skæbne (Sorrig og Glæde de vandre tilhaabe) (DDS 46) (HSSB 84)

4.      Hierte-Suk (Aldrig er jeg uden Vaade) (DDS 644)

5.      Hierte-Suk (Ach! min JEsu! ach! jeg er)

6.      Hierte-Suk (Søde JEsu, Siælens Læge)

7.      Sonnet
eller
suk i klingeriim (Hvor ofte sukker jeg, fordi dend haarde Lykke)

8.      Dend anden morgen-sang (Siæl og Hierte, Sind og Sandser)

9.      Dend fierde aften-sang (Dend klare Sool gaar ned) (DDS 761) (HSSB 534)

10.    Sonnet eller klinge-riim (Saa skal dog alle Ting sig efter dennem føye)

11.    Dend X. sang (Tak JEsu, Siælens Hyrde good)

12.    Længe haver Satan spundet (DDS 185)

13.    O JEsu, søde JEsu, Dig

14.    Skriv dig JEsu paa mit hierte (DDS 208)

15.    Op, dovne Hierter, op og seer

16.    Hierte-Suk (En fattig Pillegriim jeg er)

17.    Hierte-Suk om hiertelig andagt (Steenig Hierte, gid du kunde)

18.    Morgen-Sang (Nu rinder Solen op) (DDS 743) (HSSB 4)

19.    Som dend Gyldne Sool frembryder (DDS 227) (HSSB 276)

20.   Store Gud og Frelsermand (DDS 91)

21.    Hierte-Suk (Naar jeg, O GUd, paa Havet er)

22.   Hierte-Suk (Ach, JEsu, mit hierte hâr vanked omkring)

23.   Hierte-Suk (Naar jeg, o GUd, mit Synde-dyb)

24.   Hierte-Suk (Hierte Jesu, hvad for Prøve)

25.   Dend 3. Morgen-Suk (Nat Søvn og Slum og Seng, far vel) (DDS 740)

26.   Over Evangelium, Luc. 24. (FØlg, Jesu med)

27.   Hierte-Suk (Hellige Betænkninger over Herrens Nadvere)

BRORSON

1.       Op! all den ting, som Gud har gjort (DDS 15) (HSSB 47)

2.      Hvor Gud mig fører, gaaer jeg glad (DDS 23)

3.      Jeg gaaer i fare, hvor jeg gaaer (DDS 45)

4.      Den yndigste Rose er funden (DDS 122) (HSSB 225)

5.      Ach! vidste du, som gaaer i syndens lenke (DDS 591)

6.      Mit hierte altid vanker (DDS 125) (HSSB 226)

7.      Skal kierlighed sin prøve staae (DDS 688)

8.      Kom, hierte! tag dit regnebret

9.      Her vil ties, her vil bies (DDS 557) (HSSB 48)

10.    Naar mit Øje (DDS 558)

11.    I denne søde jule-tiid (DDS 109) (HSSB 224)

12.    Hører, I, som græde (DDS 242)

13.    GUds riges evangelium (DDS 389)

14.    O Hellig Aand! mit Hierte (DDS 559)

15.    Hvo vil mig anklage (DDS 512)

16.    Fred i Jesu død vi skulle (DDS 515)

17.    Hvor seer det ud i verdens ørk (DDS 689)

18.    Her kommer, Jesus, dine små (DDS 123)

19.    I Dag skal alting siunge (DDS 253)

20.   Drag, Jesu, mig (DDS 255)

21.    JEsus mig alting er*

22.   Op min Aand, op fra dit Leer!

23.   Op, alle folk paa denne jord (DDS 385)

24.   Nu! jeg har vunden

25.   Den troe, som Jesum favner (DDS 578)

26.   Kommer, hvo vil viisdom lære! (DDS 606)

27.   Den Vey du gickst i Kors og Trang (DDS 603)

GRUNDTVIG

1.       Dejlig er den himmel blå (DDS 136) (HSSB 72)

2.      Påskeblomst! hvad vil du her? (DDS 236) (HSSB 277)

3.      Langt højere bjerge så vide på jord (HSSB 351)

4.      De levendes Land (DDS 561) (HSSB Synges til 64)

5.      Den signede Dag med Fryd vi seer (DDS 402) (HSSB 1)

6.      Morgenhanen atter gol (HSSB 6)

7.      Giv mig, Gud, en salmetunge (DDS 4) (HSSB 54)

8.      Har Haand du lagt paa Herrens Plov (DDS 633)

9.      Kirken den er et gammelt hus (DDS 323) (HSSB 57)

10.    Hil dig, frelser og forsoner! (DDS 192) (HSSB 279)

11.    Forunderligt at sige

12.    Himlene, Herre, fortælle din Ære (DDS 392) (HSSB 53)

13.    Moders navn er en himmelsk lyd (HSSB 152)

14.    Et jævnt og muntert, virksomt Liv paa Jord (HSSB 95)

15.    I al sin glans nu stråler solen (DDS 290) (HSSB 303)

16.    Velkommen i den grønne lund (HSSB 155)

17.    At sige verden ret farvel (DDS 538) (HSSB 58)

18.    Oplysning (Er lyset for de lærde blot) (HSSB 89)

19.    Nu falmer skoven trindt om land (DDS 729) (HSSB 341)

20.   Skyerne gråne (DDS 733) (HSSB 211)

21.    Jeg gik mig ud en sommerdag at høre (HSSB 153)

22.   Midsommers-Natten ved Frederiksborg (HSSB 548)

23.   Alt, hvad som fuglevinger fik (DDS 10) (HSSB 62)

24.   Morgenstund har guld i mund (DDS 752) (HSSB 7)

25.   Det er saa yndigt at følges ad (DDS 703) (HSSB 439)

26.   Kimer, I klokker (DDS 100) (HSSB 33)

27.   Hvad solskin er for det sorte muld (HSSB 92)

INGEMANN

1.       Nu ringer alle Klokker mod Sky (DDS 408) (HSSB 8)

2.      Lysets Engel gaaer med Glands (DDS 747) (HSSB 9)

3.      Nu vaagne alle Guds fugle smaa (DDS 748) (HSSB 10)

4.      I Østen stiger Solen op (DDS 479) (HSSB 11)

5.      Gud skee Tak og Lov! (DDS 751) (HSSB 12)

6.      Morgenstund har Guld i Mund (DDS 752) (HSSB 7)

7.      Nu titte til hinanden de favre Blomster smaa (DDS 750) (HSSB 13)

8.      Storken sidder paa Bondens Tag (HSSB 291)

9.      Der staaer et Slot i Vesterled (DDS 775) (HSSB 542)

10.    Dagen gaaer med raske Fjed (DDS 771) (HSSB 543)

11.    Til vor lille Gjerning ud (DDS 772) (HSSB 544)

12.    I fjerne Kirketaarne hist (DDS 776)

13.    Bliv hos os, naar Dagen helder (DDS 773) (HSSB 545)

14.    Den skjønne Jordens Sol gik ned (DDS 774) (HSSB 546)

15.    Den store stille Nat gaaer frem (DDS 777)

16.    Lyksalig, lyksalig hver Sjæl, som har Fred! (DDS 779)

17.    Fred hviler over Land og Bye (DDS 778) (HSSB 547)

18.    Den store Seilads

19.    På Sjølunds fagre sletter (HSSB 472)

20.   Efteraars-Tone

21.    I sne står urt og busk i skjul (HSSB 252)

22.   Græshoppen

23.   Børnenes sang til storken

24.   Bekjendelser (HSSB 85)

25.   Dugdraaben

26.   Dejlig er jorden (DDS 121)

27.   Den Miskundelige (DDS 31)

For the music, go to here