Queen Sophie's Song Book no. 45 (The klaffer the de er saa mange thill)

 

The oldest Danish folk song tradition

 

Manuscript: Queen Sophie’s Song Book

Number: 45

Page: 243

Title: (The klaffer the de er saa mange thill)

 

See original here

(also in modern Danish)

 

 

 

Of slanderers countless do exist

as sand on the sea bed lying;

may God in Heaven punish those

whose false tongues cause grave sighing.

 

there’s no one alive I dare believe

of male or of female gender;

for I have suffered such deceit,

and so these words I tender.

 

know well, I you advise, the one

to whom you swear allegiance;

so many their vows fail to keep at all –

’gainst one such I harbour this grievance

 

there’s no one alive I dare believe

who ever could inform me

that such deceit in you resides

whose forked tongue spoke so warmly.

 

I think I will let things lie now,

there is nothing more to be stated;

your faithless heart is so well known

that to be despised you are fated.