Hans Christian Andersen: 'I det brændende Skib, paa det rullende Hav'

 

Steamship 'Austria' in 1857

I det brændende Skib, paa det rullende Hav

 

† Henriette Wulff

(Paa Dampskibet „Austria”, den 13de Septbr. 1858)

 

I det brændende Skib, paa det rullende Hav,

I Rædsler, som ei vi udholde at høre,

Har du lidt, har du endt, har Du fundet din Grav,

Dødsmaaden og Kampen naae aldrig vort Øre!

 

Du dristige, kraftfulde Sjæl, Du dig holdt

I et skrøbeligt Legem; høit stod Du i Vrimlen,

Og aldrig dit ildfulde Hjerte blev koldt;

Her Faa kun forstod Dig, men Flere i Himlen!

 

Du var mig en Søster deeltagende stærk,

Min Sjæl holdt Du oppe, naar Verden mig traadte,

Du kjendte, forstod mig, og det er dit Værk,

At tit jeg ei sank, naar synke jeg maatte.

 

Det falske, det Tomme, det Bjældeklangs Smaa

Har Hobens Beskyttelse, bæres af Strømmen,

Dens Løb ei forandres —, Skumbølgerne gaae,

Og Jordlivet gaaer,- det er endt snart, som Drømmen.

 

Farvel min Veninde fra Barndommens Aar!

Du var mig meer god, end jeg det fortjente,

Nu har du stridt ud – ; hos en Broder Du staaer,

Med hvem alt paa Jorden Dig Længsel foreente.

 

Din Kiste blev Havet, det rullende Hav,

Og Indskriften over Dig staaer i vort Hjerte,

Din Sjæl er i Himlen, der Herren Dig gav

Lyksalighed tifold for Dødsstundens Smerte.

 

I det brændende Skib paa det rullende Hav,

I Rædsler, som ei vi udholde at høre,

Har Du lidt, har Du endt, har Du fundet din Grav,

Dødsmaaden og Kampen naae aldrig vort Øre

 

 

(To understand verse 5, it is important to know that Henriette’s brother, Christian Wulff, died of yellow fever in 1856, while stationed in Beaufort, North Carolina.)

 

 

 

On the ship all ablaze, on the deep, rolling sea

 

† Henriette Wulff

(On the steamship ‘Austria’, 13 Sept. 1858)

 

On the ship all ablaze, on the deep, rolling sea,

In horrors our ears simply could not endure,

You have suffered and died, there your grave came to be,

Though the way that you perished will never be sure.

 

In a frail human frame did your bold, daring soul

Have to dwell; in a crowd though was well to the fore,

And your spirited heart never came to turn cold;

Here few understood you, but in heaven far more!

 

A sister were you to me, caring by nature,

My soul you sustained when the world was against me,

You knew my true being and never did waver

To keep me from sinking, when none would befriend me.

 

The false and the empty, the tinkling of brass

Gains most folk’s protection, is borne by the stream,

Its course does not alter – the foam-topped waves pass

And earthly life too – it soon ends, like a dream.

 

Farewell, dearest friend since my childhood’s first years!

Your kindness to me was sustained and exceeding,

You’ve taken your leave  –; and a brother stands near

With whom all on earth made you long for remeeting.

 

The waves are your coffin, the deep, rolling sea

The written inscription’s engraved in our heart,

Your soul is in heaven , where God’s bliss shall be

Tenfold for your anguish at having to part.

 

On the ship all ablaze, on the deep, rolling sea,

In horrors our ears simply could not endure,

You have suffered and died, there your grave came to be,

Though the way that you perished will never be sure.