Da jeg var lille
Der var en Tid, da jeg var meget lille,
Min hele Krop var kun en Alen lang;
Sødt, naar jeg denne tænker, Taarer trille,
Og derfor tænker jeg den mangen Gang.
Jeg spøged i min ømme Moders Arme,
Og sad til Hest paa bedste Faders Knæ,
Og kiendte Frygt og Grublen, Sorg og Harme,
Saa lidt som Penge, Græsk, og Galathe.
Da syntes mig, vor Jord var meget mindre,
Men og tillige meget mindre slem;
Da saae jeg Stiernerne som Prikker tindre,
Og ønskte Vinger for at fange dem.
Da saae jeg Maanen ned bag Høyen glide,
Og tænkte: gid jeg var paa Høyen der!
Saa kunde jeg dog rigtig faae at vide
Hvoraf, hvor stor, hvor rund, hvor kiøn den er!
Da saae jeg undrende Guds Sol at dale
Mod Vesten ned i Havets gyldne Skiød,
Og dog om Morgnen, tidlig atter male
Den hele Himmelegn i Østen rød.
Og tænkte paa den naadige Gud Fader,
Som skabte mig, og denne smukke Sol,
Og alle disse Nattens Perlerader,
Som krandse Himmelbuen Pol til Pol.
Med barnlig Andagt bad min unge Læbe
Den Bøn, min fromme Moder lærte mig:
O gode Gud! o lad mig altid stræbe,
At vorde viis, og god, og lyde dig!
Saa bad jeg for min Fader, for min Moder,
Og for min Søster, og den hele Bye;
Og for Kong Christian, og for den Stodder,
Som gik mig krum og sukkende forbi.
De svandt, de svandt de Barndoms blide Dage!
Min Rolighed, min Fryd med dem svandt hen;
Jeg kun Erindringen har nu tilbage:
Gud lad mig aldrig, aldrig tabe den!
When I was small
There was a time when I was very small
A mere two feet was all I measured then;
And, when I think of this, tears sweetly fall,
So I think of it time and time again.
In tender mother’s arms in play I grew
And on dear father’s knee to ride I’d seek,
Of fear and brooding, grief and wrath I knew
As little as of gold and ancient Greek.
The earth much smaller then to me did seem
But at the same time much less evil too:
Then did I see the stars like bright dots gleam,
And wished for wings to seize them as I flew.
I saw the moon then slide behind the hill,
And thought: If only I were standing there!
Then I can really find out if I will
Of what it is – how big, how round, how fair!
I saw the sun then in amazement dive
Into the sea’s gold lap far in the West
And yet at early dawn once more contrive
To have the Eastern sky in crimson dressed.
And of my Heav’nly Father did I think
Who me and this fine sun created whole,
And all these nighttime pearls on their great string
That span the starry vault from pole to pole.
With reverential lips did I repeat
The prayer my pious mother had me say:
O gracious God! Oh let me always seek
To be both wise and good, and You obey!
I prayed then for my father and my mother,
And for my sister and for all the town;
And for King Christian, and for the poor beggar
Who passed me by, deep sighing and bent down.
All gone, all gone, my childhood’s golden lustre!
My peace of mind, my joy with them are gone;
The memory of them is all that I can muster:
May I, please God, ne’er lose what once so shone!
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