Carl Ploug (1813-94): 'Modersmaalet'

 

MODERSMAALET 

Den 4de Januar 1843.

 

Du Danske, som kan høre 

De velske Toners Flugt,

Hvi finder dog dit Øre 

Vort simple Sprog saa smukt?

Veed du, som vidt har vanket,

Hvorfor din Kind blev rød,

Hvorfor dit Hjerte banked,

Naar Hjemmets Tale lød? 

 

Fordi den Sjæl, som lever 

I Folkets tause Bryst,

Som det i Modgang hæver

Og trodser Kampens Dyst, 

Som i dets Idræt præger

Sin Fylde og sin Magt,

— Er den, der sig bevæger

i Sprogets Rhytmedragt: —

 

Fordi, naar Tanken svinge 

Sig dristigt vil og vidt, 

Paa Modersmaalets Vinge

Den kun kan flyve frit;

Og nynne kan vort Hjerte

Kun Tonerne, hvori

Vi lærte Livets Smerte

Og Livets Poesi.

 

 

THE MOTHER TONGUE

4 January 1843

 

You Dane who can’t help hearing

Strange foreign notes in flight,

Why do you find endearing

Our tongue that’s deemed so slight?

Why did your cheek start blushing,

Oh you who far have roamed,

Why did your heart start rushing

When hearing sounds from home?

 

Because the soul that’s dwelling

In our folk’s silent breast,

Which makes it start repelling

And fighting when repressed,

Which in its endless striving

Displays its force aright

– Is what, in language thriving,

Is clad in rhythmic might: –

 

Because, if thoughts soar swinging

Up boldly, far and wide,

On our own tongue they’re winging,

Then only freely glide;

And our hearts are set heaving

Alone by notes which we

Have gleaned from all life’s grieving

And all life’s poetry.

 

There are in fact four more verses to the poem. You can find the full version here:

 

In the last verse, Peter Hiort Lorenzen (1791-1845) is praised as a symbol of courage and tenacity in the fight for the mother tongue and Danish identity. He was a Danish merchant and politician from Haderslev and a champion of the Danish language in Schleswig. In the 1840s, he became well-known for insisting on speaking Danish in the Assembly of the Estates, where it was mandatory to speak German.