{"id":1014,"date":"2011-05-19T13:41:54","date_gmt":"2011-05-19T13:41:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/norwegian\/?p=1014"},"modified":"2014-08-22T14:53:34","modified_gmt":"2014-08-22T14:53:34","slug":"ja-vi-elsker-dette-landet-norwegian-national-anthem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/norwegian\/ja-vi-elsker-dette-landet-norwegian-national-anthem\/","title":{"rendered":"Ja Vi Elsker Dette Landet-Norwegian National Anthem"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

Gratulerer med dagen, Norge!<\/strong> Happy Birthday Norway! Tuesday was Norway\u00b4s 197th birthday-the first being May 17, 1814 when the Constitution was signed at Eidsvoll. \u00a0 Syttende Mai (pronounced<\/strong> \u00b4soot (like \u00b4foot\u00b4)-ene-my\u00b4is the largest celebration in Norway all year long. \u00a0Families and friends gather to eat, drink, and show their patriotism for their country. \u00a0Of the year\u00b4s time that I have spent in Norway, 17. mai is certainly one of the most fond memories.<\/p>\n

When I\u00b4m at home in Minnesota, I typically attend some sort of 17. mai event, such as frokost (breakfast) at my Alma Mater, St. Olaf, or perhap\u00b4s I\u00b4ll attend a Norwegian Department event. \u00a0Regardless of how I choose to celebrate, the national anthem is usually involved. \u00a0Those of you who are familiar with Norwegian culture probably have heard `Ja Vi Elsker\u00b4before. \u00a0One of \u00b4De fire store\u00b4(The Four Great), Bj\u00f8rnson is recognized in the same league as Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie, and Alexander Kielland. \u00a0Bj\u00f8rnstjerne Bj\u00f8rnson wrote the lyrics to \u00b4Ja Vi Elsker\u00b4 between 1858 and 1869. \u00a0There are 8 modernized and translated verses as follows:<\/p>\n

JA, VI ELSKER DETTE LANDET<\/strong>(Yes, we love this country)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
1<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ja, vi elsker dette landet,<\/td>\nYes, we love this country<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
som det stiger frem,<\/td>\nas it rises forth,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
furet, v\u00e6rbitt over vannet,<\/td>\nrugged, weathered, above the sea,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
med de tusen hjem.<\/td>\nwith the thousands of homes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Elsker, elsker det og tenker<\/td>\nLove, love it and think<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
p\u00e5 v\u00e5r far og mor<\/td>\nof our father and mother<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
og den saganatt som senker<\/td>\nand the saga night that sends<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
dr\u00f8mmer p\u00e5 v\u00e5r jord.<\/td>\ndreams to our earth.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
og den saganatt som senker<\/td>\nand the saga night that sends<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
senker dr\u00f8mmer p\u00e5 v\u00e5r jord.<\/td>\nsends dreams to our earth.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dette landet Harald berget<\/td>\nThis country\u00a0Harald<\/a> united<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
med sin kjemperad,<\/td>\nwith his army of heroes,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
dette landet H\u00e5kon verget<\/td>\nthis country\u00a0H\u00e5kon<\/a> protected<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
medens \u00d8yvind kvad;<\/td>\nwhilst\u00a0\u00d8yvind<\/a> sung;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Olav p\u00e5 det landet malte<\/td>\nupon the country\u00a0Olav<\/a> painted<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
korset med sitt blod,<\/td>\nwith his blood the cross<\/a>,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
fra dets h\u00f8ye Sverre\u00a0talte<\/em><\/td>\nfrom its heights\u00a0Sverre<\/a> spoke<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Roma midt imot.<\/td>\nup against\u00a0Rome<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
B\u00f8nder sine \u00f8kser brynte<\/td>\nFarmers their axes sharpened<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
hvor en h\u00e6r dro frem,<\/td>\nwherever an army advanced,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tordenskiold langs kysten lynte,<\/td>\nTordenskiold<\/a> along the coastline thundered<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
s\u00e5 det lystes hjem.<\/td>\nso that we could see it back home.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kvinner selv stod opp og strede<\/td>\nEven women stood up and fought<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
som de vare menn;<\/td>\nas if they were men;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
andre kunne bare grede,<\/td>\nothers could only cry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
men\u00a0det kom<\/em> igjen!<\/td>\nbut that soon would end!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Visstnok var vi ikke mange,<\/td>\nSure, we were not many<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
men vi strakk dog til,<\/td>\nbut we were enough,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
da vi pr\u00f8vdes noen gange,<\/td>\nwhen we were tested sometimes,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
og det stod p\u00e5 spill;<\/td>\nand it was at stake;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ti vi heller landet brente<\/td>\nwe would rather burn our land<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
enn det kom til fall;<\/td>\nthan to declare defeat;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
husker bare hva som\u00a0hendte<\/em><\/td>\njust remember\u00a0what happened<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ned p\u00e5 Fredrikshald!<\/td>\ndown at\u00a0Fredrikshald<\/a>!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
H\u00e5rde tider har vi d\u00f8yet,<\/td>\nHard times we have coped with,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ble til sist forst\u00f8tt;<\/td>\nwere at last\u00a0disowned<\/a>;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
men i verste n\u00f8d bl\u00e5\u00f8yet<\/td>\nbut in the worst distress, blue-eyed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
frihet ble oss f\u00f8dt.<\/td>\nfreedom<\/a> was to us born.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Det gav faderkraft \u00e5 b\u00e6re<\/td>\nIt gave (us) father’s strength to carry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
hungersn\u00f8d og krig,<\/td>\nfamine and war,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
det gav d\u00f8den selv sin \u00e6re –<\/td>\nit gave death itself its honour –<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
og\u00a0det gav<\/em> forlik.<\/td>\nand it gave reconciliation.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fienden sitt v\u00e5pen kastet,<\/td>\nThe enemy threw away his weapon,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
opp visiret for,<\/td>\nup the visor went,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
vi med undren mot ham hastet,<\/td>\nwe, in wonder, to him hastened,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ti han var v\u00e5r bror.<\/td>\nbecause he was\u00a0our brother<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Drevne frem p\u00e5 stand av skammen<\/td>\nDriven forth to a stand by shame<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
gikk vi s\u00f8derp\u00e5;<\/td>\nwe went to the south;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nu vi st\u00e5r tre br\u00f8dre\u00a0sammen,<\/em><\/td>\nnow we\u00a0three brothers<\/a> stand united,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
og skal s\u00e5dan st\u00e5!<\/td>\nand shall stand like that!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Norske mann i hus og hytte,<\/td>\nNorseman in house and cabin,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
takk din store Gud!<\/td>\nthank your great God!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Landet ville han beskytte,<\/td>\nThe country he wanted to protect,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
skj\u00f8nt det m\u00f8rkt s\u00e5 ut.<\/td>\nalthough things looked dark.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alt hva fedrene har kjempet,<\/td>\nAll the fights fathers have fought,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
m\u00f8drene har grett,<\/td>\nand the mothers have wept,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
har den Herre stille lempet<\/td>\nthe Lord has quietly moved<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
s\u00e5\u00a0vi vant<\/em> v\u00e5r rett.<\/td>\nso we won our rights.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ja, vi elsker dette landet,<\/td>\nYes, we love this country<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
som det stiger frem,<\/td>\nas it rises forth,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
furet, v\u00e6rbitt over vannet,<\/td>\nrugged, weathered, above the sea,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
med de tusen hjem.<\/td>\nwith those thousand homes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Og som fedres kamp har hevet<\/td>\nAnd as the fathers’ struggle has raised<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
det av n\u00f8d til seir,<\/td>\nit from need to victory,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ogs\u00e5 vi, n\u00e5r det blir krevet,<\/td>\neven we, when it is demanded,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
for\u00a0dets fred<\/em> sl\u00e5r leir.<\/td>\nfor its peace will encamp (for defence).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Typically only the 1st and last two verses are sung. \u00a0This anthem is naturally quite historical in nature, but it is also very much political. \u00a0Bj\u00f8rnson (1832-1910) grew up in a time of political unrest. \u00a0Norway had indeed operated under her own Constitution for decades, but was still not an independent country. \u00a0The Union with Sweden dissolved just 5 years prior to Bj\u00f8rnson\u00b4s death. \u00a0He was a vivid spokesman for the Norwegian Left-Wing Movement.<\/p>\n

Bj\u00f8rnson focused a lot of his energy towards the revival of the Norwegian language that had become so influenced by Danish (from the hundreds of years of the Kalmar Union). \u00a0Bj\u00f8rnson supported Ivar Aasen in his quest to research and collect the Norwegian dialects in his mission to create a bondem\u00e5l (national language) from old Norwegian.<\/p>\n

Interestingly enough, there was another verse in the National Anthem:<\/p>\n

\n
Kongen selv staar st\u00e6rk og aapen<\/dd>\n
som vaar Gr\u00e6nsevagt<\/dd>\n
og hans allerbedste Vaapen<\/dd>\n
er vor Broderpagt.<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n

In English this reads:<\/p>\n

\n
The King himself stands strong and open<\/dd>\n
As our border guard<\/dd>\n
and his most powerful weapon<\/dd>\n
is our brethren pact.<\/dd>\n
<\/dd>\n
The verse was a tribute to the acceeded monarch Carl XV. \u00a0Bj\u00f8rnson deleted this verse after the ideal of a Unified Scandinavia was shattered.<\/dd>\n
<\/dd>\n
\u00b4Ja Vi Elsker\u00b4is sung proudly by Norwegians. \u00a0Did you know that the first 7 notes are the same as the traditional Christmas Carol \u00b4Deck the Halls\u00b4? \u00a0Americans sing a little piece of \u00b4Ja Vi Elsker every year:)<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Gratulerer med dagen, Norge! Happy Birthday Norway! Tuesday was Norway\u00b4s 197th birthday-the first being May 17, 1814 when the Constitution was signed at Eidsvoll. \u00a0 Syttende Mai (pronounced \u00b4soot (like \u00b4foot\u00b4)-ene-my\u00b4is the largest celebration in Norway all year long. \u00a0Families and friends gather to eat, drink, and show their patriotism for their country. \u00a0Of…<\/p>\n

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