Poetry Monday :: Epiphany or Seed :: Updated

Today is Epiphany. Time to undress the Christmas tree and put it outside - poor thing; we have sleet and 2 degrees above zero. It's time to take down the big window advent calendar. And while I do so, I'll be composing a poem for today, Poetry Monday ... at least I hope this will happen. Else you're in for a re-post from another year.

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I dag er det Hellig tre kongers dag. Tid til at afpynte juletræet og sætte det udenfor; stakkels træ, det er slud og to grader varmt og blæsende. Knapt nok vejr at jage et juletræ ud i. Det er tid til at tage den store adventskalender ned fra vinduet. Og mens jeg gør det, tænker jeg over dagens mandagsdigt. Ind til videre dette lille, kun let gnavne opstød:

Sluk det du tænder,
og tænd det du slukker.
Luk det du åbner,
og åbn det du lukker.
Læg tingene tilbage hvorfra de kom,
eller smid det ud hvis tingen den er tom.

De hellig tre konger så hjertensglad er en herlig melodi, med sjove fødder og interessante rim. Jeg har prøvet at oversætte den til engelsk ... om det er lykkedes, ved jeg ikke, men originalen kan høres i en gammel indspilning nedenfor.

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In church yesterday we sang this tune - I don't really want to call it a hymn, because the melody is a lilting dance. I tried translating/recreating it so that it can be sung to the tune and mostly rhymes and have equivalent meaning. I hope I just somewhat succeeded. Link to an old rendering of the tune below.

De hellig tre konger så hjertensglad fra hjemmet de droge til Betlehems stad, de toge sig for den rejse så lang at finde Jesus i krybben trang.	The holy three kings so happy at heart from home a journey so long did they start. They travelled to Betlehem far away to find a babe, in a manger he lay.
En stjerne dem viste til Jødeland og hen til den himmelske frelsermand, og barnet de fandt så dejlig og skær hos okse og asen i stalden der.	A star shone over their journey each day led them to the saviour-king in the hay And a child they did find, lovely and fair With oxes and ass in the stable there
Og ned så faldt de på deres knæ, da barnet derinde de fik at se, og røgelse, myrra og røden guld de ofred den Herre så frydefuld.	And down they finally fell to their knees, as they saw the heavenly child, King of Peace, And frankincense, myrrh and precious gold they gave to the child as was former foretold.
Så droge de hjemad til deres land og prisede Gud, deres skabermand. Lad os og falde den drot til fod, ham ofre et angerfuldt hjerte og mod!	And then they went homewards each to his realm and praised their Creator with glee overwhelmed. Let us also fall to our knees before Him And give him our heart filled with thanks to the brim!
Han er den Jakobs-stjerne klar, en kvist af Israel åbenbar, en kilde, der springer af nåde stor, en Herre over alt englekor.	He is the star of Jacob we know, a sprout of Israel that we see grow, a fountain that springs with graces for all, a Lord of angelic choirs - born in a stall.
Thi bør os stedse at være glad med frydesang udi allen stad, indtil vi hos ham, vor glæde kom fra, kan synge det evige halleluja!	For this we ought to be glad and rejoice with blissful singing and joyous noise, until we in Him - the source of our joy - eternally sing our hallelujah!
Tekst: Peder Nielsen Kjøge 1693. Melodi: Østrigsk julevise	Lilting translation by MotherOwl, Christmas 2024. Music: Christmas song from Austria

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Up and coming:
January 6: Seed / Epiphany (today)
January 13: Fiction  
January 20: Sheep
January 27: Silver