ja, vi elsker dette landet

The Norwegian national anthem is called Ja, vi elsker dette landet. The lyrics were written by Bjrnstjerne Bjrnson between 1859 and 1868, and the melody was written by his cousin Rikard Nordraak in 1864. It was first performed publicly on 17 May 1864 in connection with the 50th anniversary of the constitution. Usually only the first and the last two verses are sung.

Lyrics

(for additional translations in German, Estonian and partially Esperanto, see those Wikipedias)

  1.  Ja, vi elsker dette landet,       Yes, we love this country  som det stiger frem,              as it rises forth,  furet, vrbitt over vannet,       rocky, weathered, above the sea,  med de tusen hjem.                with those thousand homes.  Elsker, elsker det og tenker      Loving, loving it and thinking  p vr far og mor                 about our father and mother  og den saganatt som senker        and the saga night that sends  drmme p vr jord.               dreams to our earth.  Og den saganatt som senker,       And the saga night that sends,   senker drmme p vr jord.        sends dreams to our earth.

  2.  Dette landet Harald berget        This country Harald saved  med sin kjemperad,                with his giant fleet,  dette landet Hkon verget         this country Hkon protected  medens yvind kvad;               whilst yvind sung;  Olav p det landet malte          Olav painted the country  korset med sitt blod,             with a cross of his blood,  fra dets hye Sverre talte        from its heights Sverre spoke  Roma midt imot.                   up against Rome.

  3.  Bnder sine kser brynte          Farmers their axes sharpened  hvor en hr dro frem,             as the army came,  Tordenskiold langs kysten lynte,  Tordenskiold around the coastline thundered  s den lystes hjem.               so that we could see it back home.  Kvinner selv stod opp og strede   Even women stood up and fought  som de vare menn;                 as if they were men;  andre kunne bare grede,           others could only cry  men det kom igjen!                but that soon would end!

  4.  Visstnok var vi ikke mange,       Sure, we were not many  men vi strakk dog til,            but we were enough,  da vi prvdes noen gange,         when they challenged us  og det stod p spill;             and it was at stake;  ti vi heller landet brente        we rather let our country burn  enn det kom til fall;             than be defeated;  husker bare hva som hendte        just remember what happened  ned p Fredrikshald!              at Fredrikshald!

  5.  Hrde tider har vi dyet,         Hard times we have coped with,  ble til sist forsttt;            were at last disowned;  men i verste nd blyet          but in the worst suffer, blue-eyed  frihet ble oss fdt.              freedom was to us born.  Det gav faderkraft  bre         It gave (us) father's strength to carry  hungersnd og krig,               famine and war,  det gav dden selv sin re -      it gave death itself its honour -  og det gav forlik.                and it gave compromise.

  6.  Fienden sitt vpen kastet,        The enemy threw away his weapon,  opp visiret for,                  up the visor went,  vi med undren mot ham hastet,     we, in wonder, to him hasted,  ti han var vr bror.              because he was our brother.  Drevne frem p stand av skammen   Driven onto stand by the shame  gikk vi sderp;                  we went to the south;  nu vi str tre brdre sammen,     now we three brothers stand united,  og skal sdan st!                and shall stand like that!

  7.  Norske mann i hus og hytte,       Norwegian man in house and cottage,  takk din store Gud!               thank your great God!  Landet ville han beskytte,        He would protect the country,  skjnt det mrkt s ut.           even though it looked dark.  Alt hva fedrene har kjempet,      And as the fathers have fought,  mdrene har grett,                and the mothers have wept,  har den Herre stille lempet       the Lord has quietly moved  s vi vant vr rett.              so we won our rights.

  8.  Ja, vi elsker dette landet,       Yes, we love this country  som det stiger frem,              as it looms up,  furet, vrbitt over vannet,       rocky and weathered, above the sea,  med de tusen hjem.                with its thousand homes.  Og som fedres kamp har hevet      And as the fathers' struggle has raised  det av nd til seir,              it from poverty to victory,  ogs vi, nr det blir krevet,     even so will we, when demanded,  for dets fred slr leir.          for its peace to stay.