DANISH LYRICS

Der er et yndigt land,  
det står med brede bøge  
nær salten østerstrand;  
nær salten østerstrand; 
det bugter sig i bakke, dal,  
det hedder gamle Danmark,  
og det er Frejas Sal  
og det er Frejas Sal 
 
Der sad i fordums tid  
de harniskklædte kæmper,  
udhvilede fra strid;  
udhvilede fra strid;  
så drog de frem til fjenders mén  
nu hvile deres bene  
bag højens bautasten  
bag højens bautasten 
 
Det land endnu er skønt,  
thi blå sig søen bælter,  
og løvet står så grønt;  
og løvet står så grønt; 
og ædle kvinder, skønne mø'r  
og mænd og raske svende  
bebo de danskes øer  
bebo de danskes øer   
 
Hil drot og fædreland!  
Hil hver en danneborger,  
som virker, hvad han kan!  
som virker, hvad han kan! 
Vort gamle Danmark skal bestå,  
så længe bøgen spejler  
sin top i bølgen blå  
sin top i bølgen blå   

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ENGLISH TRANSLATION
 
I know a lovely land  
With spreading, shady beeches  
Near Baltic's salty strand;  
Near Baltic's salty strand;   
Its hills and valleys gently fall,  
Its ancient name is Denmark,  
And it is Freya's hall  
And it is Freya's hall   
 
There in the ancient days  
The armoured vikings rested  
Between their bloody frays  
Between their bloody frays  
Then they went forth the foe to face,  
Now found in stone-set barrows,  
Their final resting place  
Their final resting place   
 
This land is still as fair,  
The sea is blue around it,  
And peace is cherished there.  
And peace is cherished there.  
Strong men and noble women still  
Uphold their country's honour  
With faithfulness and skill  
With faithfulness and skill   
 
Praise King and Country with might  
Bless every Dane at heart  
For serving with no fright  
For serving with no fright  
The Viking kingdom for Danes is true  
With fields and waving beeches  
By a sea so blue  
By a sea so blue

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Denmark
"Der er et yndigt land" (There Is A Lovely Land)

Words by:Adam Gottlob Oehlenschläger
Music by:Hans Ernst Krøyer
Adopted:1844

"Derer et yndigt land" was first performed for a large gathering of Danes in
1844, and became popular quickly with the Danish people. It was adopted later
that year by the Danish government as a national anthem, but not the sole
national anthem. This anthem is on equal status with "Kong_Christian", which is
both the national and royal anthem.

When the Danish anthem is usually performed or sung, the first verse is played
in its entirety, then it is followed by the last four lines of the last verse.
(This is true whether the lyrics are sung or not.)

Special thanks to:Josh Lim and Hans Henrik Larsen for some of this information.

See also: Denmark_(royal_anthem), Faeroe_Islands, Greenland.
