1. Hälsa dem därhemma (Svensk) - Hils fra mig derhjemme (Dansk) –
Hils fra mig derhjemme (Norsk) – Greet them all at home (English)
(Swedish) (Danish) (English – literal)
1. I den stora tysta natt, I den store tavse nat, In the big silent night,
Står jag här vid skeppets ratt, står jeg her ved skibets rat, I am standing here at the
ship’s helm,
Under himlens stjärnehär, Under himlens stjernehær, Under heaven’s stars,
Man på post mig satt ene og forladt They seated me at my place
(lonesome and left behind).
Efter lång och strävsam dag, Under himlens høje tag, After a long and strenuous
day,
Hör jag fjärran vingeslag, høres fjerne vingeslag, I hear the distant beating of
wings,
Svalors flock som återgår, Fugletrækket atter går, A flock of swallows that go
again,
Mot nord, mot ljus, mot vår mod nord, mod lys og vår. To the north, towards light,
towards spring.
Om jag hade vingar Mine bedste tanker If I only had wings (my best
thoughts)
Flöge jag med dig, følger jer på vej, I would fly with you (I follow
you on the way)
Svala, flyg mot hemmet, Når i fly'r mod hjemmet, Swallow, when you fly home,
Hälsa ifrån mig! hils det, hils fra mig! Greet them all from me!
REFRÄNG:
Hälsa dem därhemma, Hils fra mig derhjemme, Greetings to them at home,
Hälsa far och mor, Hils min far og mor! Greet dad and mom
Hils de grønne bøge, Greet the green beech trees,
Hälsa grona hagen, Hils den blanke fjord Greet the green gardens (the
shining fjord).
Hälsa lillebror hils min far og mor! Greet little brother (my dad
and mom)

2. 2. Lilla Svala, fastän svag, Little swallow, although weak,
Dag och natt, och natt och dag, Day and night, and night and day,
Förer dig till målet Lead forth to the destination
fram snabba vingeslag On rapid beating wings.
Svala tänk också på mig! Swallow also think about me!
Gärna flyger jag med dig! How I would like to fly with you!
Hemma står väl ängen grön, The meadow at home is surely green,
O, svala hör min bön. Oh, swallow, hear my prayer.
Langt mod syd og Long to the south and
højt mod nord, high towards the north,
øst og vest, east and west,
hvor palmer gror where palm trees grow
Lever unge danske mænd, Young Danish men live,
der ud fra hjemmet for, who left their home,
Hundred tusinder af mil Hundreds of thousands of miles
skiller os fra venners smil; Separate us from our friends’
smiles;
Svale flyv fra sted til sted Swallows fly from place to place,
og tag en hilsen med And take a greeting with you.
Hils fra mig derhjemme, Greet them all at home,
Hils og bring dem bud! Greet them and bring my
message!
Bed dem aldrig glemme, Ask them to never forget us,
Os, som rejste ud We who travelled away.
Intet har vi elsket, Nothing have we loved,
højt som hjemmets navn; As much as our home’s name;
Sig dem det og hils dem, Tell them that and greet them,
hils i København! Greet Copenhagen!
PARTIAL NORWEGIAN TRANSLATION (Same as Danish translation into English)!
Hils fra meg der hjemme
I den stille tause natt står jeg her ved skipets ratt,
under himlens stjernevell,ene og forlatt.
Under himlens høye tak høres fjerne vingeslag,
fugletrekket atter går mot nord, mot lyse vår.
Hils fra meg der hjemme,hils min far og mor,
hils de grønne lier og den blanke fjord Greet the green hills and the shining fjord.
Hvis jeg hadde vinger, fløy jeg hjem med deg
til de lyse netter. Hils dem! Hils fra meg.
“Hils fra mig Derhjemme” was first published in Denmark in The lyrics were by a revue artist
named Ludvig Brandstrup ( ). The music was by Elith Worsing ( ). It was sung
at the Deutsch-Schwedische Gesellschaft Heidelberg e.V. in the 1980s, and heard at the Elkhorn,
Iowa Danish Tivoli Fest in 2010 (To be held on 26-27May2012 this year).
“ Hils fra mig Derhjemme” was at first regarded as a sailor song, but in America it became a beloved
expression of the immigrant's longing for the home country. Perhaps more than any other Scandinavian song it captures the intense love of the immigrants for their homeland, and the pain that separation from family and friends they suffered when sailing across the wide Atlantic to America.
Tekst: Ludvig Brandstrup 1922