Transkripsjon

HIMMELBREV

Et brev i Kirken i St. Germana, fra Tydsk oversat paa Dansk
Aar 1720
Michael
Hvo, som vil tage fat paa dette brev,
For den viger det tilside
Men hvo, som vil afskrive det, for den
bukker det og lukker sig op.
Dette Brev har Gud selv skrevet, og ved Engelen Michael nedsendt til os paa Jorden, hvilket er med forgyldte Bogstaver, og at see i Kirken til St. Germain eller Grondoria kaldet, hvor samme Brev svæver over Daaben.

Et alvorligt Varselsraab
Til den paa Afgrundens Bred allerede ravende
Daare, om han endnu staaer til at hjælpe.

Mel. Den prægtig’ Sol, &c.

O see dog op, du syndedysset Daare!
Seer du dog ei din store Sjælefare,
O, seer du ei Afgrundens dybe Svælg;
Snart styrter du, hvo skal dig da gjenhente?
Mon der er nogen Udgang at forvente
Fra Helvede?

O du, som gaaer paa Syndens Natteveie,
Og vælter dig i Lasters skidne Leie,
For Dagens blide Lys du frygter dig,
Du kaster dig i Skjøgens troløs’ Arme,
Betænkend’ ei den Ild og Helvedvarme,
Der venter dig.

O, kunde du dog ei gaae hen at hvile
Din trætte Krop, og see Guds Engle smile
Om Seng og Sovested saa mildt og blidt,
Og efter qvægsom Ro og Natteleie
Gaae paa dit Kalds og Embeds lovlig’ Veie,
Med Munterhed.

Hvor vil du hen, naar Alt paa Jorden svinder?
Naar ingen Kraft til Synden meer du finder?
Naar Lyst og Leeg og Alt forlader dig?
Hvor vil du hen, du arme Syndedaare!
Naar man udbærer dig paa Dødens Baare?
Hvor skal din Sjæl?

Jo det er klart og meget let at vente,
Den du i Tiden her saa trolig tjente,
Hos ham du Løn og Rente vist skal faae;
For hvert et møisomt Fjed paa Syndens Veie
Skal han i hiint, det mørke Helvedleie,
Gjengjælde dig.

Hvo lyser for dig udi Nattens Mørke?
Hvo giver dig den Kraft og Helvedstyrke
At trodse Gud og alle Godes Raad?
Hvo vandrer med dig da, naar Andre sove?
Hvo bad dig gaae og Værket dristig vove?
Hvad er hans Navn?

Jo det er han, den sorte Helveddrage,
Som tænker herved engang dig at tage
Og kaste dig i evigt Mørke ned,
Hvor du skal høste Frugten af din Møie,
Hvor aldrig meer dit syndelystne Øie
En Udvei seer.

O, vend dog om! det er din egen Baade
Og lad dig dog endnu i Tide raade,
At sørge for din dyrekjøbte Sjæl.
Hvor vil du hen, naar du herfra skal flytte?
Vil du da gjøre et saa usselt Bytte?
Betænk det vel!

O, hør min Ven! og hør et Ord i Tide!
See Naadens Sol, hvor snart den kan nedglide
Og alle Døre lukkes til for dig.
Omfavn din Gud med Bøn og Troens Arme,
Saa vil hans milde Hjerte sig forbarme
Og frelse dig.

Den, som arbeider om Søndagen, er fordømt, derfor formaner jeg Eder, at I ikke arbeide om Søndagen, enten paa Eders Gods, eller gjøre noget andet Arbeide; men I skulle flittigen gaae til Kirken og læse med Andagt, ikke smykke Eders Ansigter eller kruse Eders Haar, ei heller bedrive Verdens Hoffærdighed; men meddele den Fattige af Eders Rigdom og troe, at jeg dette Brev med min guddommelige Haand fra Jesus Christus har udsendt, at I ikke gjøre som de ufornuftige Dyr. Jeg giver Eder sex Dage om Ugen at arbeide i og om Søndagen aarle at gaae i Kirken og høre Guds Ord med Andagt: Gjøre I Ikke dette, saa vil jeg straffe Eder med Pestilentse og med Krig og Dyrtid. Jeg formaner Eder, at I ikke arbeide for sildig om Løverdagen; men at Hver og En, Ung og Gammel, om Søndagen gaaer aarle i Kirken og beder for Eders Synder: beder, at de blive Eder forladne. Bander ikke vredagtigen ved mit Navn, begjærer ikke Sølv eller Guld og seer ikke efter kjødelige Lyster og Begjærligheder; thi saa snart som jeg har skabt Eder, saa snart kan jeg ogsaa ødelægge Eder.
Endnu siger jeg: den Ene skal ikke slaae den Anden ihjel, enten med Haand eller Tunge; værer ikke falske imod Eders Næste i hans Fraværelse; glæder Eder ikke ved Eders Gods og Rigdom; ærer Fader og Moder; taler ikke falskt Vidnesbyrd imod Eders Næste: saa giver jeg Eder Sundhed og Fred; men Hvo, som ikke troer dette Brev og retter sig derefter, den er fordømt og skal hverken have Lykke eller Velsignelse. Jeg siger Eder: at jeg, Christus, selv har skrevet dette Brev med min egen Haand, og Hvo, som modsiger det, den er forladt af mig og har aldrig nogen hjælp at forvente. Den Ene skal meddele den Anden Copie af dette Brev, og om I have gjort saa mange Synder, som Sandkorn i Havet, og saa mange som Løv paa Træerne, ja saa mange, som der er Stjerner paa Himmelen, skulle de være Eder forladne, naar I følge mine Bud. Tro alvorlig, hvad dette Brev lærer og siger Eder; Hvo det ikke troer, den skal døe! Omvender Eder af Hjertet, dersom I ikke ville pines evindelig; thi naar jeg tilspørger Eder paa den yderste Dag, da kunne I ikke mig Svar for Eders Synders Skyld.
Hver den, som har dette Brev i sit Huus og bærer det i sit Hjerte, den skal hverken Lynild eller Tordenslag gjøre Skade, og I skulle være frie for Ilds- og Vandsnød. Hvilken Kone, som bærer dette Brev hos sig og følger dets Befalinger, hun skal bringe en forønsket og velsignet Frugt til Verden!

Holder mine Bud, som jeg ved Engelen Michael har sendt Eder! Jeg, jeg, Amen, Amen.

Trykt og forlagt hos Fr. D. Beyer i Bergen.

Translation

A letter in the Church in St. Germana, translated to Danish from German
Year 1720
Michael

Whoever will try to get hold of this letter,
It turns away from him.
But whoever, will copy it, to him
it bows and opens up.

This letter was written by God himself, and sent down to earth via the Archangel Michael. It is with gilded letters and can be seen in the Church of St. Germain (also called Grondoria), where the same letter hangs over the baptismal font.

A serious warning
to the raving fool on the brink of the abyss,
if he can still be helped.

Melody: The Magnificent Sun &c

O, look up, you fool, shaken by sin,
Don’t you see the great risk for your soul,
O, don’t you see the mouth of the abyss,
Soon you fall, who will take you up again?
Is there really any exit to expect
from Hell?

O you, who walks on the night tracks of sin,
and is overturned in the dirty beds of the burdens,
You are afraid of the blissful light of day,
You throw yourself to the arms of the faithless whore
without considering the fire and the heat of hell
that awaits you.

O, couldn’t you go there and rest
your tired body, and see God’s angel smile
for bed and resting place so mild and blissful.
And after a reinvigorating calm and night-rest
follow your call’s and duty’s just ways
in high spirits.

Where will you go when everything on earth dwindles?
When you don’t find any longer strength to commit sins?
When lust and game and everything abandons you?
Where will you go, you poor and fool sinner?
When you are carried on death’s bed?
Where will your Soul go?

Indeed, it is simple and very easy to expect that –
the one you faithfully served during the time you were allotted here –
that you will receive from him your salary and your rent.
For every laborious step on the path of Sin
He will repay you with the dark abode of Hell.

Who lights for you out in the dark of night?
Who gives you the power and the hellish strength
to challenge God and all God’s orders?
Who wanders with you when the others sleep?
Who asked you to go and weave the shameless deed?
What is his name?

Yes, it is him, the black dragon of hell,
Who makes plans to take you one day
and throw you down into the eternal darkness
where you will sow the fruit of your toil;
where never again will your lustful eye
see an exit.

O, turn around! It’s your own ship
And let yourself receive even as late as now advice,
To protect your precious soul.
Where will you go when you will fly away from here?
Will you then make such a bad deal?
Think this well!

O, listen my friend! And hear one word in good time!
See the Sun of mercy, how quickly it can slide down,
and all the doors be locked for you.
Embrace your God with prayer and the arms of faith,
so, his mild heart will have mercy on you
and give you salvation.


The one who works on Sunday is condemned. Therefore, I exhort you not to work on Sunday, either on your property, or doing any other job; but you should diligently go to the church and read with devotion, without adorning your faces nor rippling your hair, nor again indulge in courtesies; but share your riches with the poor, and believe that I have sent out this letter with my divine hand from Jesus Christ, so that you do not act like irrational animals. I give you six days a week to work and Sunday to go early to the church and hear God’s Word with devotion. If you do not do this, I will punish you with pestilence and war and dire times. I exhort you not to work late on Saturday; but that each one, old and young, go early to church on Sunday and pray for your sins; pray that you are forgiven of your sins. Do not swear on my Name with anger, do not long for silver and gold, and do not seek carnal pleasures and greediness. For just as I have created you, likewise I can also destroy you.

Moreover, I say: one will not strike the other, neither with hand nor with tongue; do not be false against your neighbor in his absence; do not be glad for your property and wealth; respect father and mother; do not give false testimony against your neighbor. Then, I give you health and peace. But the one, who does not believe in this letter and obey to it, is condemned and will have neither happiness nor blessing. I tell you that: I, the Christ, have written myself this letter with my own hand, and whoever speaks against it is abandoned by me and cannot ever expect any help. One will share copies of this letter with the other, and if you have committed as many sins as the sand grains in the sea, and as many as the leaves on the trees, indeed, so many as the stars in the sky, they will be forgiven, when you follow my commandments. Believe seriously what this letter teaches and tells you. The one who does not believe will die! Convert wholeheartedly, if you do not wish to be punished eternally. For when I will judge you on the last day, then you cannot excuse your sins. Everyone who has this letter in one’s own house and carries it in one’s own heart will not be affected by lightning, nor thunder will make harm, and you will be acquitted from the catastrophes by fire and water. Each wife who carries this letter and follows its orders will bring to the world a much wanted and blessed fruit! Keep my commandments that I’ve sent to you through my Angel Michael. I, I, Amen, Amen.

Printed and published by Fr. D. Beyer in Bergen.