Danish hymn, written in 1843 by the poet Bernhard Severin Ingemann (1789-1862).

Originally intended to be sung with four-line stanzas to a melody composed by H.L. Hassler in 1601, and used for the hymn Befal du dine veje ("Command thou thy ways"). Can also be sung as eight-line stanzas (paired four-line stanzas) to H.O.C. Zinck's 1801 melody for the hymn Jeg ved, på hvem jeg bygger ("I know upon whom I build").

See Through the night of doubt and sorrow for Tiefling's excellent writeup on the English translation of this, and alternate melodies.


Igennem nat og trængsel

Igennem nat og trængsel
går sjælens valfartsgang
med stille håb og længsel,
med dyb forventnings sang.

Det gennem natten luer,
det lysner gennem sky –
til broder broder skuer
og kender ham på ny.

Vor nat det lys oplive,
som aldrig slukkes ud!
Ét sind os alle give
i trængsel trøstens Gud!

Ét hjerte kærligt lue
i hver korsdragers bryst!
Én Gud, til hvem vi skue!
Én tro, ét håb, én trøst!

Én røst fra tusind munde!
Én ånd i tusinds røst!
Én fred, hvortil vi stunde!
Én frelsens, nådens kyst!

Én sorg, ét savn, én længsel!
Én Fader her og hist!
Én udgang af al trængsel!
Ét liv i Jesus Krist!

Så gå vi med hverandre
den store pilgrimsgang.
Til Golgata vi vandre
i ånd, med bøn og sang.

Fra kors fra grav vi stige
med salig lov og pris
til den opstandnes rige,
til frelsens Paradis.


What follows is an attempt at a literal, non-poetic translation, to give you the sense of the text (while spectacularly missing the grandeur of the poetry, but that's the way the cookie crumbles):

Through night and hardship

Through night and hardship
goes the pilgrimage of the soul
with quiet hope and longing,
with the song of deep expectation.

It gloweth through the night,
it shineth through obscuring clouds –
brother looks to brother
and knows him once again.

Our night is enlivened by the light,
that never is extinguished!
We are are all granted one spirit
in our hardship by the God of solace!

One heart burns with love
in the bosom of each who carries the cross!
One God, to whom we look!
One faith, one hope, one solace!

One voice from a thousand mouths!
One spirit in the speech of thousands!
One peace, toward which we sail!
One coast of salvation and grace!

One sorrow, one yearning, one longing!
One Father here and now!
One end to all our hardship!
One life in Jesus Christ!

Thus go we with each other
upon the grand pilgrimage.
To Golgotha we wander
in spirit, with prayer and song.

From cross, from grave we rise
with blessed praise
to the kingdom of the resurrected one,
to the Paradise of salvation.


Part of the Everything Hymnal


Original poetic text by Ingemann, translated (as prose) 2002 by Peter Ravn Rasmussen and herewith placed in the public domain.


MIDI files for the two different melodies, spotted at:

  • Befal du dine veje: http://w1.1595.telia.com/~u159500655/koraler/ddk/ddk022a.mid
  • Jeg ved, på hvem jeg bygger: http://w1.1595.telia.com/~u159500655/koraler/ddk/ddk215.mid

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