It’s okay if it’s outdated language, I just want to make sure it’s native sounding and correct!
This is the text engraved on the Norwegian-made wood stove my family had as a child. We lost it in the 2008-10 recession along with my childhood home. I found years later that the last sentence roughly translated to [god pray this flame never burn out]) and I thought it was beautifully symbolic of my lost childhood I never want to forget. Pls help and let me know if it makes any sense to you! Thanks
16 comments
«I bury my flame late at night
When the day is over, God make so that my flame never gets put out»
Really old spelling though
It’s not 100% grammatically correct for modern Norwegian, but I’m unsure if that is because it uses old-fashioned language or because it want it to flow better poetically. Mainly, second line “kveld” would normally be “kvelden”. But it’s 100% native sounding, the potential grammatical mistake has the air of being a deliberate choice natives sometimes do to make the language sound better in poems and verses.
My dog stung by bee
Then Johhny Depp, he
Wouldn’t stop beat me
Now, wealth I get, hee hee
Its somewhat similar in grammar
It sort of rhymes and is more poetic than grammatically correct.
It is also is using some old written dialect.
This is the [Jøtul F118](https://www.jotul.com/products/wood-stoves/f-118-cb-black-bear), in case you’d ever want to look into getting one. It has been discontinued, but (at least in Norway) there is a market for used wood stoves, so you might be able to get one.
‘I rake my fire / late at night / when day is over / God grant my fire / never burns out’
The spelling is archaic and the language is arranged for the poem to have rhythm and rhyme, but it is certainly Norwegian, and will make sense to any native speaker today.
Perfect grammar and spelling, just outdated for today.
It’s not even off for poetic licence, this would have been taught in school at the time.
You are the second person in a month to post that quote/wood stove. Or are you the one who posted it before?
This is correct. Was on a lot of stoves back in the day as a reminder of how far humanity had come, having safe access to fire.
yes
I remember my grandfather had this text on his wood stove. During the season it was in use the fire in that one indeed never died out. He would get up early in the morning and rake the embers left from the previous night and add some fresh wood to keep it going. It got insane hot and I was not allowed to go nowhere near it because obviously I would have hurt myself but it kept the entire house warm and comfy during winter.
yup
I recognize this poem from the oven in my childhood home
yes
Entirely legible and grammatically correct.
Some of the spelling looks western Norwegian, like ‘Eg’ and ‘Slokna’ but some of the words like ‘Naar’ and ‘Slut’ seems danish to me.
Well since you had it translated and confirmed, figured I’d contribute a modern version so you can see how our language is different now.
Jeg graver ned min ild
Sent om kvelden
Når dagen er slutt
Gud gi min ild
Aldri slokne ut
(word for word translation)
I dig down my flame
Late at night
When day is over
God give my flame
Never extinguish out