The Norwegian national anthem is called Ja, vi elsker dette landet. The melody was written by Rikard Nordraak in 1864, and the lyrics were written by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson in 1870. Usually only the first and the last two verses are sung.

Lyrics

(for additional partial translations, at least in German and Esperanto, see those Wikipedias)

 1.
 Ja, vi elsker dette landet,       Yes, we love this country
 som det stiger frem,              As it looms up,
 furet, værbitt over vannet,       Rocky and weathered, above the sea,
 med de tusen hjem.                With its thousand homes.
 Elsker, elsker det og tenker      Love it, love it and think
 På vår far og mor                 About our father and mother
 Og den saganatt som senker        And the saga night that sends
 Drømme på vår jord.               Dreams to our earth.
 Og den saganatt som senker,       And the saga night that sends, 
 Senker drømme på vår jord.        Sends dreams to our earth.           

 2.
 Dette landet Harald berget        This country was saved by Harald
 med sin kjemperad,                with his squad of giants,
 dette landet Håkon verget         this country was protected by Håkon
 medens Øyvind kvad;               whilst Øyvind  sung;
 Olav på det landet malte          Olav painted the country
 korset med sitt blod,             with a cross of his blood,
 fra dets høye Sverre talte        from its heights Sverre spoke
 Roma midt imot.                   up against Rome.

 3.
 Bøndene sine økser brynte         Farmers their axes sharpened
 hvor en hær dro frem,             as the army came
 Tordenskiold langs kysten lynte,  Tordenskiold around the coastline thundered
 så det lystes hjem.               so that we could see it back home
 Kvinner selv stod opp og strede   Even women stood up and fought
 som de vare menn;                 as if they were men
 andre kunne bare grede,           Others could only cry
 men det kok igjen!                but that soon would end!

 4.
 Visstnok var vi ikke mange,       Sure, we were not many
 men vi strakk dog til,            but we were enough
 da vi prøvdes noen gange,         When they challenged us
 og det stod på spill;             and it was at stake;
 ti vi heller landet brente        we rather let our country burn
 enn det kom til fall;             than be defeated;
 husker bare hva som hendte        Just remember what happened
 ned på Fredrikshald!              at Fredrikshald!

 5.
 Hårde tider har vi døyet,         Hard times we have coped with,
 ble til sist forstøtt;            were at last disowned;
 men i verste nød blåøyet          but in the worst suffer, blue-eyed
 frihet ble oss født.              freedom was to us born.
 Det gav faderkraft å bære         It gave (us) father's strength to carry
 hungersnød og krig,               famine and war,
 det gav døden selv sin ære -      it gave death itself its honour -
 og det gav forlik.                and it gave compromise.

 6.
 Fienden sitt våpen kastet,        The enemy threw away his weapon,
 opp visiret for,                  up the visor went,
 vi med undren mot ham hastet,     we, in wonder, to him hasted,
 ti han var vår bror.              because he was our brother.
 Drevne frem på stand av skammen   Driven onto stand by the shame
 gikk vi søderpå;                  we went to the south;
 nu vi står tre brødre sammen,     now we three brothes stand united,
 og skal sådan stå!                and shall stand like that!

 7.
 Norske mann i hus og hytte,       Norwegian man in house and cottage,
 takk din store Gud!               thank your great God!
 Landet ville han beskytte,        He would protect the country,
 skjønt det mørkt så ut.           even though it looked dark.
 Alt hva fedrene har kjempet,      All the fathers have fought,
 mødrene har grett,                the mothers have wept,
 har den Herre stille lempet       the Lord has quietly moved
 så vi vant vår rett.              so we won our rights.

 8.
 Ja, vi elsker dette landet,       Yes, we love this country
 som det stiger frem,              As it looms up,
 furet, værbitt over vannet,       Rocky and weathered, above the sea,
 med de tusen hjem.                With its thousand homes.
 Og som fedres kamp har hevet      And as the fathers struggle has raised
 det av nød og seir,               it to victory,
 også vi, når det blir krevet,     even we, when demanded,
 for dets fred slår leir.          for its peace to stay.

Metrical version

of verses 1, 7, 8 for singing in English:

Norway, thine is our devotion,

Land of hearth and home,

Rising storm-scarr'd from the ocean,

Where the breakers foam.

Oft to thee our thoughts are wending,

Land that gave us birth,

And to saga nights still sending

Dreams upon our earth,

And to saga nights still sending

Dreams upon us on our earth

---

Men of Norway, be your dwelling

Cottage, house or farm,

Praise the Lord who all compelling

Sav'd our land from harm.

Not the valour of a father

On the battlefield

Nor a mother's tears, but rather

God our vict'ry sealed,

Nor a mother's tears, but rather

God for us our vict'ry sealed.

---

Norway, thine is our devotion,

Land of hearth and home,

Rising storm-scarr'd from the ocean,

Where the breakers foam.

As our fathers' vict'ry gave it

Peace for one and all,

We shall rally, too, to save it

When we hear the call,

We shall rally, too, to save it

When we hear, we hear the call.

External link

• Midi