Oan Schylge

Oan Schylge is the anthem of Terschelling, one of the West Frisian Islands in the northern Netherlands. The lyrics were written in 1855 by Jacob Sijbrands Bakker in the West Frisian dialect spoken on the island. "Schylge" is the name of Terschelling in local Frisian, and "Oan Schylge" means "To Terschelling". The origin of the music is uncertain: Perhaps it has been composed by Hendrik Rotgans (1851–1910), but it could also have been borrowed from an older folk song. At most occasions, only the first and the last verse are sung.

Lyrics

O, Schylge myn lântse,
wat hab ik dy jeaf
|: Al wa dy net priizet,
dy fynt my toch deaf:|

Dan slút ik myn earen,
of geet it te bont
|: Dan kan ik net swye,
mar straf se terstont:|

O Schylge, myn lântse,
sò droeg en sò heag
|: Wat leisto dir froalik,
de Noardsee yn't eag :|

Hò trots bin dyn dunen,
hò wyt is dyn sân
|: Hò grien bin dyn helmen,
myn jeaf Schylgerlân :|

O Schylge, myn lântse,
do leist my oant hort
|: Wa dy net ris priizet,
dy dogt dy te kort :|

Sò lang asto steeste,
sò fest op dyn sân
|: Wês fol brave minsken,
myn jeaf Schylgerlân :|

Translation

O, Terschelling my little land,
how much do I love you
|: All who do not praise you,
will just find me deaf :|

Then I close my ears,
but if it goes to far
|: Then I can not remain silent,
and punish them immediately :|

O, Terschelling my little land
so high and so dry
|: You happily lie there
facing the North Sea :|

How proud are your dunes,
how white is your sand
|: How green is your beachgrass,
my beloved Terschellingerland :|

O Terschelling, my little land,
you are embraced in my heart
|: Who does not praise you from time to time,
is not worthy of you :|

For as long as you remain standing,
so steadfast on your sand
|: Be full of honest people,
my beloved Terschellingerland :|