Gustafs skål
Encyclopedia
"Gustafs skål", literally Toast to Gustaf, is a song written by Carl Michael Bellman
Carl Michael Bellman
was a Swedish poet and composer. Bellman is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a very important influence in Swedish music, as well as in Scandinavian literature in general, to this day....

 as a salutation to King Gustaf III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....

, following the coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...

 in 1772, which made himself an autocrat and ended the parliamentary Age of Liberty. The king very much liked the song and informally it came to function as his royal anthem. MIDI music file


Gustafs skål!
Den bäste Kung, som Norden äger:
Han ej tål,
At vigtskåln ojämt väger. :||:
God och glad,
Han Ilskans röst föraktar
Samt afvaktar
Och betraktar
Dårskap i sin grad. :||:

Sådan Kung
Är värd att styra Sveriges öden:
Rask och ung,
Ej rådlös uti nöden. :||:
Wasa Ätt
Har aldrig lärt att svika,
Aldrig tvika,
Men at fika
Till at göra rätt. :||:

Translation

An approximate translation of the Swedish text runs as follows.
Gustafs Toast!
The greatest king of the north:
He can't rest,
While injustice rules. :||:
Decent and cheerful,
He detests anger
and waits
and studies
lunacy in progress :||:

A king like he
Is worthy to govern Swedens destiny
Bold and young
Never in hopeless need :||:
Of Vasa dynasty
Is taught to never fail
Never hesitate
But rather do
What is just and fair. :||:



links



See also:
  • Kungssången
    Kungssången
    Kungssången is the Swedish royal anthem. It is also known by its first line, Ur svenska hjärtans djup en gång...

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