Kjerlighedens Gjerninger
Søren Kierkegaard
1847
Works of Love
Søren Kierkegaard
Translated from the Danish by David F. Swenson and Lillian Marvin Swenson
1949
O, evige Kjerlighed, Du, som overalt er tilstede, og aldrig uden Vidnesbyrd, hvor Du paakaldes, Du lade Dig heller ei uden Vidnesbyrd i hvad her skal tales om Kjerlighed, eller om Kjerlighedens Gjerninger. Thi vel er der kun nogle Gjerninger, som det menneskelige Sprog særligt og smaaligt kalder Kjerlighedsgjerninger; men i Himlen er det jo saaledes, at ingen Gjerning kan tækkes der, uden den er en Kjerlighedens Gjerning: oprigtig i Selvfornegtelse, en Kjerlighedens Trang og just derfor uden Fortjenstlighedens Fordring!
O Eternal Love! Thou who art everywhere present, and never without testimony in what may here be said about love, or about works of love. For it is certainly true that there are some acts which the human language particularly and narrow-mindedly calls acts of charity; but in heaven it is certainly true that no act can be pleasing unless it is an act of love: sincere in its selfabnegation, a necessity for love, and, just because of this, without claim or merit.
At bedrage sig selv for Kjerlighed er det forfærdeligste, er et evigt Tab, for hvilket der ingen Erstatning er hverken i Tid eller i Evighed.
To defraud oneself of love is the most terrible deception of all. It is an eternal loss for which there is no compensation either here or in eternity.
Hvad er det nemlig, der forbinder det Timelige og Evigheden, hvad er det Andet end Kjerlighed, som just derfor er før Alt, og bliver naar Alt er forbi. Men netop fordi Kjerligheden saaledes er Evighedens Baand, og netop fordi Timeligheden og Evigheden ere ueensartede, derfor kan Kjerligheden synes Timelighedens jordisKe Kløgt en Byrde, og derfor kan det i Timeligheden synes den Sandselige en uhyre Lettelse at kaste dette Evighedens Baand af sig.
What is it which connects the temporal and the eternal, what except love, which just for this reason is before everything, and which abides when everything else is past? But precisely because love is the bond of the eternal, and because the temporal existence and eternity are heterogeneous, for that reason love may sometimes seem burdensome to the earthly prudence of the temporal existence, and therefore in this existence it may seem a tremendous relief to the sensual man to cast off this bond of the eternal.
O, der tales i Verden saa meget om Forræderie og Troløshed, og Gud bedre det, at dette destoværre kun er altfor sandt, men lad os dog derover aldrig glemme, at den farligste Forræder blandt alle er den, ethvert Menneske har i sig selv.
Oh, there is so much said in the world about treachery and faithlessness, and, God help us, this is unfortunately only too true, but let us still never forget that the most dangerous traitor of all is the one every man has in his own breast.
"Du skal elske". Kun naar det er pligt at elske, kun da er Kjerligheden for evig betrygget mod enhver Forandring; evig frigjort i salig Uafhængighed; evig lykkelig sikkret mod Fortvivlelse.
"Thou shalt love." Only when it is a duty to love, only then is love everlastingly secure against every change; everlastingly emancipated in blessed independence; everlastingly happy, assured against despair.
Evigheden er det Høiere; skal man sværge, da maa man sværge ved det Høiere, men skal man sværge ved Evigheden, da sværger man ved Pligten "at skulle elske".
Eternity is the higher; if one wishes to take an oath, then must one swear by the higher, but if one will swear by the eternal, then one swears by the duty of loving.
Naar Kjerligheden har undergaaet Evighedens Forandring ved at være bleven Pligt, da har den vundet Bestandighed, og det følger da af sig selv, at den bestaaer.
When love has undergone the change of eternity through having become duty, then it has gained immutability, and it follows as a matter of course that it exists.
Altsaa, kun naar det er pligt at elske, kun da er Kjerligheden evig betrygget. Denne Evighedens Betryggethed jager al Angest ud og gjør Kjerlighed fuldkommen, fuldkommen betrygget.
Consequently, only when love is a duty, only then is love eternally secure. This security of eternity drives out all anxiety and makes love perfect, perfectly secure.
Den Kjerlighed derimod, der undergik Evighedens Forandring ved at blive Pligt, den kjender ikke Iversyge; den elsker ikke blot, som den bliver elsket, men den elsker.
On the other hand, the love which underwent the change of eternity through becoming duty, knows no jealousy; it loves, not only as it is loved, but it loves.
Men den Kjerlighed, der undergik Evighedens Forandring ved at blive Pligt, og elsker, fordi den skal elske, den er uafhængig, den har Loven for sin Tilværelse i selve Kjerlighedens Forhold til det Evige. Denne Kjerlighed kan aldrig blive i usand Forstand afhængig, thi det Eneste, den er afhængig af, er Pligten, og Pligten er det eneste Frigjørende.
But the love which underwent the change of eternity by becoming duty, and loves because it must love, it is independent; it has the law of its existence in the relation of love itself to the eternal. This love can never become in a false sense dependent, for the only one it is dependent upon is duty, and duty is the only emancipating power.
Saaledes frigjør dette "skal" Kjerligheden i salig Uafhængighed; en saadan Kjerlighed staaer og falder ikke med fin Gjenstands Tilfældighed, den staaer og falder med Evighedens Lov - men saa falder den jo aldrig; en saadan Kjerlighed afhænger ikke af Dette eller Hiint, den afhænger kun af - det eneste Frigjørende, altsaa er den evigt uafhængig. Med denne Uafhængighed kan ingen sammenlignes.
Thus this "shalt" sets love free in blessed independence; such a love stands and falls not by some accidental circumstance of its object, it stands and falls by the law of eternity - but then it never falls; such a love does not depend upon this or that, it depends only on - the one liberating force, consequently it is eternally independent. There is nothing comparable to this independence.
Denne Uafhængighed er kun afhængig af Kjerligheden selv ved Evighedens "skal", den er ikke afhængig af noget Andet, og derfor heller ikke afhængig af Kjerlighedens Gjenstand, saa snart denne viser sig at være et Andet.
This independence is dependent only on love itself through the "shalt" of eternity; it is not dependent on anything else, and therefore it is not dependent on love's object as soon as this appears to be something else.
Kun naar det er Pligt at elske, kun da er Kjerligheden evig lykkelig sikkret mod Fortvivlelse.
Only when it is a duty to love, only then is love everlastingly secured against despair.
At elske Næsten derimod er Selvfornegtelsens Kjerlighed, og Selvfornegtelsen jager just al Forkjerlighed ud ligesom den jager al Selvkjerlighed ud - ellers gjorde jo ogsaa Selvfornegtelsen Forskjel og nærede Forkjerlighed for Forkjerligheden.
To love the neighbor, on the contrary, is self-denying love and drives out all partiality, just as it drives out all selfishness - otherwise the self-abnegation would also make distinctions and feel partiality for partiality.
Overalt hvor det Christelige er, er ogsaa Selvfornegtelse, der er Christendommens væsentlige Form. For at forholde sig til det Christelige maa man først og fremmest blive ædru; men Selvfornegtelse er just den Forvandling, ved hvilken et Menneske i Evighedens Forstand bliver ædru.
Everywhere where Christianity exists there is also self-abnegation, which is Christianity's essential form. In order to live as a Christian, one must first and foremost become sober; but self-abnegation is exactly the transition through which a man, in the meaning of the eternal, becomes sober.
Men Gud er Kjerlighed, derfor kunne vi kun ligne Gud i at elske, som vi ogsaa kun, efter en Apostels Ord, kunne være "Guds Medarbeidere i - Kjerlighed".
But God is love, therefore we can resemble God only in loving, as we also, according to the Apostle's word, can only be "God's fellow laborers in - love."
Men den christelige Trøst kan aldrig siges at komme bagefter, thi da den er Evighedens Trøst er den ældre end al timelig Glæde; saasnart denne Trøst kommer, kommer den med Evighedens Forspring, og opsluger ligesom Smerten, thi Smerten og Glædens Tab er det Øieblikkelige - selv om dette Øieblik var Aar - er det Øieblikkelige der druknes i det Evige.
But the Christian consolation can never be said to come too late, for since it is the consolation of eternity it i s older than all temporal happiness. And as soon as this consolation comes, it comes with the impulse of the eternal, and swallows up, as it were, the pain, for pain and loss of happiness are the momentary - even if this moment is prolonged into years - are the momentary which is swallowed up in the eternal.
Christendommen lader alle Jordlivets Forskjelligheder bestaae, men i Kjerlighedsbudet, i at elske Næsten er netop indeholdt denne Ligelighed i at opløfte sig over Jordlivets Forskjellighed.
Christianity always allows the differences of the earthly life to persist, but this equality in rising above earthly differences is implicit in the commandment of love, in the loving one's neighbor.
Sandeligen kun ved at elske Næsten, kan et Menneske udrette det Høieste; thi det Høieste er at kunne være et Redskab i Styrelsens Haand.
Truly, only through loving one's neighbor can a man accomplish the highest; for the highest consists in being capable of being used as an instrument in the hand of Providence.
I at være Konge, Tigger, Lærd, Riig, Fattig, Mand, Qvinde o. s. v. ligne vi ikke hinanden, deri ere vi jo netop forskjellige; men i at være Næsten ligne vi ubetinget alle hinanden. Forskjelligheden er Timelighedens Forvirrende, der mærker ethvert Menneske forskjelligt, men Næsten er Evighedens Mærke - paa ethvert Menneske.
In being king, beggar, scholar, rich, poor, man, woman and so on, we do not resemble one another, for just therein lie our differences; but in being a neighbor we all unconditionally resemble one another. The difference is the confusion of the temporal existence which marks every man differently, but the neighbor is the mark of the eternal - on every man.
Og saaledes er Næsten det fælles Mærke, men Du seer det kun ved Hjælp af Evighedens Lys, naar det gjennemlyser Forskjelligheden.
And so the neighbor is the common mark, but you see it only by the light of the eternal, when it shines through the differences.
Husk paa, at Den, som for i Sandhed at ville Eet valgte at ville det Gode i Sandhed, at han har denne salige Trøst: man lider kun eengang, men man seirer evigt.
Remember that he, who in truth chose the one thing needful, wished the truly good, he has this blessed consolation that one suffers but once, but one conquers eternally.
O, den sande Indvielse er dog den, at opgive alle Fordringer til Livet, alle Fordringer til Magt og Ære og Fortrin, alle Fordringer - men Elskovs og Venskabs Lykke er jo just af de største Fordringer - altsaa at opgive alle Fordringer, for at forstaae, hvilken uhyre Fordring Gud og Evigheden har paa En selv.
Oh, the true consecration is nevertheless the one which surrenders all claims on life, all claims to power and honor and advantage, all claims - but the happiness of love and friendship are indeed the strongest claims - hence which surrenders all claims, in order to understand what a tremendous claim God and eternity have upon one's self.
Hans Liv (Christus) var idel Kjerlighed og dog var hele dette hans Liv kun een eneste Arbeidsdag, han hvilede ikke før den Nat kom, da han ikke mere kunde arbeide; før den Tid verlede hans Arbeide ikke med Dagens og Nattens Skifte, thi arbeidede han ikke, saa vaagede han i Bønnen. Saaledes var han Lovens Fylde. Og som Løn derfor fordrede han Intet, thi hans eneste Fordring, hans eneste Hensigt med hele sit Liv fra Fødselen til Døden var uskyldigt at offre sig selv - hvad end ikke Loven, naar den fordrer Sit til det yderste, turde fordre.
His life (Christ) was pure love, and yet this whole life was only a single working day; He did not rest until the night came when He could no longer work; His labor did not cease with the changes of day and night, for when He was not working, then He watched in prayer. Thus was He the fulfillment of the law. And for a reward He demanded nothing, for His only requirement, His only purpose throughout His whole life from birth to death, was to sacrifice Himself as an innocent victim - which not even the law in its most extreme demand, dared to demand.
Christus var Lovens Fylde. Af ham skulle vi lære, hvorledes denne Tanke er at forstaae, thi han var Forklaringen, og Kun naar Forklaringen er hvad den forklarer, naar den Forklarende er det Forklarede, naar Forklaringen er Forklarelsen, kun da er Forholdet det rette.
Christ was the fulfillment of the law. From Him we should learn how to understand this thought, for He was the explanation, and only when the explanation is what it explains, when the one who explains it is the thing explained, when the explanation is the transfiguration, only then is there the right relationship.
Den verdslige Viisdom mener, at Kjerlighed er et Forhold mellem Menneske og Menneske; Christendommen lærer, at Kjerlighed er et Forhold mellem: Menneske - Gud - Menneske, det er, at Gud er Mellembestemmelsen.
Worldly wisdom believes that love is a relationship between man and man; Christianity teaches that love is a relationship between man-God-man, that is, that God is the middle term.
Naar derimod Guds-Forholdet bestemmer, hvad der mellem Menneske og Menneske er Kjerlighed, saa forhindres Kjerligheden fra at standse i noget Selvbedrag, eller Sandsebedrag, medens rigtignok igjen Fordringen til Selvfornegtelse og Opoffrelse uendeliggjøres.
When, on the other hand, the God-relationship determines what love is between man and man, then love is kept from pausing in any self-deception or illusion, while certainly the demand for self-abnegation and sacrifice is again made more infinite.
Gud forstaaer derimod ved Kjerlighed opoffrende Kjerlighed, i guddommelig Forstand opoffrende Kjerlighed, der offrer Alt for at skaffe Gud Plads, selv om det tunge Offer blev endnu tungere derved, at Ingen forstod det, hvilket dog i en anden Forstand hører med til den sande Opoffrelse; thi den Opoffrelse, der bliver forstaaet af Menneskene, har jo i Menneskenes Bifald sin Løn og er forsaavidt ikke sand Opoffrelse, som maa være ubetinget uden Løn.
On the contrary, God understands by love sacrificial love; in the divine sense, sacrificing love, which sacrifices everything in order to secure God a place, even if the heavy sacrifice became even heavier because no one understood it, which, however, in another sense, is proper for true sacrifice; for that sacrifice, which is understood by men, truly has its reward in their approbation, and insofar is not the true sacrifice which must unconditionally be without reward.
Bedre er Verden ikke; det Høieste den anerkjender og elsker er, naar det kommer høiest: at elske det Gode og Menneskene, dog saaledes, at man tillige passer paa sin egen og nogle Andres jordiske Fordeel.
The world is not better; the highest it recognizes and loves, when it aims highest, is: to love the good and men, but in such a way that one also secures an earthly advantage for one's self and some others.
Kjerlighedens Inderlighed maa være opoffrende, og altsaa uden at fordre nogen Løn.
The inwardness of love must be sacrificial, and consequently must not demand any reward.
Det er en sørgelig Bagvendthed, som dog kun er altfor almindelig, idelig og idelig at tale om, hvorledes Kjerlighedens Gjenstand skal være, for at den kan være elskværdig, istedetfor at tale om, hvorledes Kjerligheden skal være for at den kan være Kjerlighed.
It is a distressing absurdity, which is, however, altogether too general, always to be perpetually talking about how the object of love ought to be, in order to be worthy of love, instead of talking about how love ought to be in order to be love.
Men naar man først er indviet i Kræsenhedens Besmittelse, hvor vanskeligt at vinde det Tabte, den Godmodighedens, den Kjerlighedens Medgift, som Gud i Grunden har skiænket ethvert Menneske!
But after one has been infected with the taint of fastidiousness, how difficult it becomes to regain what he lost, the natural gifts of good nature and love, with which God has fundamentally endowed every man!
Vil Du vise, at Dit Liv er bestemt til at tjene Gud, saa lad det tjene Menneskene, bestandigt dog med Tanken om Gud.
If you wish to show that your life is dedicated to the service of God, then let it serve men, but always in the name of God.
Nei, skal et Menneske fuldkomme den Pligt i at elske at elske de Mennesker, han seer, da maa han ikke blot blandt de virkelige Mennesker finde dem, han elsker, men han maa udrydde al Tvetydighed og Kræsenhed i at elske dem, at han i Alvor og Sandhed elsker dem som de ere, i Alvor og Sandhed fatter Opgaven: at finde den nu engang givne eller valgte Gjenstand elskelig.
No, if a man wishes to fulfill his duty in loving to love the men he sees, then he must not only find those he loves among actual men, but he must eradicate all doubt and fastidiousness in loving them, so that in earnestness and truth he loves them as they are; he must in earnestness and truth apprehend the task: to find the given or the chosen object lovable.
Naar det er pligt i at elske at elske de Mennesker vi see, da er der ingen Grændse for Kjerligheden; skal Pligten fuldkommes, maa Kjerligheden være grændseløs, det er uforandret, hvorledes end Gjenstanden forandres.
When in loving it is a duty to love the men we see, then is there no limit to the love; if the duty is fulfilled, the love must be limitless, that is, unchanged, however its object changes.
Christeligt forstaaet derimod er det at elske netop at elske det Menneske, man seer. Eftertrykket ligger ikke paa at elske de Fuldkommenheder man seer hos et Menneske, men Eftertrykket ligger paa det Menneske man seer, hvad enten man nu hos dette Menneske seer Fuldkommenheder eller Ufuldkommenheder, ja hvor sørgeligt end dette Menneske har forandret sig, da han jo ikke har ophørt at være det samme Menneske. Den, som elsker de Fuldkommenheder han seer hos et Menneske, han seer ikke Mennesket, og hører derfor op at elske, naar Fuldkommenhederne høre op, naar Forandringen indtræder, hvilken Forandring, selv den sørgeligste, dog vel ikke betyder, at Mennesket hører op at være til.
From the Christian standpoint, on the contrary, loving consists exactly in loving the man one sees. The emphasis lies not on loving the perfections one sees in a man, but the emphasis is placed on the man one sees, whether one now sees in this man perfections or imperfections, moreover, no matter how sadly this man has changed, since he still has not ceased to be the same man. He who loves the perfections he sees in a man, does not see the man, and therefore he ceases to love when the perfections cease, when a change enters, which change, even if distressing, still does not indicate that the man has ceased to exist.
Men det christeligt at stige ned fra Himlen er grændseløst at elske det Menneske Du seer, saaledes som Du seer ham. Vil Du derfor vorde fuldkommen i Kjerlighed, saa stræb at fuldkomme denne Pligt, i at elske at elske det Menneske, man seer, at elske ham saaledes, som Du seer ham, med alle hans Ufuldkommenheder og Svagheder, elske ham, som Du seer han, naar han ganske har forandret sig, naar han ikke mere elsker Dig, men maaskee ligegyldigt vender sig bort eller vender sig bort for at elske en Anden, elske ham, som Du seer ham, naar han forraader og fornegter Dig.
But from the Christian point of view to descend from heaven means to love infinitely the man you see, just as you see him. If you will, therefore, become perfect in love, then strive to perfect this duty, in loving to love the man you see; to love him just as you see him, with all his imperfections and weaknesses; to love him as you see him when he has completely changed, when he no longer loves you, but perhaps indifferently turns away to love another; to love him as you see him when he betrays and denies you.
En ædel Mand har sagt om Kjerlighed: "den tager Alt og den giver Alt". Hvo modtog vel ogsaa Mere end Den, der modtog et Menneskes Kjerlighed; og hvo gav Mere end Den, der gav et Menneske sin Kjerlighed!
A noble man has said about love: "It takes everything and it gives everything." Who indeed received more than the one who received a man's love? And who gave more than he who gave a man his love?
Naar det er Pligt at forblive i Kjerlighedens Gjæld til hverandre, da maa der tidligt og sildigt, evigt vaages over, at Kjerligheden aldrig kommer til at dvæle ved sig selv, eller til at sammenligne sig med Kjerligheden i andre Mennesker, eller til at sammenligne sig med sine Gjerninger, som den har udført.
When it is a duty to remain in the debt of love to each other, then must there be eternal vigilance, early and late, so that love never comes to dwell upon itself, or to compare itself with the love in other men, or to compare itself with its own deeds which it has performed.
[…] Alt hvad der skal bevares levende maa bevares i sit Element; men Kjerlighedens Element er Uendelighed, Uudtømmelighed, Umaalelighed. Dersom Du derfor vil bevare Din Kjerlighed, da maa Du passe paa, at den ved Hjælp af Gjældens Uendelighed, fangen til Frihed og Liv, bestandig bliver i sit Element, ellers sygner den hen og døer - ikke efter længere eller kortere Tids Forløb, thi den døer strax, hvilket just er et Tegn paa dens Fuldfommenhed, at den ene kan leve i Uendeligheden.
[…] everything which is to be kept alive must be kept in its own element. But the natural element of love is infinity, inexhaustible, immeasurable. If, therefore, you wish to preserve your love, then you must take care that by the aid of infinite indebtedness, ensnared by liberty and life, it constantly remains in its element, otherwise it sickens and dies - not after a longer or shorter time, for it dies at once, which is exactly the sign of its perfection, that it can only live i n infinity.
Den, der virkeligt elsker, har bestandigt et Forspring, og et uendeligt Forspring; thi hver Gang den Anden har udgrundet, beregnet, opfundet en ny Yttring af Hengivenhed, har den Kjerlige allerede udført den, fordi den Kjerlige ingen Beregning behøver, og altsaa heller ikke spilder noget Beregningens Øieblik.
Men det at være og forblive i en uendelig Gjæld, det er netop et Udtryk for Kjerlighedens Uendelighed, saa den ved at blive i Gjælden bliver i sit Element.
He who actually loves always has a headstart, and an infinite headstart; for by the time the other has unearthed, computed and discovered a new expression of devotion, the friend has already carried it out, because the friend does not need to calculate, and hence wastes no time in doing so.
But the fact of being and continuing in an infinite indebtedness, is exactly an expression for the infinity of love, so that by remaining in debt, love remains in its element.
Men naar hvad der er og skal være Uendeligt søger Omgangens og Sammenligningens slette Selskab med det Endelige, saa er dette usømmeligt, uværdigt, saa er Nedværdigelsen forskyldt, selv om man indenfor Sammenligningen mener at være den første. Thi, om det saa og var sandt, sammenlignelsesviis at elske mere end alle andre Mennesker er: ikke at elske. At elske er at blive i den uendelige Gjæld, Gjældens Uendelighed er Fuldkommenhedens Baand.
But when that which is and ought to be infinite seeks the evil companionship of intercourse and comparison with the finite, then this is unseemly, undignified; then is the debasement deserved, even if within the comparison one thinks to be the first. For even if it looked and were true, comparatively to love better than all other men, is not to love. To love is to remain in infinite indebtedness, the infinity of the debt is the bond of perfection.
For Uendelighedens Fordring er selv Din den største Anstrengelse et Barneværk, ved hvilket Du ikke skal kunne blive Dig selv vigtig, da Du just kommer til at forstaae, hvor uendeligt meget Mere der fordres af Dig.
In the sight of the infinite demand your greatest efforts are but a childish performance, and this fact should prevent your becoming self-important, since you will just begin to understand how infinitely much more is required of you.
Tag ikke mod Vilkaaret, som bydes Dig: for halvt Arbeide at faae Verdens hele Beundring; bliv i Uendelighedens Gjæld, glad ved Vilkaaret: Verdens Modstand, fordi Du ikke vil tinge.
Do not accept the terms offered you: the admiration of the whole world in exchange for half the labor. Continue in the debt of the infinite, happy in its terms: the opposition of the whole world because you will not bargain.
Saaledes veed Christendommen at tvinge Kjerligheden, og at lære den, at der i ethvert Øieblik er Opgave, veed at holde ud med Kjerligheden, saa denne ydmygt skal lære, at det er ingen Talemaade, intet Sværmeri med at ville blive i Gjælden, men Alvor og Sandhed.
So Christianity knows how to constrain love, and to teach it that at every moment there is a task; it knows how to bear with love so that love may humbly learn that wishing to remain in debt is not a mere form of words, not merely enthusiasm, but that it is earnestness and truth.
Det er Gud, der, saa at sige, kjerligt overtager Kjerlighedens Fordring; den Elskende kommer, ved at elske et Menneske, i en uendelig Gjæld - men igjen til Gud som Værge for den Elskede. Nu er Sammenligning gjort umulig, og nu har Kjerligheden fundet sin Mester.
It is God who, so to speak, kindly takes charge of the demand of love; by loving a man the lover comes into an infinite debt - but also a debt to God as guardian of the beloved. Now comparison becomes impossible, and now love has found its master.
Medens Kjerligheden i alle sine Yttringer vender sig ud ad mod Menneskene, hvor den jo har sin Gjenstand og sine Opgaver, veed den dog, at her er ikke Stedet, hvor den skal bedømmes, men at inderst inde, hvor Kjerligheden forholder sig til Gud, der er Dommen.
While love in all its own expressions turns outward toward men, where it has its object and its tasks, it still knows that this is not the place where it shall be judged, but that in its innermost being, where love lays hold on God, there is the judgment.
Den Enkelte er forpligtet i Kjerlighedens Gjæld til andre Mennesker; men det er hverken dette enkelte Menneske selv eller andre Mennesker, som skal bedømme hans Kjerlighed. Naar saa er, maa den Enkelte blive i den uendelige Gjæld. Gud har Sandhedens og Ufeilbarhedens uendelige Forestilling om Kjerlighed, Gud er Kjerlighed, altsaa maa den Enkelte blive i Gjælden - saa sandt Gud bedømmer det, eller saasandt han bliver i Gud, thi kun i Gjældens Uendelighed kan Gud blive i ham.
Han bliver i Gjælden, og han erkjender tillige, at det er hans Pligt at blive i Gjælden, hans Pligt, at gjøre denne Tilstaaelse, der, christeligt, ikke er Sværmeriets, men en ydmyg, kjerlig Sjæls. Det Ydmyge ligger i at gjøre Tilstaaelsen; det Kjerlige ligger i at være uendelig villig til at gjøre den, fordi det hører med til Kjerlighed, fordi der er Salighedens Mening og Sammenhæng i denne Tilstaaelse; det Christelige ligger i, slet ingen Ophævelse at gjøre derover, fordi det er Pligt.
The individual is bound by his debt of love to other men; but it is neither the individual himself nor the other men who shall judge his love. If this is true, then must the individual remain in the infinite indebtedness. God has the infinite conception of truth and of the infallibility of love. God is love, hence the individual must remain in debt - as God judges him, or as he abides in God, for only in the infinitude of debt can God abide in him.
He is in debt, and he also recognizes that it is his duty to remain in debt, his duty to admit this, which from the Christian standpoint is not the admission of a fanatic, but of a humble, loving soul. The humility consists in making the confession; the loving, as it were, consists in being infinitely willing to make it because it belongs to love, because there is the meaning and coherence of eternal happiness in this confession; the Christian meaning consists in simply not ceasing to do this, because it is his duty.
Den christelige Selvfornegtelses Tanke er: opgiv Dine selvkjerlige Ønsker og Attraaer, opgiv Dine egennyttige Planer og Hensigter, saa Du i Sandhed uegennyttigt arbeider for det Gode - og find Dig saa i, just derfor at være afskyet næsten som en Forbryder, forhaanet, bespottet, find Dig saa i, hvis det fordres af Dig, just derfor at blive henrettet som en Forbryder, eller rettere, find Dig ikke deri, thi det kan man næsten nødsages til, men vælg det frit. Dette veed nemlig den christelige Selvfornegtelse forud, at det vil hænde den, og vælger det frit. Christendommen har Evighedens Forestilling om hvad det er at opgive sine egennyttige Hensigter, den lader derfor den Christne ikke slippe for halv Priis. Man seer let, at den christelige Selvfornegtelse naaer Gud, og i Gud har sit eneste Tilhold.
The Christian self-denial thinks: give up your selfish wishes and desires, give up your selfish plans and purposes in order to work for the good in true disinterestedness - and then prepare to find yourself, just on that account, hated, scorned and mocked, and even executed as a criminal; or rather, do not prepare to find yourself in this situation, for that may become necessary, but choose it of your own free will. For Christian self-denial knows beforehand that these things will happen, and chooses them freely.
Christianity has the eternal understanding of what it costs to give up its own selfish purposes; therefore it does not let the Christian go for half-price. One can readily see that the Christian self-denial lays hold on God, and in God has its only stronghold.
Det er menneskelig Selvfornegtelse, naar et Menneske fornegter sig selv, og Verden nu aabner sig for ham. Men det er christelig Selvfornegtelse, naar et Menneske fornegter sig selv, og han nu, just fordi Verden derfor lukker sig for ham, stødt tilbage af Verden maa søge Guds Fortrolighed. Dobbelt-Faren ligger jo just i at møde Modstand der, hvor han havde ventet at finde Bistand, saa han altsaa maa vende sig to Gange, istedetfor at den blot menneskelige Selvfornegtelse kun vender sig een Gang. Al den Selvfornegtelse derfor, som finder Bistand i Verden, den er ikke christelig Selvfornegtelse.
It is human self-denial if a man denies himself, and the world now opens its arms to him. But it is Christian self-denial if a man denies himself, and then, just because the world for that reason closes its arms to him, repulsed by the world he now must seek confidence in God. The twofold danger lies in the fact that he met opposition just where he had xpected to find help, and consequently he must turn twice, instead of as in human self-denial turning but once. No selt-denial, therefore,which is encouraged by the world, is Christian self-denial.
Det er christelig Selvfornegtelse: uden Frygt for sig selv og uden Hensyn til sig selv at vove sig i den Fare, om hvilken de Medlevende, hildede og forblindede og medskyldige, ingen Forestilling have eller ville have, at der er Ære at vinde, saa det altsaa ikke blot er farefuldt at vove sig i Faren, men dobbelt farefuldt, fordi Tilskuernes Forhaanelse venter den Modige, ligegyldigt enten han seirer eller han taber.
Christian self-denial rushes into danger without fear of the consequences to itself, into a danger which the environment cannot understand will bring any honor to the victor, because the environment is itself blinded, entangled and guilty. Consequently, it is not only perilous to rush into the danger, but there is here a double danger because the contempt of the spectators awaits the hero, whether he wins or loses.
Christendommen kan kun anprises, idet paa ethvert Punkt Faren i eet væk gjøres aabenbar: hvorledes det Christelige er den blot menneskelige Forestilling Daarskab og Forargelse. Men ved at gjøre dette tydeligt og aabenbart, advares der jo. Saa alvorlig er Christendommen.
Christianity can only be recommended if at every point the possibility of the danger is constantly made manifest: that to the merely human understanding the Christian way is foolishness and offense. But by making this clear and explicit, the warning is given. So earnest is Christianity.
Men da Verden egentligen ikke veed af og vel ikke vil vide af, at denne Maalestok (Guds-Forholdet) er til, saa kan den ikke forklare et saadant Menneskes Adfærd uden som Særhed - thi at det er Christelighed kan naturligviis aldrig falde Verden ind, der som Christen dog vel selv bedst veed, hvad Christendom er. Det er sært, at et Menneske ikke er egennyttigt, det er sært, at han ikke skjænder igjen, det er sært og flaut, at han tilgiver sin Fjende og næsten er bange for, om han ogsaa gjør nok for sin Fjende, det er sært, at han altid kommer an paa forkeert Sted, aldrig hvor det tager sig ud at være modig, høinodig, uegennyttig: dette er fært og søgt og halvfjantet, kort Noget til at lee lidt af, naar man da selv, ved at være Verden, er sikker paa som Christen at være i Besiddelse af det Sande og Saligheden baade her og hisset.
But since the world does not realize and does not wish to realize that this standard, the God-relationship, exists, hence it cannot explain such a man's conduct as anything except a peculiarity - for the fact that it is Christian conduct naturally cannot occur to the world, which as Christian certainly best knows what Christianity is. It is odd for a man not to be self-seeking; it is odd that he does not quarrel; it is odd and foolish in him to forgive his enemy, and to be almost afraid that he does not do enough for his enemy; it is odd that he always sticks at the wrong place, never where it appears to his advantage to be courageous, high-minded and disinterested: this is odd, far-fetched and stupid, in short, rather laughable, since one just by virtue of being in the world, is certain, as a Christian, to possess the true and eternal happiness both here and hereafter.
