Hebban olla vogala
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Hebban olla vogala, sometimes spelt hebban olla uogala, are the first three words of a 12th century fragment of Old Dutch.
The fragment was discovered in 1932 in the margin of a Latin manuscript that was made in the abbey of Rochester, Kent and that is kept in Oxford. It has been dated to the 12th century, but may be even older.
Although it is commonly cited as being the oldest Dutch fragment, far older fragments have been found, for example the Wachtendonk Psalms (10th century), fragments of the Salic Law (6th century), and an old baptismal vow from Utrecht, ‘Gelobistu in Got alamehtigan fadaer?’ (Do you believe in God, the almighty father?), which dates from the 8th century.
The complete text is:
- "Hebban olla vogala nestas hagunnan hinase hic enda thu. Wat unbidan we nu."
Which is a translation of the Latin (written above 'hebban olla vogala'):
- "Habent omnes uolucres nidos inceptos nisi ego et tu. Quid expectamus nunc."
Roughly translated:
- "Have all birds begun nests, except me and you. What are we waiting for ?"
Translation in Modern Dutch:
- "Hebben alle vogels nesten begonnen, behalve ik en jij. Waarop wachten we nu ?"
This text is an example of a probatio pennae, a "scribble" by a monk to try out his pen.
Various theories
According to professor Luc de Grauwe of the University of Ghent, the text could equally well be Old English, more specifically Old Kentish.
Recently, professor Frits van Oostrom of Utrecht University linked it to the Moorish Kharjas genre, which includes verses sung by women to their absent lovers. He concludes that the fragment was probably written by a woman or from a female perspective.
See also
