Gesundheit

I sneezed. Then I thought to myself, "Gesundheit." For some reason, this German wish for good health is a common thing to say in the U.S. to someone who just sneezed. The English variant is "Bless you." You might even say, "God bless you."

Once I was in a crowd of people in a greenhouse in Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania, and I sneezed. A lady nearby said, "God bless you. And thank you for covering." For of course I had.

When I belonged to a Chinese church in California, I asked if there was something Chinese people said after someone sneezed. An elder replied, "We say," pulling a face of distaste, "cover your mouth." I used to tell the story about how, as an allergy sufferer, I went to one of my first worship services there worrying, "What if among the Chinese it is very unacceptable and rude to blow your nose?" Providentially, that very day, during his sermon, the pastor paused, pulled out an enormous white handkerchief and blew his nose quite heartily right there in the pulpit.

Looking on Wikipedia, I see that the Dutch say "Gezondheid," which is similar to the German but not the same. The Dutch are not German. Really, the word Dutch is part of this confusion. It would seem to come from the word Deutsch, which means German. Really, the Dutch people are Nederlanders and their language is Nederlands. And the country is not Holland--that is just one province--the country is the Netherlands.

Ik ga slapen, ik ben moe (I go to sleep, I am tired)
sluit mijn beide oogjes toe (I close both my eyes)
Here, houdt ook deze nacht (Lord, please guard, this night too,)
over mij getrouw de wacht (over me, truthfully)

Boze dat ik heb gedaan (Bad things I did)
Zie dat Here toch niet aan (don't look at them, Lord)
Schoon mijn zonde velen zijn (though my sins are many)
Maak om Jezus wil mij rein (for Jesus' sake cleanse me)

Zorg voor de arme kindren Heer (take care of the poor children, Lord)
en herstel de zieken weer (and heal the sick)
ja voor alle kindren saam (yes, for all children together)
bid ik U in Jezus naam (I pray to you in Jesus' name)

Sta mijn ouders trouw te zij (Help my parents truthfully)
wees mijn vrienden ook nabij (and be close to my friends too)
Geef ons allen nieuwe kracht (give us all new power)
door de rust van deze nacht (through the rest of this night)

Doe mij dankbaar en gezond (Make me thankful and healthy)
opstaan in de morgenstond (when I get up in the morning)
als ik mijn oogjes open doe (when i open my little eyes)
lacht Uw zon mij vriendlijk toe. (Your sun will friendly smile at me)

Amen

Auteur: Ds. J. de Liefde (1814-1869)