[English version below]

En nou must ophouwe! Ik bin der klaar met! Dy andere kynders binne al lang furt en [spottend] ‘menear de professor’ sit hyr nòg an ‘e study…. Suks is foar kynders fan rike lui. Dy doën de hele dag niks en gaan mooi naar de Latijnse skoal. Maar dou must gewoan un goëd fak leare jonguh… Of dochstou soms dat ik myn hele leven foar dij sòrge sú? Mooi nyt jonguh. Nòg un paar jaar en dan trekst dat blauwe pakje út en must foar dyself sòrge.

Dan must plak make foar andere kynders dy ok hulp noadug hewwe. Nou hup. Furt met dy rare krabbels en dy sifers. Dat doest maar op dyn frije middag. Nou mut der wat gebeure! En werke dat doën we hyr. Gewoan in Franeker en nyt tussen de sterren en planeten dêrstou altiten met dyn gedachten sitst. [Reagearend op / en teugenwerking] … Nee! Nou nyt eamele dast bij un boekbiner of sjirurg an ‘e slag wuust. Dat riedeltsy kinne we nou stadug an wel. Elkeneen krijt syn plakje. En dyn plakje is bij dy wolkammer flakbij ut stadhús. Nou skiet op! Menear Eisenga staat al op dij te wachten!

Orphanage warden Tjits (1774) – The unwilling orphan

And now stop this! I’m fed up with it!

The other children are long gone and (mockingly) ‘mister professor’ is still studying inside… That’s just for rich men’s kids. They have nothing to do all day and will go to the Latin school. But you, you will have to learn a decent occupation. Or did you think I would continue to take care of you all my life? Oh no, my friend! A few years more and you can pull off that blue suit! You will have to start minding for yourself!

You will have to make room for other kids who need help. Good, off you go. Put them away, those strange doodles and numbers! You can do them on your free afternoon. Now there’s work waiting for you! And we’ll do that right here. On the Earth. And not between the stars and planets where you’re whiling away the time with your books and thoughts!

(reacting to an objection) … No! Don’t moan that you would have preferred to work at the book binder or the doctor of medicine… We all know that song by now! Everybody has found his place. And your place is at this wool comber at the town council hall. Okay, now be gone! Mister Eisenga is waiting for you, for certain!