Texts In Old English

Old Northumbrian

aehto pundo of thaem aworden is Adam pund lames of thon
aworden is flaesc pund fyres of thon read is blod and hat
pund saltes of thon sindon salto tehero pund deawes of thon
aworden is swat pund blostmes of thon is fagung egena
pund wolcnes of thon Is unstydfullnisse vel unstatholfaestnisse thohta
pund windes of thon is oroth cald pund gefe of thon is
thoht monnes

Latin

Octo pondera de quibus factus est Adam. Pondus limi, inde
factus est caro; pondus ignis, inde rubeusest sanguis et calidus;
pondus salis, inde sunt salsae lacrimae ; pondus roris, unde
factus est sudor; pondus floris, inde est uarietas oculorum ;
pondus nubis, inde est instabilitas mentium ;
pondus uenti, inde est anhela frigida: pondus gratiae, id est
sensus hominis.

Old Northumbrian

11. Eadge aron ge mith thy yfle hia gecuoethas iuli and mith thy oehtas iuih and cuoethas eghwelc yfel with iuih gesuicas vel waeges fore mec.
12. gefeath and wynnsumiath forthon mearda iuere monigfalde is vel siut in heofnum suae vel suelce ec forthon ge-oehton tha witgo tha the weron ær iuih
13. Gee sint salt eorthes thæt gif salt forworthes in thon gesælted bith to
    nowihte vel nænihte mæge ofer thæt buta thæt gesended bith vel geworpen út and getreden bith from monnum
14. Gie aron vel sint leht middangeardes ne mæg burug vel ceastra gehyda vel gedeigla ofer mor geseted
15. ne ec bernas thæccille vel leht-fæt and settas tha vel hia unther mitte vel under sestre ah ofer leht-isern and lihteth allura tha the in hus bithon vel sint

Latin

11. Beati estis cum maledixerunt nobis et cum persecuti uos fuerint et dixerint omne malum aduersum uos mentientes propter me.
12. gaudete et exultate quoniam merces uestra copiosa est in caelis sic enim
    persecuti sunt prophetas qui fuerunt ante uos.
    
13. Uos estis sal terrae quod si sal euanuerit in quo sallietur ad nihilum ualet ultra nisi ut mittatur foras et conculcetur ab hominibus
    
14. Uos estis lux mundi non potest ciuitas abscond! supra monte posita.
    
15. Neque accendunt lucemam et ponunt cam sub medio sed super candelabrum et luceat omnibus qui in domo sunt

Old Northumbrian

1. Seli bern, þat noght is gan
   In þe rede of wicked man ;
   And in strete of sinfulle noght he stode,
   Ne sat in setel of storme un-gode.
   
2. Bot in lagh of Laverd his wille be ai,
   And г his lagh think he night and dai.
   
3. And als his live, swa sal it be
   Als it fares bi a tre,
   þat stremes of watres set is nere,
   þat gives his fruit in time of yhere ;
   And lef of him to-dreve ne sal,
   What swa he does sal soundefulle al.
   
4. Noght swa wicked men, noght swa,
   Bot als duste þat wind yerthe tas fra.
   
   
5. And far-fore wike in dome noght rise,
   Ne sinfulle in rede of rightwise.
   
   
6. For Laverd of rightwise wate þe wai,
   And gate of wicked for-worth sal ai.
   Blisse to þe Fadre, and to þe Sone,
   And to fe Hali Gaste, wil with am wone ;
   Als first was, es, and ai sal be ;
   In werlde of werldes to þe Thre.

Latin

1. Beatus vir qui non abiit in consilio impiorum
   et in via peccatorum non stetit
   et in cathedra pestilentiae non sedit
   
   
2. Sed in lege Domini voluntas ejus
   et in lege ejus meditabitur die ac nocte
   
3. Et erit tanquam lignum
   quod plantatum est secus
   decursus aquarum quod fructum suum dabit in tempore suo
   Et folium ejus non defluet et omnia quecunque faciet prosperabuntur
   
4. Non sic impii non sic sed tanquam pulvis quem projicit ventus a facie terrae
   
   
5. Ideo non resurgunt impii in judicio neque peccatores in consilio justorum
   
   
6. Quoniam novit Dominus viam justorum et iter impiorum peribit

Translation

1. Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the wicked,
   nor stood in the way of sinners,
   nor sat in the seat of the scornful.
   
2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
   and on His law he meditates day and night.
   
3. And he shall be like a tree
   planted beside flowing waters,
   which yields its fruit in its season.
   Its leaf also shall not wither,
   and whatever he does shall prosper.
   
   
4. Not so the wicked, not so;
   but they are like the chaff which the wind drives away from the face of the earth.
   
5. Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
   
6. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
   but the way of the wicked shall perish.

Old Northumbrian

1. [onjgeredse hinæ god almechttig
   tha he walde on galgu gistiga,
   modig fore allæ men; buga [ic ni darstæ.]
2. [ahof] ic riicnæ kyninge,
   heafunæs hlafard; hælda ic ni darstæ.
   bismæradu ungket men ba æt-gadre.
   ic wæs mith blodæ bistemid bigoten of [his sidan.]
3. Crist wæs on rodi ;
   hwethræ ther fusæ fearran cwomu
   æththilæ til anum; ic thæt al biheald.
   sare ic wæs mith sorgum gidrœfid;
   hnag [ic hwethræ tham secgum til handa.]
4. mith strelum giwnndad
   alegdun hiæ hinæ limwœrignæ ;
   gistoddum him æt his licæs heafdum,
   bihealdun hiæ ther heafun[æs hlafard.]

Translation:

1. God almighty stripped Himself
   when He would mount upon the gallows (the cross),
   courageous before all men ; I (the cross) durst not bow down

2. I (the cross) reared up the royal King,
   the Lord of heaven ; I durst not bend down,
   men reviled us two (the cross and Christ) both together.
   I was moistened with the blood poured forth from His side.

3. Christ was upon the cross;
   howbeit, thither came eagerly from afar
   princes to (see) that One; I beheld all that,
   sorely was I afflicted with sorrows;
   I submitted however to the men’s hands.
4. wounded with arrows,
   they laid Him down, weary in His limbs.
   they stood beside Him, at the head of His corpse.
   they beheld there the Lord of heaven.

Old Northumbrian

Mec se æta uong, wundrum freorig, ob his gnaðaðe cweðst cænde.

Ni wat ic mec biworhte wullan flisum, bitrum ðeah heorcræft ægido minum.

Frundne me ni bið æfla, ni ic wearð hefae,
ni þurh hreætun giðræcð, þærð me hlimmið,
ne me hrutendum ðrisil scelfað,
ni mec cniwan aam sceal.

Fyrmas mec ni æðfun wyndicraeftum,
sa ðe eoluðo geatum geatuð.
Wil mec hudre suae seð widae ofer eorðu
letan mid ðeolum ðyhtlic giuaede.
Ni ancegnu ic me ærigfærae lusan brogum,
ðeah ði nime[n] flanas fracadlice ob corum.

English Translation

The eater wounded me, wonderfully cold; you say what it is that gnaws upon me.
I do not know how I was wrapped in woolly flakes, bitter though they are, through the skill of my enemies.
No friend to me is my covering, nor was I made heavy,
nor does a harsh noise strike me, where it resounds against me,
nor does a roaring storm shake me,
nor shall anyone crush me.

The forces of the winds do not break me,
he who closes the gates of the earth.
Yet the one who widely over the earth
lets me go with wonderful coverings.
I am not afraid of the journeys of the air,
although arrows may be taken against me fiercely from bows.

Mercian

Lytel ic wæs betwih broður mine, ond iungra in hūse fædur mines.
Ic fēdde scēp fædur mines.
Handa mine dydun organan; fingras mine wyrcṭun hearpan.
Ond hwelc sægde Dryhtne mīnum?
Hē Dryhten, hē allra gehērde mec;
Hē sēnde ængel his,
Ond nom mec of scēpum fædur mines,
Ond smirede mec in mildheortnisse smirenisse his.

Broður mine gode ond micle,
Ond ne wæs welgelīcad in him Dryhtne.
Ic ut ēode ongēgn fremðes cynnes men;
Ond wǣrgewēodelade mec in hǣrgum hēara;
Ic sōðlīce gebrogdnum from him his āgnum sweorde
Ic acearf hēafud his,
Ond onweg afirde edwit of bearnum Israela.

English

I was little among my brothers, and the youngest in my father’s house.
I tended my father’s sheep.
My hands made a musical instrument; my fingers fashioned a harp.
And who declared it to my Lord?
The Lord himself, he heard me above all.
He sent his angel,
And took me from my father’s sheep,
And anointed me with the oil of his mercy.

My brothers were handsome and tall,
Yet the Lord was not pleased with them.
I went out to meet the man of the foreign people.
And he cursed me by his idols.
But I drew from him his own sword,
I cut off his head,
And so removed disgrace from the children of Israel.

Old Kentish

Wuton wuldrian      weorada dryhten
halgan hlioðorcwidum,      hiofenrices weard,
lufian liofwendum,      lifes agend,
and him simle sio      sigefest wuldor
uppe mid ænglum,      and on eorðan sibb
gumena gehwilcum      goodes willan.

We ðe heriað      halgum stefnum
and þe blætsiað,      bilewit feder,
and ðe þanciað,      þioda walden,
ðines weorðlican      wuldordreames
and ðinra miclan      mægena gerena,
ðe ðu, god dryhten,      gastes mæhtum
hafest on gewealdum      hiofen and eorðan,
an ece feder,      ælmehtig god.

ðu eart cyninga cyningc      cwicera gehwilces,
ðu eart sigefest sunu      and soð helend
ofer ealle gesceft      angla and manna.
ðu, dryhten god,      on dreamum wunast
on ðære upplican      æðelan ceastre,
Frea folca gehwæs,      swa ðu æt fruman wære
efeneadig bearn      agenum fæder.

ðu eart heofenlic lioht      and ðæt halige lamb,
ðe ðu manscilde      middangeardes
for þinre arfestnesse      ealle towurpe,
fiond geflæmdest,      follc generedes,
blode gebohtest      bearn Israela,
ða ðu ahofe      ðurh ðæt halige triow

ðinre ðrowunga      ðriostre senna,
þæt ðu on hæahsetle      heafena rices
sitest sigehræmig      on ða swiðran hand
ðinum godfæder,      gasta gemyndig.

Mildsa nu, meahtig,      manna cynne,
and of leahtrum ales      ðine ða liofan gesceft,
and us hale gedo,      heleða sceppend,
niða nergend,      for ðines naman are.
ðu eart soðlice      simle halig,
and ðu eart ana      æce dryhten,

and ðu ana bist      eallra dema
cwucra ge deadra,      Crist nergende,
forðan ðu on ðrymme ricsast      and on ðrinesse
and on annesse,      ealles waldend,
hiofena heahcyninc,      haliges gastes
fegere gefelled      in fæder wuldre.

Translation

Let us glorify the Lord of hosts,
with holy songs of praise, the Guardian of the kingdom of heaven
let us love the Giver of life,
and always ascribe to Him victorious glory
above with the angels, and peace upon the earth
to every person of good will.

We praise You with holy voices,
and bless You, gracious Father;
we thank You, Ruler of the nations,
for Your glorious majesty
and the greatness of Your mighty power.
for You, Lord God, by the power of the Spirit,
hold heaven and earth under Your authority,
the one eternal Father, Almighty God.

You are the King of kings over every living creature.
You are the victorious Son and the true Saviour
of all creation, both angels and mankind.
You, Lord God, dwell in glory
within the noble heavenly city,
Lord of every people, just as You were from the beginning,
the equal Son of Your own Father.

You are the heavenly Light and the Holy Lamb,
who cast away the sin of the world
through Your mercy.
You drove away the Enemy and delivered Your people.
You redeemed the children of Israel with Your blood,
when through the holy tree of the Cross

By Your passion, You overcame the boldness of sin,
so that You now sit, triumphant, upon the throne of the kingdom of heaven,
at the right hand
of Your divine Father, mindful of all souls.

Now have mercy, O Mighty One, upon the human race.
Free those whom You love from their sins,
and make us whole, Creator of mankind,
Saviour in times of need, for the glory of Your Name.
For You are truly forever holy.
You alone are the eternal Lord.

You alone are the Judge of all,
the living and the dead, O Christ our Saviour.
For You reign in majesty, in Trinity
and in Unity, Ruler of all,
High King of Heaven, perfectly united
with the Holy Spirit in the glory of the Father.

Old Kentish

Dāvid wæs hāten diormōd hæleð
Israēla bræga, æðelæ and rīce
cyninga cȳnost, Crīste liofost.

Wæs hē under heofenum hearpera mærost,
ðāra wē an folcum gefrigen hæbben. [5]
sangere hē wæs sōðfæstest, swīðe geðancol,
tō ðingienne þīodum sīnum
wið þane mildostan manna Sceppend.

Wæs se Dryhtnes ðiowa Dāvid æt wīge,
sōð sigecempa, searocȳne mann¹, [10]
cāsere creaftig, þonne cumbulgebrec
on gewinndagum weorðan scoldan.

Hwæðere him geīode, swá ful oft gedēð
þætte godferhte gylt gefræmmað
þurh līchaman lēne geðohtas. [15]
Gelamp þæt him ansende² sāula Nēriend
wītgan mid wordum weorada Dryhten³,
and secgan hét, selfum gecȳðan
ymb his wommdēda⁴ Waldendes doóm:
þæt se fruma wære his fēores sceldig, [20]
for ðām þe hē Uriam hét aldre benēman,
fromne ferdrinc fē[o]re beserode,
and him Bezabē brohte tō wīfe

for gītsunga, þe hē Godes eorre
þurh his selfes weorc sōna anfunde. [25]

Him ðā þingode þīoda aldor
Dāvid georne and tō Dryhtne gebæd
and his synna hord selfa ontēnde,
gyltas georne Gode andhette,
weoruda Dryhtne, and ðus wordum spæc: [30]

‘Miltsa ðū mē, meahta Walden[d],
nū ðū wāst …. manna geðohtas;
help ðū Hælend mīn handgeweorces
þīnes ānes, ælmehtig God¹,
efter þīnre miclan² mildhiortnesse. [35]
Ond ēac efter menio miltsa ðīnra,
Dryhten weoruda, ādilga mīn unriht
tō forgefenesse gāste mīnum.

Āðweah mē of sennum, sāule fram wammum,
gāsta Sceppend, geltas geclānsa, [40]
þā ðe ic on³ aldre æfre gefremede
ðurh līchaman lēðre geðohtas.

For ðan ic unriht mīn eall oncnāwe⁴
and ēac synna gehwær selfum æt ēagan
firendēda geðrec beforan standeð, [45]
scelda scīnað; forgef mē, Sceppen[d] mīn,
līfes līohtfruma ðīnre lufan blisse.

Nū ic ānum ðē oft syngode
and yfela feola ēac gefræmede
gelta gramhegdig, ic ðē, gāsta breogo, [50]
hēlende Crīst helpe bidde,
ðæt mē forgefene gāstes wunde
an⁵ forðgesceaft fēran mōte,
þȳ ðine wordcwidas weorðan gefelde

Translation:

David was called a bold-hearted hero,
lord of Israel, noble and powerful,
the most excellent of kings, dearest to Christ.

He was under the heavens the greatest of harpists,
whom we have heard of among peoples.
He was a truthful singer, greatly thoughtful,
to instruct his people
concerning the most merciful Creator of mankind.

This servant of the Lord, David, was in battle
a true victory-warrior, a cunning and skilful man,
a powerful warrior, when the clash of standards
was to occur on days of conflict.

Nevertheless, it happened to him, as it often does,
that the God-fearing commit sin
through the body’s fleeting thoughts.
It happened that the Saviour of souls sent to him
a prophet with words from the Lord of hosts,
and commanded him to speak, to reveal
concerning his sinful deeds the judgement of the Ruler:
that the beginning of his guilt was against his own life,
because he commanded Uriah to be deprived of life,
that brave warrior robbed of his existence,
and brought Bathsheba to him as a wife
because of desire, whereby he angered God
and through his own deed quickly discovered His wrath.

Then the prince of peoples (David) pleaded
David earnestly and prayed to the Lord
and himself revealed his treasure of sins,
eagerly confessed his offences to God,
the Lord of hosts, and spoke these words:

“Have mercy on me, Ruler of might,
now that you know the thoughts of men;
help me, Saviour, your handiwork,
your own creation, Almighty God,
according to your great compassion.
And also according to the multitude of your mercies,
Lord of hosts, remove my wrongdoing
for the forgiveness of my soul.

Wash me from sins, my soul from stains,
Creator of spirits, cleanse my guilt,
those which I have ever committed in my life
through the body’s evil thoughts.

Therefore I acknowledge all my wrongdoing
and every sin before my own eyes,
the multitude of sinful deeds stands before me,
guilt shines forth; forgive me, my Creator,
source of life’s light, through the joy of your love.

Now I alone have often sinned against you
and have also committed many evils,
wrathful against sins, I ask you, Lord of spirits,
saving Christ, I ask for help,
that my soul’s wounds may be forgiven
so that I may journey into eternal existence,
so that your words may be fulfilled.

West Saxon

Mæg ic be me sylfum      soðgied wrecan,
siþas secgan,      hu ic geswincdagum
earfoðhwile      oft þrowade,
bitre breostceare      gebiden hæbbe,

[5] gecunnad in ceole      cearselda fela,
atol yþa gewealc,      þær mec oft bigeat
nearo nihtwaco      æt nacan stefnan,
þonne he be clifum cnossað.     

Calde geþrungen wæron mine fet,     
forste gebunden,
[10] caldum clommum,      þær þa ceare seofedun
hat ymb heortan;      hungor innan slat
merewerges mod.     

þæt se mon ne wat þe him on foldan  
fægrost limpeð,
hu ic earmcearig      iscealdne sæ
[15] winter wunade      wræccan lastum,
winemægum bidroren,
    
bihongen hrimgicelum;     
hægl scurum fleag.
þær ic ne gehyrde      butan hlimman sæ,
iscaldne wæg.     

[20] Hwilum ylfete song cdyde ic me to gomene,   
ganetes hleoþor
ond huilpan sweg      fore hleahtor wera,
mæw singende      fore medodrince.

Stormas þær stanclifu beotan,  
þær him stearn oncwæð isigfeþera;
ful oft þæt earn bigeal, [25] urigfeþra;     
ne ænig hleomæga
feasceaftig ferð      frefran meahte.

Forþon him gelyfeð lyt, se þe ah lifes wyn
gebiden in burgum,      bealosiþa hwon,
wlonc ond wingal,      hu ic werig oft
[30] in brimlade      bidan sceolde.


Nap nihtscua,      norþan sniwde,
hrim hrusan bond,      hægl feol on eorþan,
corna caldast.     
Forþon cnyssað nu heortan geþohtas,
þæt ic hean streamas,
[35] sealtyþa gelac      sylf cunnige;
monað modes lust      mæla gehwylce
ferð to feran,      þæt ic feor heonan
elþeodigra      eard gesece.

Forþon nis þæs modwlonc      mon ofer eorþan,
[40] ne his gifena þæs god,      ne in geoguþe to þæs hwæt,
ne in his dædum to þæs deor,      ne him his dryhten to þæs hold,
þæt he a his sæfore      sorge næbbe,
to hwon hine dryhten      gedon wille.
Ne biþ him to hearpan hyge      ne to hringþege,
[45] ne to wife wyn      ne to worulde hyht,
ne ymbe owiht elles,      nefne ymb yða gewealc,

ac a hafað longunge      se þe on lagu fundað.
Bearwas blostmum nimað,      byrig fægriað,
wongas wlitigað,      woruld onetteð;
[50] ealle þa gemoniað      modes fusne
sefan to siþe,      þam þe swa þenceð
on flodwegas      feor gewitan.
Swylce geac monað      geomran reorde,
singeð sumeres weard,      sorge beodeð
[55] bitter in breosthord.     

þæt se beorn ne wat, esteadig secg,
hwæt þa sume dreogað
þe þa wræclastas      widost lecgað.
Forþon nu min hyge hweorfeð      ofer hreþerlocan,
min modsefa      mid mereflode
[60] ofer hwæles eþel      hweorfeð wide,
eorþan sceatas,      cymeð eft to me
gifre ond grædig,      gielleð anfloga,
hweteð on hwælweg      hreþer unwearnum
ofer holma gelagu.

    
Forþon me hatran sind
[65] dryhtnes dreamas      þonne þis deade lif,
læne on londe.      Ic gelyfe no
þæt him eorðwelan      ece stondað.
Simle þreora sum      þinga gehwylce,
ær his tid aga,      to tweon weorþeð;
[70] adl oþþe yldo      oþþe ecghete
fægum fromweardum      feorh oðþringeð.

Forþon þæt bið eorla gehwam      æftercweþendra
lof lifgendra      lastworda betst,
þæt he gewyrce,      ær he on weg scyle,
[75] fremum on foldan      wið feonda niþ,
deorum dædum      deofle togeanes,
þæt hine ælda bearn      æfter hergen,
ond his lof siþþan      lifge mid englum
awa to ealdre,      ecan lifes blæd,
[80] dream mid dugeþum.

Dagas sind gewitene,
ealle onmedlan      eorþan rices;
næron nu cyningas      ne caseras
ne goldgiefan      swylce iu wæron,
þonne hi mæst mid him      mærþa gefremedon
[85] ond on dryhtlicestum      dome lifdon.
Gedroren is þeos duguð eal,      dreamas sind gewitene,
wuniað þa wacran      ond þas woruld healdaþ,
brucað þurh bisgo.

Blæd is gehnæged,
eorþan indryhto      ealdað ond searað,
[90] swa nu monna gehwylc      geond middangeard.
Yldo him on fareð,      onsyn blacað,
gomelfeax gnornað,      wat his iuwine,
æþelinga bearn,      eorþan forgiefene.
Ne mæg him þonne se flæschoma,      þonne him þæt feorg losað,
[95] ne swete forswelgan      ne sar gefelan,
ne hond onhreran      ne mid hyge þencan.

þeah þe græf wille      golde stregan
broþor his geborenum,      byrgan be deadum,
maþmum mislicum      þæt hine mid wille,
100ne mæg þære sawle      þe biþ synna ful
gold to geoce      for godes egsan,
þonne he hit ær hydeð      þenden he her leofað.
Micel biþ se meotudes egsa,      forþon hi seo molde oncyrreð;
se gestaþelade      stiþe grundas,
[105] eorþan sceatas      ond uprodor.

Dol biþ se þe him his dryhten ne ondrædeþ;
cymeð him se deað unþinged.
Eadig bið se þe eaþmod leofaþ;      cymeð him seo ar of heofonum,
meotod him þæt mod gestaþelað,      forþon he in his meahte gelyfeð.
Stieran mon sceal strongum mode,      ond þæt on staþelum healdan,
[110] ond gewis werum,      wisum clæne,

scyle monna gehwylc      mid gemete healdan
wiþ leofne ond wið laþne      bealo,
þeah þe he hine wille fyres      fulne
oþþe on bæle      forbærnedne
[115] his geworhtne wine.     
Wyrd biþ swiþre, meotud meahtigra þonne ænges monnes gehygd.
Uton we hycgan      hwær we ham agen,
ond þonne geþencan      hu we þider cumen,

ond we þonne eac tilien,      þæt we to moten
[120] in þa ecan      eadignesse,
þær is lif gelong      in lufan dryhtnes,
hyht in heofonum.     
þæs sy þam halgan þonc,
þæt he usic geweorþade,      wuldres ealdor,
ece dryhten,      in ealle tid.
[125] Amen.

Modern English Translation

I can tell a true tale about myself,
speak of my journeys, how in days of hardship
I often endured bitter times
and suffered many hours of misery.

In my ship I experienced countless sorrowful dwellings,
the terrible tossing of the waves, where I was often seized
by anxious night-watch at the vessel’s prow,
as it crashed against the cliffs.

My feet were numbed by the cold,
bound fast by frost,
locked in icy chains, while grief sighed
hot around my heart, and hunger tore within
the spirit of the sea-weary man.

The man who lives most happily upon the land
cannot know
how I, wretched and full of sorrow,
spent the winter upon the ice-cold sea,
following the paths of exile,

bereft of friends and kinsmen, covered with icicles,
while hail flew in showers around me.
There I heard nothing but the roaring sea,
the ice-cold waves.

At times I made the swan’s song my entertainment,
the cry of the gannet,
and the curlew’s call instead of men’s laughter,
the singing gull instead of the mead-hall’s revelry.

Storms beat upon the rocky cliffs,
where the tern, with icy feathers, answered them.
Often the eagle cried, its wings drenched with spray.
No companion or kinsman
could comfort my lonely spirit.

He who enjoys life’s pleasures in the towns,
who has suffered little from hardship,
proud and flushed with wine,
cannot understand how often I, weary,
had to endure my life upon the sea.

Night’s shadow darkened; snow fell from the north;
frost bound the earth, and hail,
the coldest of grains, struck the ground.
Therefore now my heart is stirred,
and my thoughts urge me
to test for myself the high seas,
the play of the salt waves.
Again and again my spirit longs to set out on a journey,
to seek a home in distant lands.

There is no man upon earth,
so proud in spirit, so blessed with gifts, so bold in youth,
so renowned in his deeds, or so favoured by his lord,
that he is ever free from anxiety
about a voyage at sea, wondering what the Lord has ordained for him.
His thoughts turn not to the harp, nor to the receiving of treasure-rings,
nor to the joy of a wife, nor to the hope of worldly prosperity,
nor to anything else, except the rolling of the waves.

He who sets his mind upon the sea is always filled with longing.

The groves burst into blossom, the towns grow fair,

the meadows become beautiful, the whole world hastens into life.
All these things urge the eager heart onward,
stirring the spirit to journey, for the one that longs
to travel far across the ocean paths.
Likewise the cuckoo calls with its mournful voice,
the herald of summer sings, announcing sorrow
bitterly within the heart.

The prosperous man does not know,
what hardships those endure
who travel farthest upon the paths of exile.
Therefore now my thoughts range beyond the confines of my breast,
my spirit journeys with the sea-flood
widely over the whale’s homeland,
across the regions of the earth, then returns to me
eager and hungry; the lone wanderer cries aloud,
urging my heart irresistibly onto the whale-road,
across the expanses of the sea.

Therefore the joys of the Lord
are dearer to me than this dead life,
this fleeting existence on earth. I do not believe…
that earthly riches endure forever.
Always one of three things
before a man’s appointed time comes, will bring his life to an end:
illness, old age, or the sword’s hatred,
which takes the life from those doomed to die.

Therefore, for every noble man,
the finest legacy is the praise spoken by those who live after him.
Let him earn that praise before he must depart this life,
by performing noble deeds on earth against the malice of enemies,
through honourable actions in defiance of the devil,
so that the children of men may praise him afterwards,
and his renown may live thereafter among the angels
forever and ever in the glory of eternal life,
in joy among the heavenly company.

The days have passed away;
all the splendours of earthly kingdoms are gone.
There are no longer kings or emperors,
nor generous gold-givers such as there once were,
when they accomplished the greatest deeds
and lived in the highest honour among their followers.
All that noble company has fallen; its joys have departed.
The weaker remain and possess this world,
labouring through constant toil.

Glory has declined;
the splendour of the earth grows old and withers,
just as every person throughout the world does.
Old age overtakes him; his face grows pale;
the grey-haired man grieves, knowing that his former companions,
the sons of princes, have been given over to the earth.
Then, when life leaves him, the body can no longer
taste sweetness or feel pain,
move a hand or think with the mind.

Though a kinsman may wish to adorn his grave with gold,
burying treasures beside his dead brother,
surrounding him with many precious possessions,
that gold cannot help the soul
if it is full of sin before the judgment of God,
even though he hid that treasure while he lived here on earth.
Great is the fear of the Creator, for He shall shake the earth.
He established the firm foundations,
the regions of the earth and the heavens above.

Foolish is the one who does not fear his Lord;
death comes upon him without warning.
Blessed is the one who lives humbly; grace shall come to him from heaven.
The Creator will strengthen his heart because he trusts in His power.
A person must steer himself with a steadfast mind and hold firmly to his purpose,
being trustworthy toward others and pure in wisdom.

Everyone should practise moderation
toward both friend and foe alike,
even if the other wishes to destroy him with fire
or burn him upon a funeral pyre,
though he was once his loyal friend.
Fate is strong, but the Creator is mightier than any human purpose.
Let us consider where our true home is,
and then think how we may come there.

Let us also strive that we may attain
that eternal blessedness,
where life is found in the love of the Lord,
and hope is in heaven.
Thanks be to the Holy One,
that He, the Lord of Glory, has honoured us,
the eternal Lord, for all time.
Amen

West Saxon Version

Nu we sculan herian heofonrices weard,
Metodes mihte, and his modgeþonc
weorc wuldorfæder swa he wundra gewæs,
ece Dryhten ord onstealde
He ærest gesceop eorðan bearnum,
heofon to hrofe, halig Scyppend,
ða middangeard, monncynnes weard,
ece Dryhten, æfter teode,
firum foldan, Frea ælmihtig.

Old Northumbrian Version

Nu scylun hergan hefænricæs uard,
metudæs mæcti end his modgidanc,
uerc uuldurfadur; sue he uundra gihuæs,
eci Dryctin, or astelidæ.
He ærist scop ælda barnum
heben til hrofe, haleg scepen[d].
Tha middungeard moncynnæs uard,
eci Dryctin, æfter tiadæ
firum foldu, frea allmectig.

Early West Saxon Version

Nu sculon herigean heofonrices weard
Meotodes meahte and his modgeþanc,
weorc wuldorfæder swa he wundra gewæs,
ece drihten or onstealde

Northumbrian Version:

Fore there neidfaerae naenig uuiurthit
thonc-snotturra than him thar[f] sie,
to ymbhycggannae, aer his hin-iong[a]e,
huaet his gastae, godaes aeththa yflaes,
aefter deoth-daege doemid uueorth[a]e.

West Saxon Version:

For þam nedfere      næni wyrþeþ
þances snotera,      þonne him þearf sy
to gehicgenne      ær his heonengange
hwæt his gaste      godes oþþe yfeles
æfter deaþe heonon      demed weorþe.

Old Northumbrian Version

Fader ūser, ðū arð in heofnum.
Sīe ġehālgad noma ðīn.
Tōcymeð rīċ ðīn.
Sīe willo ðīn, suǣ is in heofne ⁊ in eorðo.
Hlāf ūserne oferwistlīċ sel ūs tōdæġ.

⁊ forġef ūs scylda ūsra,
suǣ uforġefon scyldgum ūsum.
⁊ ne inlǣd ūsih in costunge.
Ah ġefriġ ūsic from yfle. Amen.

Old Mercian Version

Feder ure þu eart in heofenum,
se þin noma is gehalgad.
To cyme þin rice.
Sie þin willa on eorþan swe in heofenum.
Ure deghweamlice hlaf sele us to deg.

Ond forgef us ussa scylda
swe ond us forgef ure scylde.
And nu in læde us in costnunge.
Ales us from yfele. Amen.

West Saxon Version

Fæder ūre þū þe eart on heofonum,
Sī þīn nama ġehālgod.
Tōbecume þīn rīce.
Ġewurþe þīn willa on eorðan swā swā on heofonum. Ūrne ġedæghwāmlīcan hlāf syle ūs tōdæg.
And forgyf ūs ūre gyltas,
Swā swā wē forgyfað ūrum gyltendum.
And ne gelǣd þū ūs on costnunge,
Ac ālȳs ūs of yfele. Sōþlīce.