Mæg ic be me sylfum
soðgied wrecan,
siþas secgan,
hu ic geswincdagum
earfoðhwile
oft þrowade,
bitre breostceare
gebiden hæbbe,
gecunnad in ceole
cearselda fela,
atol yþa gewealc,
þær mec oft bigeat
nearo nihtwaco
æt nacan stefnan
8a þonne he be clifum cnossað.
Calde geþrungen
wæron mine fet,
forste gebunden
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
winter wunade
wræccan lastum,
winemægum bidroren,
bihongen hrimgicelum;
hægl scurum fleag.
þær ic ne gehyrde
butan hlimman sæ,
iscaldne wæg.
Hwilum ylfete song
dyde ic me to gomene,
ganotes 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,
urigfeþra;
nænig 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
in brimlade
bidan sceolde.
Nap nihtscua,
norþan sniwde,
hrim hrusan bond,
hægl feol on eorþan,
corna caldast.
Forþon cnyssað nu Indeed,
heortan geþohtas
þæt ic hean streamas,
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,
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
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:
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
bitter in breosthord.
Þæt se beorn ne wat,
sefteadig secg,
hwæt þa sume dreogað
þe þa wræclastas
widost lecgað.
Forþon nu min hyge hweorfeð
ofer hreþerlocan,
min modsefa my spirit
mid mereflode, out in the waterways,
60a ofer hwæles eþel over the whale's path
hweorfeð wide, it soars widely
eorþan sceatas -- through all the corners of the world --
cymeð eft to me it comes back to me
gifre ond grædig; eager and unsated;
gielleð anfloga, the lone-flier screams,
hweteð on hwælweg urges onto the whale-road
hreþer unwearnum the unresisting heart
64a ofer holma gelagu. across the waves of the sea.
Forþon me hatran sind Indeed hotter for me are
Dryhtnes dreamas the joys of the Lord
þonne þis deade lif than this dead life
læne on londe. fleeting on the land.
Ic gelyfe no I do not believe
þæt him eorðwelan that the riches of the world
ece stondað. will stand forever.
68a Simle þreora sum Always and invariably,
þinga gehwylce one of three things
ær his tiddege will turn to uncertainty
to tweon weorþeð: before his fated hour:
adl oþþe yldo disease, or old age,
oþþe ecghete or the sword's hatred
fægum fromweardum will tear out the life
feorh oðþringeð. from those doomed to die.
72a Forþon biþ eorla gehwam And so it is for each man
æftercweþendra the praise of the living,
lof lifgendra of those who speak afterwards,
lastworda betst, that is the best epitaph,
þæt he gewyrce, that he should work
ær he on weg scyle, before he must be gone
fremum on foldan bravery in the world
wið feonda niþ, against the enmity of devils,
76a deorum dædum daring deeds
deofle togeanes, against the fiend,
þæt hine ælda bearn so that the sons of men
æfter hergen, will praise him afterwards,
ond his lof siþþan and his fame afterwards
lifge mid englum will live with the angels
awa to ealdre, for ever and ever,
ecan lifes blæd, the glory of eternal life,
80a dream mid dugeþum. joy with the Hosts.
Dagas sind gewitene, The days are gone
ealle onmedlan of all the glory
eorþan rices; of the kingdoms of the earth;
nearon nu cyningas there are not now kings,
ne caseras nor Cæsars,
ne goldgiefan nor givers of gold
swylce iu wæron, as once there were,
84a þonne hi mæst mid him when they, the greatest, among themselves
mærþa gefremedon performed valorous deeds,
ond on dryhtlicestum and with a most lordly
dome lifdon. majesty lived.
Gedroren is þeos duguð eal, All that old guard is gone
dreamas sind gewitene; and the revels are over --
wuniað þa wacran the weaker ones now dwell
ond þæs woruld healdaþ, and hold the world,
88a brucað þurh bisgo. enjoy it through their sweat.
Blæd is gehnæged, The glory is fled,
eorþan indryhto the nobility of the world
ealdað ond searað, ages and grows sere,
swa nu monna gehwylc as now does every man
geond middangeard. throughout the world.
Yldo him on fareþ, Age comes upon him,
onsyn blacað, his face grows pale,
92a gomelfeax gnornað, the graybeard laments;
wat his iuwine, he knows that his old friends,
æþelinga bearn the sons of princes,
eorþan forgiefene. have been given to the earth.
Ne mæg him þonne se flæschoma His body fails then,
þonne him þæt feorg losað as life leaves him --
ne swete forswelgan he cannot taste sweetness
ne sar gefelan nor feel pain,
96a ne hond onhreran nor move his hand
ne mid hyge þencan. nor think with his head.
Þeah þe græf wille Though he would strew
golde stregan the grave with gold,
broþor his geborenum, a brother for his kinsman,
byrgan be deadum bury with the dead
maþmum mislicum, a mass of treasure,
þæt hine mid wille, it just won't work --
100a ne mæg þære sawle nor can the soul
þe biþ synna ful which is full of sin
gold to geoce preserve the gold
for Godes egsan, before the fear of God,
þonne he hit ær hydeð though he hid it before
þenden he her leofað. while he was yet alive.
Micel biþ se Meotudes egsa, Great is the fear of the Lord,
forþon hi seo molde oncyrreð; before which the world stands still;
104a se gestaþelade He established
stiþe grundas, the firm foundations,
eorþan sceatas the corners of the world
ond uprodor. and the high heavens.
Dol biþ se þe him his Dryhten ne ondrædeþ: A fool is the one who does not fear his Lord
cymeð him se deað unþinged. -- death comes to him unprepared.
Eadig bið se þe eaþmod leofaþ; Blessed is he who lives humbly
cymeð him seo ar of heofonum. -- to him comes forgiveness from heaven.
108a Meotod him þæt mod gestaþelað, God set that spirit within him,
forþon he in his meahte gelyfeð. because he believed in His might.
Stieran mon sceal strongum mode, Man must control his passions
ond þæt on staþelum healdan, and keep everything in balance,
ond gewis werum, keep faith with men,
wisum clæne. and be pure in wisdom.
Scyle monna gehwylc Each of men must
mid gemete healdan be even-handed
112a wiþ leofne ond wið laþne with their friends and their foes.
bealo.?
þeah þe he hine wille? though he does not wish him
fyres fulne? in the foulness of flames
oþþe on bæle? or on a pyre
forbærnedne? to be burned
his geworhtne wine,? his contrived friend,
Wyrd biþ swiþre, Fate is greater
116a Meotud meahtigra, and God is mightier
þonne ænges monnes gehygd. than any man's thought.
Uton we hycgan Let us ponder
hwær we ham agen, where we have our homes
ond þonne geþencan and then think
hu we þider cumen; how we should get thither --
ond we þonne eac tilien and then we should all strive
þæt we to moten that we might go there
120a in þa ecan to the eternal
eadignesse blessedness
þær is lif gelong that is a belonging life
in lufan Dryhtnes, in the love of the Lord,
hyht in heofonum. joy in the heavens.
Þæs sy þam Halgan þonc Let there be thanks to God
þæt he usic geweorþade, that he adored us,
wuldres Ealdor the Father of Glory,
124a ece Dryhten, the Eternal Lord,
in ealle tid. Amen. for all time. Amen.

SOUMETTRE LES CORRECTIONS