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Wyrd’s WellTranslations

The Cattle-Theft Charm

Old English, Metrical Charms 5 and 10

When you find all your cattle gone say this before all else:"Old Bethlem was the borough known for bearing our Lord Christ,it is for miracles admired throughout middle-earth,So may this deed among all men be heard and known. Amen."Then thrice you'll pray facing the east then thrice you quote these words:"Please holy cross of our Lord Christ bring them back from the east."Then face the west and thrice you quote: "bring them back from the west."Then face the south and thrice you quote: "bring them back from the south."Then face the north and thrice you quote: "the cross was hid and found."The Jews hanged Christ, then did their worst, and hid what can't be hid,So may this deed never be hid, by Christ's own holy Rood.

The original, glossed

Þonne þe mon ærest secge þæt þin ceap sy losod, þonne cweð þu ærest, ær þu elles hwæt cweþe:When to-you one first may-say that your cattle be lost, then say you first, before you else anything may-say:Bæðleem hatte seo buruh þe Crist on acænned wæs,Bethlehem was-called the town that Christ in born was,seo is gemærsod geond ealne middangeard;which is made-famous throughout all middle-earth;swa þyos dæd for monnum mære gewurþe þurh þa haligan Cristes rode! Amen.so this deed before men famous may-become through the holy Christ's cross! Amen.Gebide þe þonne þriwa east and cweþ þonne þriwa:Pray yourself [refl.] then thrice east and say then thrice:Crux Christi ab oriente reducað.[Latin] Cross of-Christ from east may-bring-back.Gebide þe þonne þriwa west and cweð þonne þriwa: Crux Christi ab occidente reducat.Pray yourself then thrice west and say then thrice: [Latin] cross of-Christ from west may-bring-back.Gebide þe þonne þriwa suð and cweþ þriwa: Crux Christi ab austro reducat.Pray yourself then thrice south and say thrice: [Latin] cross of-Christ from south may-bring-back.And III norð and cweð: Crux Christi abscondita sunt et inuenta est.And 3 [times] north and say: [Latin] cross of-Christ hidden are [pl., sic] and found is.Iudeas Crist ahengon, dydon dæda þa wyrrestan, hælon þæt hy forhelan ne mihtan.Jews Christ hanged, did deeds the worst, concealed that [= what] they conceal not could.Swa þeos dæd nænige þinga forholen ne wurþe þurh þa haligan Cristes rode. Amen.So this deed by-no of-things [= in no way] hidden not may-become through the holy Christ's cross. Amen.

Original text: Dobbie, ed., The Anglo-Saxon Minor Poems, ASPR 6 (1942), Metrical Charm 5 ("For Loss of Cattle") and Metrical Charm 10 ("For Loss of Cattle").

The original, glossed

Translation

When you find all your cattle gone say this before all else:

Bæðleem hatte seo buruh þe Crist on acænned wæs,Bethlehem was-called the town that Christ in born was,

"Old Bethlem was the borough known for bearing our Lord Christ,

seo is gemærsod geond ealne middangeard;which is made-famous throughout all middle-earth;

it is for miracles admired throughout middle-earth,

swa þyos dæd for monnum mære gewurþe þurh þa haligan Cristes rode! Amen.so this deed before men famous may-become through the holy Christ's cross! Amen.

So may this deed among all men be heard and known. Amen."

Gebide þe þonne þriwa east and cweþ þonne þriwa:Pray yourself [refl.] then thrice east and say then thrice:

Then thrice you'll pray facing the east then thrice you quote these words:

Crux Christi ab oriente reducað.[Latin] Cross of-Christ from east may-bring-back.

"Please holy cross of our Lord Christ bring them back from the east."

Gebide þe þonne þriwa west and cweð þonne þriwa: Crux Christi ab occidente reducat.Pray yourself then thrice west and say then thrice: [Latin] cross of-Christ from west may-bring-back.

Then face the west and thrice you quote: "bring them back from the west."

Gebide þe þonne þriwa suð and cweþ þriwa: Crux Christi ab austro reducat.Pray yourself then thrice south and say thrice: [Latin] cross of-Christ from south may-bring-back.

Then face the south and thrice you quote: "bring them back from the south."

And III norð and cweð: Crux Christi abscondita sunt et inuenta est.And 3 [times] north and say: [Latin] cross of-Christ hidden are [pl., sic] and found is.

Then face the north and thrice you quote: "the cross was hid and found."

Iudeas Crist ahengon, dydon dæda þa wyrrestan, hælon þæt hy forhelan ne mihtan.Jews Christ hanged, did deeds the worst, concealed that [= what] they conceal not could.

The Jews hanged Christ, then did their worst, and hid what can't be hid,

Swa þeos dæd nænige þinga forholen ne wurþe þurh þa haligan Cristes rode. Amen.So this deed by-no of-things [= in no way] hidden not may-become through the holy Christ's cross. Amen.

So may this deed never be hid, by Christ's own holy Rood.

Original text: Dobbie, ed., The Anglo-Saxon Minor Poems, ASPR 6 (1942), Metrical Charm 5 ("For Loss of Cattle") and Metrical Charm 10 ("For Loss of Cattle").

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