     ___
   .'   '.
  :  (_)  :==================.
   '.___.'          |_|  |_|_|

Wyrd’s WellTranslations

The Grave

Early Middle English, Bodley 343, lines 1 to 28

For you a house was builtbefore you were deliveredFor you the earth was meantafore you left your motherBut it was not yet dugnor its depth yet measuredit was not laid outhow long it is to benow they take you therethat place you'll benow they assess youand after you the dirtIt is not a househewn of great timberit is held so lowwhen you lie thereinthe ends are so shortand shallow on each sidethe roof just aboveyour breast lies so nearso in the soilyou sit so colddim and dark thatden rots your handa doorless homedarkened withinwhen you're fastened downdeath keeps the key

The original, glossed

Ðe wes bold ȝebyld,For-you [dat.] was house built,er þu iboren were.before you born were.Ðe wes molde imynt,For-you was earth intended,er ðu of moder come.before you from mother came.Ac hit nes no idiht,But it not-was not prepared,ne þeo deopnes imeten;nor the depth measured;Nes ȝyt iloced,Not-was yet looked-at,hu long hit þe were.how long it for-you would-be [subj.].Nu me þe bringæð,Now one [indef. pron.] you brings,þer ðu beon scealt.where you be must.Nu me sceæl þe metenNow one shall you measureand þa molde seoðða.and the earth afterwards.Ne bið nu þin husNot is now your househealice itinbred:highly timbered:Hit bið unheh and lah,It is un-high and low,þonne þu list þerinne.when you lie therein.Ðe helewaȝes beoð laȝe,The heel-walls [= end-walls] are low,sidwaȝes unheȝe;side-walls un-high;Þe rof bið ibyldThe roof is builtþire broste ful neh.to-your breast [dat.] full near.Swa ðu scealt on moldeSo you must in earthwunien ful calde,dwell full cold,Dimme and deorcæ.dim and dark.Þet den fulæt on honde.That den rots at hand (?).Dureleas is þet husDoorless is that houseand dearc hit is wiðinnen.and dark it is within.Ðær þu bist feste bidyttThere you are fast shut-inand dæð hefð þa cæȝe.and death has the key.

Original text: Buchholz, ed., Die Fragmente der Reden der Seele an den Leichnam in zwei Handschriften zu Worcester und Oxford (Erlangen, 1889), "Der Text von Oxford" (Bodley 343).

The original, glossed

Translation

Ðe wes bold ȝebyld,For-you [dat.] was house built,

For you a house was built

er þu iboren were.before you born were.

before you were delivered

Ðe wes molde imynt,For-you was earth intended,

For you the earth was meant

er ðu of moder come.before you from mother came.

afore you left your mother

Ac hit nes no idiht,But it not-was not prepared,

But it was not yet dug

ne þeo deopnes imeten;nor the depth measured;

nor its depth yet measured

Nes ȝyt iloced,Not-was yet looked-at,

it was not laid out

hu long hit þe were.how long it for-you would-be [subj.].

how long it is to be

Nu me þe bringæð,Now one [indef. pron.] you brings,

now they take you there

þer ðu beon scealt.where you be must.

that place you'll be

Nu me sceæl þe metenNow one shall you measure

now they assess you

and þa molde seoðða.and the earth afterwards.

and after you the dirt

Ne bið nu þin husNot is now your house

It is not a house

healice itinbred:highly timbered:

hewn of great timber

Hit bið unheh and lah,It is un-high and low,

it is held so low

þonne þu list þerinne.when you lie therein.

when you lie therein

Ðe helewaȝes beoð laȝe,The heel-walls [= end-walls] are low,

the ends are so short

sidwaȝes unheȝe;side-walls un-high;

and shallow on each side

Þe rof bið ibyldThe roof is built

the roof just above

þire broste ful neh.to-your breast [dat.] full near.

your breast lies so near

Swa ðu scealt on moldeSo you must in earth

so in the soil

wunien ful calde,dwell full cold,

you sit so cold

Dimme and deorcæ.dim and dark.

dim and dark that

Þet den fulæt on honde.That den rots at hand (?).

den rots your hand

Dureleas is þet husDoorless is that house

a doorless home

and dearc hit is wiðinnen.and dark it is within.

darkened within

Ðær þu bist feste bidyttThere you are fast shut-in

when you're fastened down

and dæð hefð þa cæȝe.and death has the key.

death keeps the key

Original text: Buchholz, ed., Die Fragmente der Reden der Seele an den Leichnam in zwei Handschriften zu Worcester und Oxford (Erlangen, 1889), "Der Text von Oxford" (Bodley 343).

 \|/
-(*)-
 /|\