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Wyrd’s WellTranslations

The Wife's Lament

Old English, Exeter Book, lines 1 to 8

I sing this tale, so sorrowfully wrought,about my mournful way. And if I may I'll speakof what went wrong, of waxing stings,of new or old, evermore now.I've brooked torments the banished times sentfirst went my lord, left behind his folkfar over harsh tides; taken by morning griefI pained over odd lands, wherein my lord might be.

The original, glossed

Ic þis giedd wrece bi me ful geomorre,I this song utter about me very sad [dat. fem.],minre sylfre sið. Ic þæt secgan mæg,of-my self's [gen. fem.] journey. I that say can,hwæt ic yrmþa gebad, siþþan ic up weox,what I of-miseries [gen. pl.] endured, since I up grew,niwes oþþe ealdes, no ma þonne nu.of-new or of-old, never more than now.A ic wite wonn minra wræcsiþa.Ever I torment struggled-with of-my exile-journeys.Ærest min hlaford gewat heonan of leodumFirst my lord departed hence from people [dat. pl.]ofer yþa gelac; hæfde ic uhtceareover of-waves tossing; had I dawn-carehwær min leodfruma londes wære.where my people-chief of-land [gen.] might-be [subj.].

Original text: Krapp and Dobbie, eds., The Exeter Book, ASPR 3 (1936), "The Wife's Lament".

The original, glossed

Translation

Ic þis giedd wrece bi me ful geomorre,I this song utter about me very sad [dat. fem.],

I sing this tale, so sorrowfully wrought,

minre sylfre sið. Ic þæt secgan mæg,of-my self's [gen. fem.] journey. I that say can,

about my mournful way. And if I may I'll speak

hwæt ic yrmþa gebad, siþþan ic up weox,what I of-miseries [gen. pl.] endured, since I up grew,

of what went wrong, of waxing stings,

niwes oþþe ealdes, no ma þonne nu.of-new or of-old, never more than now.

of new or old, evermore now.

A ic wite wonn minra wræcsiþa.Ever I torment struggled-with of-my exile-journeys.

I've brooked torments the banished times sent

Ærest min hlaford gewat heonan of leodumFirst my lord departed hence from people [dat. pl.]

first went my lord, left behind his folk

ofer yþa gelac; hæfde ic uhtceareover of-waves tossing; had I dawn-care

far over harsh tides; taken by morning grief

hwær min leodfruma londes wære.where my people-chief of-land [gen.] might-be [subj.].

I pained over odd lands, wherein my lord might be.

Original text: Krapp and Dobbie, eds., The Exeter Book, ASPR 3 (1936), "The Wife's Lament".

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