The Wife's Lament

  

Ic þis giedd° wrece° bi me ful geomorre°, song (as), utter (pres 1s), sad (dsf)
minre sylfre sið°. Ic þæt secgan mæg, lot (as)
hwæt ic yrmþa° gebad°, siþþan ic up weox°,of hardships, experienced (pret 1s), grew up (pret 1s)
niwes° oþþe ealdes°, no ma þonne nu.recently, long ago

5

A ic wite° wonn° minra wræcsiþa°. torment (as), suffered (pret 1s), of miseries
Ærest min hlaford gewat° heonan° of leodum departed (pret 3s), hence
ofer yþa° gelac°; hæfde ic uhtceare° of the waves, rolling (as), grief before dawn (as)
hwær min leodfruma° londes wære. lord (ns)
Ða ic me feran° gewat folgað° secan, to set out, refuge (as)

10

wineleas° wræcca°, for minre weaþearfe°. friendless (ns), exile (ns), grievous need (ds)
Ongunnon þæt þæs monnes magas° hycgan° kinsmen (np), to plan
þurh dyrne° geþoht, þæt hy todælden° unc, secret (asm), separate (pret subj 3p)
þæt wit gewidost° in woruldrice as far apart as possible
lifdon laðlicost°, ond mec longade°. in most wretched fashion, afflicted with longing (pret 3s)

15

Het mec hlaford min herheard° niman°, abode in a grove (as), to take
ahte° ic leofra° lyt° on þissum londstede°, possessed (pret 1s), dear [ones] (gp), few (indecl + gen), country (ds)
holdra° freonda. Forþon is min hyge° geomor, loyal (gpm), heart (ns)
ða ic me ful gemæcne° monnan funde°,suitable (asm), found (pret 1s)
heardsæligne°, hygegeomorne°, unfortunate (asm), sad at heart (asm)

20

mod miþendne°, morþor hycgendne°. concealing (pres ptc asm), thinking (pres ptc asm)
Bliþe gebæro° ful oft wit beotedan° demeanour (np), vowed (pret 1p)
þæt unc ne gedælde° nemne° deað ana might share (pres subj 1p), except (conj)
owiht° elles; eft is þæt onhworfen°, anything (nsn), changed (p ptc)
is nu * * * swa hit no wære

25

freondscipe uncer. Sceal ic feor ge neah
mines felaleofan° fæhðu° dreogan°. dearly beloved (gsm), feud (as), to endure
Heht mec mon wunian° on wuda bearwe°, to dwell, grove (ds)
under actreo° in þam eorðscræfe°. oak tree (ds), cave (ds)
Eald is þes eorðsele°, eal ic eom oflongad°, barrow (ns), seized with longing (p ptc)

30

sindon dena° dimme°, duna° uphea°, valleys (np), gloomy (npf), hills (np), lofty (npf)
bitre burgtunas°, brerum° beweaxne°, protecting hedges (np), briers (dp), grown over (p ptc npm)
wic° wynna leas. Ful oft mec her wraþe° begeat° abode (ns), cruelly, took hold (pret 3s)
fromsiþ° frean. Frynd sind on eorþan, departure (ns)
leofe lifgende, leger° weardiað°, beds (ap), occupy (pres 3p)

35

þonne ic on uhtan° ana gonge° period just before dawn (ds), walk (pres 1s)
under actreo geond þas eorðscrafu.
þær ic sittan mot sumorlangne° dæg, summer long (asm)
þær ic wepan mæg mine wræcsiþas°, miseries (ap)
earfoþa° fela; forþon ic æfre ne mæg of hardships

40

þære modceare° minre gerestan°, grief of heart (gs), to rest (+ gen)
ne ealles þæs longaþes° þe mec on þissum life begeat°. longing (gs), seized (pret 3s)
A scyle geong mon wesan geomormod,
heard° heortan geþoht, swylce habban sceal steadfast (nsm)
bliþe gebæro, °eac þon° breostceare°, besides, grief of heart (as)

45

sinsorgna° gedreag°, sy æt him sylfum gelong° of constant sorrows, multitude (as), dependent on (nsf)
eal his worulde wyn, sy ful wide fah° outcast (nsm)
feorres° folclondes°, þæt min freond siteð far (gsn), of the country,
under stanhliþe° storme behrimed°, cliff (ds), covered with frost (p ptc)
wine° werigmod, wætre beflowen° friend (ns), surrounded by water (p ptc)

50

on dreorsele°. Dreogeð° se min wine desolate hall (ds), suffers (pres 3s)
micle modceare; he gemon° to oft remembers (pres 3s)
wynlicran° wic. Wa bið þam þe sceal more delightful (compar. apn)
of langoþe leofes abidan°. to await (+ gen)