The Wife's Lament Pages

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My Translation

1) Iÿ þis ÿiedd wrece bi mÿ, ful ÿeÿmorre,
I recite this poem concerning myself, full of sorrow

mÿnre sylfre sÿð. Iÿ þæt secgan mæÿ,
in my own journey. I can say this,

hwæt iÿ yrmþa ÿebÿd siþþan iÿ ÿp wÿox,
for valiant I miserably endured after I grew up,

nÿwes oþþe ealdes, nÿ mÿ þonne nÿ.
new or old, never more than now.

5) ÿ iÿ wÿte wonn mÿnra wræcsÿþa.
Always have I endured in my journey of exile.

ÿrest mÿn hlÿford ÿewÿt heonan of lÿodum
First my lord departed hence from his people

ofer ÿþa ÿelÿc; hæfde iÿ ÿhtÿeare
after all the tumult; I had sorrow at daybreak

hwÿr mÿn lÿodfruma londes wÿre.
for where my prince could be in the land.

Ðÿ iÿ mÿ fÿran ÿewÿt folgað sÿÿan,
Then I journeyed out myself seeking retinue,

10) winelÿas wræÿÿa, for mÿnre wÿaþearfe.
lordless refugee, in my woeful need.

Ongunnon þæt þæs monnes mÿgas hycgan
The man's kinsmen undertook and intended

þurh dyrne ÿeþÿht, þæt hÿ tÿdÿlden unc
through secret thought, that they might divide us

þæt wit ÿewÿdost in woruldrÿÿe
that we were widely divided in the world-empire

lifdon lÿðlicost--ond mec longade.
and lived wretchedly--and I longed for him.

15) Hÿt mec hlÿford mÿn herheard niman;
My lord bid me to take my home here;

ahte iÿ lÿofra lÿt on þissum londstede,
I possessed dear little in this region,

holdra frÿonda. For þon is mÿn hyÿe ÿeÿmor,
no loyal friend. Therefore is my spirit mournful,

dÿ iÿ mÿ ful ÿemæcne monnan funde
since the very suitable man I found was

heardsÿliÿne, hyÿeÿeÿmorne,
unfortunate, sad in mind,

20) mÿd mÿþendne, morþor hycgendne.
heart concealed, with murderous intent.

Blÿþe ÿebÿro ful oft wit bÿotedan
With cheerful demeanor very often we two

þæt unc ne ÿedÿlde nemne dÿað ÿna
vowed we would not be divided except by death alone

ÿwiht elles; eft is þæt onhworfen,
over anything else; again is this reversed,

is nÿ ÿeworden swÿ hit nÿ wÿre
it is now *** like it never was,

25) frÿondscipe uncer. Sceal iÿ feor ÿe nÿah
this love of ours. I shall far and near

mÿnes felalÿofan fÿhðe drÿogan.
suffer enmity from my very dear love.

Heht mec mon wunian on wuda bearwe
I was bid to remain in a wood grove

under ÿctrÿo in þÿm eorðscræfe.
under a tree in this cave.

Eald is þes eorðsele, eal iÿ eom oflongad.
Ancient is this cave-dwelling, I am consumed with longing.

30) Sindon dena dimme, dÿna ÿphÿa,
T he vallyes are dark, the hills high,

bitre burgtÿnas brÿrum beweaxne,
the cruel town enclosure with briars is grown over,

wÿÿ wynna lÿas.
the dwelling place is joyless.

Ful oft mec hÿr wrÿþe beÿeat
Very often here I am bitterly seized because of the

fromsÿþ frÿan. Frÿnd sind on eorþan
departure of my lord. Is my lover

lÿofe lifÿende, leÿer weardiað,
occupying his own death bed,

þonne iÿ on ÿhtan ÿna gonge
when I at dawn walk alone

under ÿctrÿo ÿeond þÿs eorðscrafu.
under and oaktree through these graves.

Þÿr iÿ sittan mÿt sumorlangne dæÿ;
There I must sit as long as a summer's day;

þÿr iÿ wÿpan mæÿ mÿne wræcsÿþas,
there I must weep for my wretched journey

 

earfoþa fela, for þon iÿ ÿfre ne mæÿ
my troubles are many, for I have never

þÿre mÿdÿeare mÿnre ÿerestan,
had rest from my grief,

ne ealles þæs longaþes þe mec on þissum lÿfe beÿeat.
not wholly, since my life began.

ÿ scyle ÿeong mon wesan ÿeÿmormÿd,
A young woman is always under obligation to be serious-minded

heard heortan ÿeþÿht; swylÿe habban sceal
and bold-hearted in purpose; likewise she must be

blÿþe ÿebÿro, ÿac þon brÿostÿeare,
cheerful in her behavior, even when she is sorrowful,

sinsorgna ÿedreag. Sy æt him sylfum ÿelong
in a tumult of grief. She should be dependent on herself

eal his worulde wyn. Sy ful wÿde fÿh
all her life for joy. As a criminal

feorres folclondes, þæt mÿn frÿond siteð
far from his native land, my lover sits

under stÿnhliþe storme behrÿmed,
under a rocky, frost-covered cliff in a storm,

wine wÿriÿmÿd, wætre beflÿwen
my lord is weary-minded as water flows around him

on drÿorsele, drÿogeð se mÿn wine
in his cruel dwelling where my lord has

miÿle mÿdÿeare. Hÿ ÿemon tÿ oft
great sorrow. He is reminded too often of

wynlicran wÿÿ. Wÿ bið þÿm þe sceal
a more pleasant abode. Affliction is that which must be

of langoþe lÿofes ÿbÿdan.
for he who longs and waits for his beloved.