Oft him anhaga

Often the solitary one

are gebideð,

finds grace for himself

metudes miltse,

the mercy of the Lord,

þeah þe he modcearig

Although he, sorry-hearted,

geond lagulade

must for a long time

longe sceolde

move by hand [in context = row]

4a

hreran mid hondum

along the waterways,

hrimcealde sæ

(along) the ice-cold sea,

wadan wræclastas.

tread the paths of exile.

Wyrd bið ful aræd!

Events always go as they must!

 

Swa cwæð eardstapa,

So spoke the wanderer,

earfeþa gemyndig,

mindful of hardships,

wraþra wælsleahta,

of fierce slaughters

winemæga hryre:

and the downfall of kinsmen:

 

8a

Oft ic sceolde ana

Often (or always) I had alone

uhtna gehwylce

to speak of my trouble

mine ceare cwiþan.

each morning before dawn.

Nis nu cwicra nan

There is none now living

þe ic him modsefan

to whom I dare

minne durre

clearly speak

sweotule asecgan.

of my innermost thoughts.

Ic to soþe wat

I know it truly,

12a

þæt biþ in eorle

that it is in men

indryhten þeaw,

a noble custom,

þæt he his ferðlocan

that one should keep secure

fæste binde,

his spirit-chest (mind),

healde his hordcofan,

guard his treasure-chamber (thoughts),

hycge swa he wille.

think as he wishes.

Ne mæg werig mod

The weary spirit cannot

wyrde wiðstondan,

withstand fate (the turn of events),

16a

ne se hreo hyge

nor does a rough or sorrowful mind

helpe gefremman.

do any good (perform anything helpful).

Forðon domgeorne

Thus those eager for glory

dreorigne oft

often keep secure

in hyra breostcofan

dreary thoughts

bindað fæste;

in their breast;

swa ic modsefan

So I,

minne sceolde,

often wretched and sorrowful,

20a

oft earmcearig,

bereft of my homeland,

eðle bidæled,

far from noble kinsmen,

freomægum feor

have had to bind in fetters

feterum sælan,

my inmost thoughts,

siþþan geara iu

Since long years ago

goldwine minne

I hid my lord

hrusan heolstre biwrah,

in the darkness of the earth,

ond ic hean þonan

and I, wretched, from there

24a

wod wintercearig

travelled most sorrowfully

ofer waþema gebind,

over the frozen waves,

sohte seledreorig

sought, sad at the lack of a hall,

sinces bryttan,

a giver of treasure,

hwær ic feor oþþe neah

where I, far or near,

findan meahte

might find

þone þe in meoduhealle

one in the meadhall who

mine wisse,

knew my people,

28a

oþþe mec freondleasne

or wished to console

frefran wolde,

the friendless one, me,

wenian mid wynnum.

entertain (me) with delights.

Wat se þe cunnað

He who has tried it knows

hu sliþen bið

how cruel is

sorg to geferan

sorrow as a companion

þam þe him lyt hafað

to the one who has few

leofra geholena:

beloved friends:

32a

warað hine wræclast,

the path of exile (wræclast) holds him,

nales wunden gold,

not at all twisted gold,

ferðloca freorig,

a frozen spirit,

nalæs foldan blæd.

not the bounty of the earth.

Gemon he selesecgas

He remembers hall-warriors

ond sincþege,

and the giving of treasure

hu hine on geoguðe

How in youth his lord (gold-friend)

his goldwine

accustomed him

36a

wenede to wiste.

to the feasting.

Wyn eal gedreas!

All the joy has died!

 

Forþon wat se þe sceal

And so he knows it, he who must

his winedryhtnes

forgo for a long time

leofes larcwidum

the counsels

longe forþolian:

of his beloved lord:

ðonne sorg ond slæð

Then sorrow and sleep

somod ætgædre

both together

40a

earmne anhogan

often tie up

oft gebindað.

the wretched solitary one.

þinceð him on mode

He thinks in his mind

þæt he his mondryhten

that he embraces and kisses

clyppe ond cysse,

his lord,

ond on cneo lecge

and on his (the lord's) knees lays

honda ond heafod,

his hands and his head,

swa he hwilum ær

Just as, at times (hwilum), before,

44a

in geardagum

in days gone by,

giefstolas breac.

he enjoyed the gift-seat (throne).

Ðonne onwæcneð eft

Then the friendless man

wineleas guma,

wakes up again,

gesihð him biforan

He sees before him

fealwe wegas,

fallow waves

baþian brimfuglas,

Sea birds bathe,

brædan feþra,

preening their feathers,

48a

hreosan hrim ond snaw

Frost and snow fall,

hagle gemenged.

mixed with hail.

 

Þonne beoð þy hefigran

Then are the heavier

heortan benne,

the wounds of the heart,

sare æfter swæsne.

grievous (sare) with longing for (æfter) the lord.

Sorg bið geniwad

Sorrow is renewed

þonne maga gemynd

when the mind (mod) surveys

mod geondhweorfeð;

the memory of kinsmen;

52a

greteð gliwstafum,

He greets them joyfully,

georne geondsceawað

eagerly scans

secga geseldan;

the companions of men;

swimmað oft on weg

they always swim away.

fleotendra ferð

The spirits of seafarers

no þær fela bringeð

never bring back there much

cuðra cwidegiedda.

in the way of known speech.

Cearo bið geniwad

Care is renewed

56a

þam þe sendan sceal

for the one who must send

swiþe geneahhe

very often

ofer waþema gebind

over the binding of the waves

werigne sefan.

a weary heart.

 

Forþon ic geþencan ne mæg

Indeed I cannot think

geond þas woruld

why my spirit

for hwan modsefa

does not darken

min ne gesweorce

when I ponder on the whole

60a

þonne ic eorla lif

life of men

eal geondþence,

throughout the world,

hu hi færlice

How they suddenly

flet ofgeafon,

left the floor (hall),

modge maguþegnas.

the proud thanes.

Swa þes middangeard

So this middle-earth,

ealra dogra gehwam

a bit each day,

dreoseð ond fealleð;

droops and decays -

64a

forþon ne mæg weorþan wis

Therefore man (wer)

wer, ær he age

cannot call himself wise, before he has

wintra dæl in woruldrice.

a share of years in the world.

Wita sceal geþyldig,

A wise man must be patient,

ne sceal no to hatheort

He must never be too impulsive

ne to hrædwyrde,

nor too hasty of speech,

ne to wac wiga

nor too weak a warrior

ne to wanhydig,

nor too reckless,

68a

ne to forht ne to fægen,

nor too fearful, nor too cheerful,

ne to feohgifre

nor too greedy for goods,

ne næfre gielpes to georn,

nor ever too eager for boasts,

ær he geare cunne.

before he sees clearly.

Beorn sceal gebidan,

A man must wait

þonne he beot spriceð,

when he speaks oaths,

oþþæt collenferð

until the proud-hearted one

cunne gearwe

sees clearly

72a

hwider hreþra gehygd

whither the intent of his heart

hweorfan wille.

will turn.

Ongietan sceal gleaw hæle

A wise hero must realize

hu gæstlic bið,

how terrible it will be,

þonne ealre þisse worulde wela

when all the wealth of this world

weste stondeð,

lies waste,

swa nu missenlice

as now in various places

geond þisne middangeard

throughout this middle-earth

76a

winde biwaune

walls stand,

weallas stondaþ,

blown by the wind,

hrime bihrorene,

covered with frost,

hryðge þa ederas.

storm-swept the buildings.

Woriað þa winsalo,

The halls decay,

waldend licgað

their lords lie

dreame bidrorene,

deprived of joy,

duguþ eal gecrong,

the whole troop has fallen,

80a

wlonc bi wealle.

the proud ones, by the wall.

Sume wig fornom,

War took off some,

ferede in forðwege,

carried them on their way,

sumne fugel oþbær

one, the bird took off

ofer heanne holm,

across the deep sea,

sumne se hara wulf

one, the gray wolf

deaðe gedælde,

shared one with death,

sumne dreorighleor

one, the dreary-faced

84a

in eorðscræfe

man buried

eorl gehydde.

in a grave.

Yþde swa þisne eardgeard

And so He destroyed this city,

ælda scyppend

He, the Creator of Men,

oþþæt burgwara

until deprived of the noise

breahtma lease

of the citizens,

eald enta geweorc

the ancient work of giants

idlu stodon.

stood empty.

 

88a

Se þonne þisne wealsteal

He who thought wisely

wise geþohte

on this foundation,

ond þis deorce lif

and pondered deeply

deope geondþenceð,

on this dark life,

frod in ferðe,

wise in spirit,

feor oft gemon

remembered often from afar

wælsleahta worn,

many conflicts,

ond þas word acwið:

and spoke these words:

 

92a

Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago? [#]

Where is the horse gone? Where the rider?

Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa?

Where the giver of treasure?

Hwær cwom symbla gesetu?

Where are the seats at the feast?

Hwær sindon seledreamas?

Where are the revels in the hall?

Eala beorht bune!

Alas for the bright cup!

Eala byrnwiga!

Alas for the mailed warrior!

Eala þeodnes þrym!

Alas for the splendour of the prince!

Hu seo þrag gewat,

How that time has passed away,

96a

genap under nihthelm,

dark under the cover of night,

swa heo no wære.

as if it had never been!

Stondeð nu on laste

Now there stands in the trace

leofre duguþe

of the beloved troop

weal wundrum heah,

a wall, wondrously high,

wyrmlicum fah.

wound round with serpents.

Eorlas fornoman

The warriors taken off

asca þryþe,

by the glory of spears,

100a

wæpen wælgifru,

the weapons greedy for slaughter,

wyrd seo mære,

the famous fate (turn of events),

ond þas stanhleoþu

and storms beat

stormas cnyssað,

these rocky cliffs,

hrið hreosende

falling frost

hrusan bindeð,

fetters the earth,

wintres woma,

the harbinger of winter;

þonne won cymeð,

Then dark comes,

104a

nipeð nihtscua,

nightshadows deepen,

norþan onsendeð

from the north there comes

hreo hæglfare

a rough hailstorm

hæleþum on andan.

in malice against men.

Eall is earfoðlic

All is troublesome

eorþan rice,

in this earthly kingdom,

onwendeð wyrda gesceaft

the turn of events changes

weoruld under heofonum.

the world under the heavens.

108a

Her bið feoh læne,

Here money is fleeting,

her bið freond læne,

here friend is fleeting,

her bið mon læne,

here man is fleeting,

her bið mæg læne,

here kinsman is fleeting,

eal þis eorþan gesteal

all the foundation of this world

idel weorþeð!

turns to waste!

 

Swa cwæð snottor on mode,

So spake the wise man in his mind,

gesæt him sundor æt rune.

where he sat apart in counsel.

112a

Til biþ se þe his treowe gehealdeþ,

Good is he who keeps his faith,

ne sceal næfre his torn to rycene

And a warrior must never speak

beorn of his breostum acyþan,

his grief of his breast too quickly,

nemþe he ær þa bote cunne,

unless he already knows the remedy -

eorl mid elne gefremman.

a hero must act with courage.

Wel bið þam þe him are seceð,

It is better for the one that seeks mercy,

frofre to Fæder on heofonum,

consolation from the father in the heavens,

þær us eal seo fæstnung stondeð.

where, for us, all permanence rests.

Notes

line 92a: In J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, in chapter six of The Two Towers, Aragorn sings a song of Rohan (itself a version of Anglo-Saxon England), beginning "Where now the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?". The song clearly comes from this section of The Wanderer. (A more strictly literal translation of "mago" would be "youth", hence "Where is the horse gone? Where the young man?" -- but since the horse and the youth appear in the same half-line, Tolkien's rendering "rider" is very hard to resist.)

 

Last modified: Saturday, 24 February 2018, 1:48 AM