Wreccan wifes ged [The Wife's Lament; The Wife's Complaint]
Anonymous
Language: English, Old (ca.450-1100)
Ic þis giedd wrece bi me ful geomorre
minre sylfre sið; ic þæt secgan mæg
hwæt ic yrmþa gebad siþþan ic up weox
niwes oþþe ealdes, noma þonne nu
a ic wite wonn minra wræcsiþa!
Ærest min hlaford gewat heonan of leodum
ofer yþa gelac. Hæfde ic uhtceare
hwær min leodfruma londes wære.
Ða icme feran gewat folgað secan,
wineleas wræcca, for minre weaþearfe.
Ongunnon þæt þæs monnes magas hycgan
þurh dyrne geþoht þæt hy todælden unc
þæt wit gewidost in woruldrice
lifdon laðlicost, and mec longade.
Het mec hlaford min her heard niman.
Ahte ic leofra lyt on þissum londstede,
holdra freonda; for þon is min hyge geomor,
ða icme ful gemæcne monnan funde
heardsæligne, hygegeomorne,
mod miþendne, morþor hycgende
bliþe gebæro. Ful oft wit beotedan
þæt unc ne gedælde nemne deað ana.
owiht elles. Eft is þæt onhworfen
is nu […....] swa hit no wære.
freondscipe uncer! Sceal ic feor ge neah
mines fela leofan fæhðu dreogan.
Heht mec mon wunian on wuda bearwe
under actreo in þam eorðscræfe.
Eald is þes eorðsele eal ic eom oflongad;
sindon dena dimme duna uphea,
bitre burgtunas, brerum beweaxne,
wic wynna leas. Ful oft mec her wraþe begeat
fromsiþ frean. Frynd sind on eorþan
leofe lifgende, leger weardiað,
þonne ic on uhtan ana gonge
under actreo geond þas eorðscrafu!
Þær ic sittan mot sumorlangne dæg,
þær ic wepan mæg mine wræcsiþas,
earfoþa fela. For þon ic æfre ne mæg
þære modceare minre gerestan.
Ne ealles þæs longaþes þe mec on þissum life begeat.
A scyle geong mon wesan geomormod,
heard heortan geþoht, swylce habban sceal
bliþe gebæro, eac þon breostceare,
sinsorgna gedreag - sy æt him sylfum gelong
eal his worulde wyn sy ful wide fah
feorres folclondes þæt min freond siteð
under stanhliþe. storme behrimed
wine werigmod, wætre beflowen
on dreorsele. Dreogeð se min wine
micle modceare; he gemon to oft
wynlicran wic. Wa bið þam þe sceal
of langoþe leofes abidan!
minre sylfre sið; ic þæt secgan mæg
hwæt ic yrmþa gebad siþþan ic up weox
niwes oþþe ealdes, noma þonne nu
a ic wite wonn minra wræcsiþa!
Ærest min hlaford gewat heonan of leodum
ofer yþa gelac. Hæfde ic uhtceare
hwær min leodfruma londes wære.
Ða icme feran gewat folgað secan,
wineleas wræcca, for minre weaþearfe.
Ongunnon þæt þæs monnes magas hycgan
þurh dyrne geþoht þæt hy todælden unc
þæt wit gewidost in woruldrice
lifdon laðlicost, and mec longade.
Het mec hlaford min her heard niman.
Ahte ic leofra lyt on þissum londstede,
holdra freonda; for þon is min hyge geomor,
ða icme ful gemæcne monnan funde
heardsæligne, hygegeomorne,
mod miþendne, morþor hycgende
bliþe gebæro. Ful oft wit beotedan
þæt unc ne gedælde nemne deað ana.
owiht elles. Eft is þæt onhworfen
is nu […....] swa hit no wære.
freondscipe uncer! Sceal ic feor ge neah
mines fela leofan fæhðu dreogan.
Heht mec mon wunian on wuda bearwe
under actreo in þam eorðscræfe.
Eald is þes eorðsele eal ic eom oflongad;
sindon dena dimme duna uphea,
bitre burgtunas, brerum beweaxne,
wic wynna leas. Ful oft mec her wraþe begeat
fromsiþ frean. Frynd sind on eorþan
leofe lifgende, leger weardiað,
þonne ic on uhtan ana gonge
under actreo geond þas eorðscrafu!
Þær ic sittan mot sumorlangne dæg,
þær ic wepan mæg mine wræcsiþas,
earfoþa fela. For þon ic æfre ne mæg
þære modceare minre gerestan.
Ne ealles þæs longaþes þe mec on þissum life begeat.
A scyle geong mon wesan geomormod,
heard heortan geþoht, swylce habban sceal
bliþe gebæro, eac þon breostceare,
sinsorgna gedreag - sy æt him sylfum gelong
eal his worulde wyn sy ful wide fah
feorres folclondes þæt min freond siteð
under stanhliþe. storme behrimed
wine werigmod, wætre beflowen
on dreorsele. Dreogeð se min wine
micle modceare; he gemon to oft
wynlicran wic. Wa bið þam þe sceal
of langoþe leofes abidan!
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