The Wife's Lament

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

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,         no ma þonne nu.

5

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 ic me feran gewat         folgað secan,

10

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,         ond mec longade.

15

Het mec hlaford min         herheard niman,
ahte ic leofra lyt         on þissum londstede,
holdra freonda.         Forþon is min hyge geomor,
ða ic me ful gemæcne         monnan funde,
heardsæligne,         hygegeomorne,

20

mod miþendne,         morþor hycgendne.
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

25

freondscipe uncer.         Sceal ic feor ge neah
mines felaleofan         fæhðu dreogan.
Heht mec mon wunian         on wuda bearwe,
under actreo         in þam eorðscræfe.
Eald is þes eorðsele,         eal ic eom oflongad,

30

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,

35

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;         forþon ic æfre ne mæg

40

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,

45

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

50

on dreorsele.         Dreogeð se min wine
micle modceare;         he gemon to oft
wynlicran wic.         Wa bið þam þe sceal
of langoþe         leofes abidan.