l. 1-31 Flashcards
Oft him ānhaga āre gebīdeð,
Often the solitary one experiences grace,
Metudes miltse,
the Measurer’s mercy,
þēah þe hē mōdcearig
geond lagulāde longe sceolde
hrēran mid hondum hrīmcealde sǣ,
although he must, sorrowful at heart, throughout the long seaway stir with his hands the rime-cold sea,
wadan wræclāstas.
travel the paths of exile.
“wadan”
“to travel” -> Think of wading through
Wyrd bið ful ārǣd.
Fate is of full resolute.
Swā cwæð eardstapa, earfeþa gemyndig,
So spoke the wanderer, mindful of hardships,
wrāþra wælsleahta, winemǣga hryre:
of cruel slaughters, of the deaths of dear kinsmen:
Oft ic sceolde āna ūhtna gehwylce / mīne ceare cwīþan.
Often I must alone each dawn lament these sorrows of mine.
“cwīþan”
“lament”, “bewail”
Nis nū cwicra nān
Now that none are living
þe ic him mōdsefan mīnne durre
sweotule āsecgan.
I may dare to openly express my mind.
“sweotule”
“openly”, “plainly”
Ic tō sōþe wāt
I too know the truth
þæt biþ in eorle indryhten þēaw
that to be in noble custom a warrior
“þēaw”
nominative singular “custom”, “habit”
“indryhten”
“noble”, “excellent”
þæt hē his ferðlocan fæste binde,
that he firmly bind his life-enclosure,
“fæste”
“firmly”, “securely”
healde his hordcofan, hycge swā hē wille.
govern his breast-chamber, think what he will.
Ne mæg wērig mōd wyrde wiðstondan,
Never may a weary spirit withstand fate,
ne se hrēo hyge helpe gefremman;
nor can the troubled heart help to aid,
“hrēo”
“disturbed”, “troubled”
for ðon dōmgeorne drēorigne oft / in hyra brēostcofan bindað fæste;
therefore those eager for glory often bind their sorrow securely within the breast-chamber;
“drēorigne”
“sorrow” (noun)
swā ic mōdsefan mīnne sceolde, / oft earmcearig, ēðle bidǣled, /
frēomǣgum feor, feterum sǣlan.
so I had to - always sorrowful, separated from my homeland, far from free kinsman - fasten my spirit in fetters.
siþþan geāra iū goldwine mīnne /
hrūsan heolstre biwrāh,
since I formerly long ago covered my gold-lord in concealment of earth,
“hrūsan”
“of earth”
“heolstre”
“concealment”, “darkness” -> Think of a gun being concealed in its holster!
“biwrāh”
“covered”, “hid”
ond ic hēan þonan /
wōd wintercearig ofer waþema gebind.
and I, thence wretched, traveled sorrowful as winter over freezing waves.
“hēan”
“wretched”
“gebind”
“freezing”, “binding”
sōhte seledrēorig sinces bryttan,
I sought - sorrowful at separation from the hall - the giver of treasure,
hwǣr ic feor oþþe nēah findan meahte
þone þe in meoduhealle mīne wisse,
where I night find - far or near - he who in the mead-hall knew my people,
“mīne”
“my people”
oþþe mec frēondlēasne frēfran wolde,
wenian mid wynnum.
or wished to console me friendless; to entertain with joys.
“frēfran”
“to console” -> think of a calming, frothy bubble bath!
“wenian”
“to entertain”
Wāt se þe cunnað
hū slīþen bið sorg tō gefēran
He knows who experiences / how cruel sorrow is as a companion
“gefēran”
“companion” -> Think of a fearow companion flying alongside
þām þe him lȳt hafað lēofra geholena.
he who himself has few beloved friends.
“geholena”
“friends”, “confidants” -> think of how holy friendship is:-) #blessed
