The Dream of the Rood. Flashcards
þæt wæs geara iu, (ic þæt gyta geman),
þæt ic wæs aheawen holtes on ende,
astyred of stefne minum.
Long ago once I still remember
that I was hewn down from the edge
removed from my root.
Genaman me ðær strange feondas,
geworhton him þær to wæfersyne, heton me heora wergas hebban.
Seized by strong enemies
they made me there a spectacle for themselves, ordered their criminals to raise me.
Bæron me ðær beornas on eaxlum, oððæt hie me on beorg asetton,
gefæstnodon me þær feondas genoge.
Their men carried me on their shoulders until they eset me up on the hill, enemy fixed me enough.
Geseah ic þa frean mancynnes
efstan elne mycle þæt he me wolde on gestigan.
EDIT TENSE OF THIS CARD I saw the Lord of humankind hurry with great fortitude because he will climb on me
þær ic þa ne dorste ofer dryhtnes word
bugan oððe berstan, þa ic bifian geseah
eorðan sceatas.
I did not dare go against the Lord’s words, bend or break, then I saw the Earth’s corner’s shake.
Ealle ic mihte
feondas gefyllan, hwæðre ic fæste stod.
I could have knocked all enemies down; I stood fast.
Ongyrede hine þa geong hæleð, (þæt wæs god ælmihtig),
strang ond stiðmod.
Then the young hero stripped himself, that was God almighty- strong and resolute.
Gestah he on gealgan heanne,
modig on manigra gesyhðe, þa he wolde mancyn lysan.
He climbed on the high gallows, brave in the sight of many, that he would redeem the whole of mankind.
Bifode ic þa me se beorn ymbclypte.
I shake when I embrace the man.
Ne dorste ic hwæðre bugan to eorðan,
feallan to foldan sceatum, ac ic sceolde fæste standan.
I dared not to nevertheless bend to Earth, fall to Earth, but I had to stand fast.
Rod wæs ic aræred.
Rood I was raised.
Ahof ic ricne cyning,
heofona hlaford, hyldan me ne dorste.
I lifted the mighty kind, Lord of the heavens; I dared not bent myself.
þurhdrifan hi me mid deorcan næglum.
They pierced me with dark nails.
On me syndon þa dolg gesiene,
opene inwidhlemmas.
on me the scars open malicious wounds
Ne dorste ic hira nænigum sceððan.
I dare not harm one of them.
Bysmeredon hie unc butu ætgædere.
They mocked us both together.
Eall ic wæs mid blode bestemed,
begoten of þæs guman sidan, siððan he hæfde his gast onsended.
I was drenched with blood, drenched soaked from that man’s side when he had sent forth his spirit.
Feala ic on þam beorge gebiden hæbbe
wraðra wyrda.
I have suffered much on the hill, wrathful fate.
Geseah ic weruda god
þearle þenian.
I see the God of hosts harshly stretched out.
þystro hæfdon
bewrigen mid wolcnum wealdendes hræw,
scirne sciman, sceadu forðeode,
wann under wolcnum.
Darkness has hidden with clouds the ruler’s corpse, shining splendour, the shadow went forth, dark under clouds.
Weop eal gesceaft,
cwiðdon cyninges fyll.
All creation wept, lamenting the king’s death.
Crist wæs on rode.
Christ was on the cross.
Hwæðere þær fuse feorran cwoman
to þam æðelinge.
Nevertheless, eager people came from afar to the prince.
Ic þæt eall beheold.
I beheld all of that.
Sare ic wæs mid sorgum gedrefed, hnag ic hwæðre þam secgum to handa,
eaðmod elne mycle.
I was grievously with sorrow troubled, I belt to the hands of men, great humble strength.
Genamon hie þær ælmihtigne god,
ahofon hine of ðam hefian wite.
They seized the almighty God, they lifted him of his dire torment.
Forleton me þa hilderincas
standan steame bedrifenne; eall ic wæs mid strælum forwundod.
Warriors then left me to stand with spattered moisture, I was wounded all over.
Aledon hie ðær limwerigne,
They laid down their limb-weary one,
Ongunnon him þa moldern wyrcan
beornas on banan gesyhðe;
They began to make a tomb, man in the sight of the slayer,
Ongunnon him þa sorhleoð galan
earme on þa æfentide,
They began to sing a sorrow-sing song, wretched in the evening time,
Reste he ðær mæte weorode.
He rested with small company.
Hwæðere we ðær greotende gode hwile
stodon on staðole, syððan stefn up gewat
hilderinca.
We lamented for a good while, stood in position, warriors voice went upwards.
Hræw colode,
fæger feorgbold.
The corpse grew cold, beautiful body.
þa us man fyllan ongan
ealle to eorðan.
Then a man struck us all down to the Eath.
þæt wæs egeslic wyrd!
That was an awful fate!
Bedealf us man on deopan seaþe.
A man buried us in a deep pit.
Hwæðre me þær dryhtnes þegnas,
freondas gefrunon,
ond gyredon me golde ond seolfre.
The lord’s thegns learned of me, adorned me with gold and silver.
gestodon him æt his lices heafdum,
they placed themselves at his body’s head
beheoldon hie ðær heofenes dryhten
to behold then the heavenly Lord
ond he hine ðær hwile reste,
and rested a while there
meðe æfter ðam miclan gewinne.
exhausted after those mighty tortures
curfon hie ðæt of beorhtan stane,
gesetton hie ðæron sigora wealdend.
they carved it of bright rock, they placed it in the wielder of victories.
þa hie woldon eft siðian,
meðe fram þam mæran þeodne.
they would go back with grief for the celebrated prince.
