The Dream of the Rood Flashcards
Hwaet, ic swefna cyst secgan wylle
Listen, I will tell the best of visions,
Hwaet me gemaette to midre nihte
that came to me in the middle of the night,
syðþan reordberend reste wunedon
when voice - bearers all dwelled in rest.
Þuhte me þæt ic gesawe syllicre treow
It seemed to me that I saw a wonderful tree
on lyft lædan, leohte bewunden,
lifted in the air, wound round with light,
beama beorhtost. Eall þæt beacen wæs
the brightest of beams. That beacon was entirely
begoten mid golde. Gimmas stodon
cased in gold; gems stood
fægere æt foldan sceatum, swylce þær fife wæron
beautiful at the corners of the earth, likewise there were five
uppe on þam eaxlgespanne. Beheoldon þær engel dryhtnes ealle
upon the cross beam. Beheld there all, the angel of the Lord,
fægere þurh forðgesceaft. Ne wæs ðær huru fracodes gealga,
beautiful throughout creation. There was certainly no gallows of the wicked;
ac hine þær beheoldon halige gastas,
but the holy spirits beheld it there,
men ofer moldan, ond eall þeos mære gesceaft.
men over the earth and all this glorious creation.
Syllic wæs se sigebeam, ond ic synnum fah,
Wondrous was the victory - tree, and I stained with sins,
forwunded mid wommum. Geseah ic wuldres treow,
wounded with guilts. I saw the tree of glory,
wædum geweorðode, wynnum scinan,
honoured with garments, shining with joys,
gegyred mid golde; gimmas hæfdon
covered with gold; gems had
bewrigene weorðlice wealdendes treow.
covered magnificently the Lord’s tree.
Hwæðre ic þurh þæt gold ongytan meahte
Nevertheless, I was able to perceive through that gold
earmra ærgewin,* þæt hit ærest ongan
the miserable former struggle, so that it first began
swætan on þa swiðran healfe. Eall ic wæs mid sorgum gedrefed,
to bleed on the right side. I was all drenched with sorrows.
forht ic wæs for þære fægran gesyhðe. Geseah ic þæt fuse beacen
I was frightened by the beautiful vision; I saw that noble beacon
wendan wædum ond bleom: hwilum hit wæs mid wætan bestemed,
change its covering and colours: sometimes it was soaked with wetness,
beswyled mid swates gange, hwilum mid since gegyrwed.
drenched with streams of blood; sometimes adorned with treasure
Hwæðre ic þær licgende lange hwile
Yet as i lay there a long while,
beheold hreowcearig hælendes treow,
I beheld sad-minded tree of the Saviour
oððæt ic gehyrde þæt hit hleoðrode.
until I heard it utter a sound;
Ongan þa word sprecan wudu selesta:
it began to speak words, the best of wood:
“Þæt wæs geara iu (ic þæt gyta geman)
‘That was very long ago, I remember it still,
þæt ic wæs aheawen holtes on ende,
that I was cut down from the edge of the wood,
astyred of stefne minum. Genaman me ðær strange feondas,
ripped up by my roots. They seized me there, strong enemies
geworhton him þær to wæfersyne, heton me heora wergas hebban.
made me a spectacle for themselves there, commanded me to raiseup their criminals.
Bæron me ðær beornas on eaxlum, oððæt hie me on beorg asetton.
Men carried me there on their shoulders, until they set me on ahill,
Gefæstnodon me þær feondas genoge. Geseah ic þa frean mancynnes
enemies enough fastened me there. I saw then the Saviour of mankind
efstan elne mycle— þæt he me wolde on gestigan.
hasten with great zeal, as if he wanted to climb up on me.
Þær ic þa ne dorste ofer dryhtnes word
There I did not dare, against the word of the Lord,
bugan oððe berstan, þa ic bifian geseah
bow or break, when I saw the
eorðan sceatas. Ealle ic mihte
corners of the earth tremble. All I might have
feondas gefyllan, hwæðre ic fæste stod.
the enemies felled; even so, I stood fast.
Ongyrede hine þa geong hæleð— þæt wæs god ælmihtig—
He stripped himselfthen, young hero - that was God almighty -
strang ond stiðmod. Gestah he on gealgan heanne,
strong and steadfast; he ascended on the high gallows,
modig on manigra gesyhðe, þa he wolde mancyn lysan.
brave in the sight of many, when he wanted to ransom mankind .
Bifode ic þa me se beorn ymbclypte. Ne dorste ic hwæðre bugan to eorðan,
I trembled when the warrior embraced me; even then I did notdare to bow to earth,
feallan to foldan sceatum, ac ic sceolde fæste standan.
fall to the corners of the earth, but I had to stand fast.
Rod wæs ic aræred. Ahof ic ricne cyning,
I was reared a cross. I raised up the powerful King,
heofona hlaford. Hyldan me ne dorste.
the Lord of heaven; I did not dare to bend.
Þurhdrifan hi me mid deorcan næglum— on me syndon þa dolg gesiene,
They pierced me with dark nails; on me are the wounds visible,
opene inwidhlemmas. Ne dorste ic hira nænigum sceððan.
the open wounds of malice; I did not dare to injure any of them.
Bysmeredon hie unc butu ætgædere. Eall ic wæs mid blode bestemed,
They mocked us both together. I was all drenched with blood
begoten of þæs guman sidan, siððan he hæfde his gast onsended.
poured out from that man’s side after he had sent forth hisspirit.
Feala ic on þam beorge gebiden hæbbe
I have experienced on that hillside many
wraðra wyrda. Geseah ic weruda god
cruelties of fate. I saw the God of hosts
þearle þenian. Þystro hæfdon
violently stretched out. Darkness had
bewrigen mid wolcnum wealdendes hræw,
covered with clouds the rulers corpse.
scirne sciman, sceadu forð eode,
the gleaming light. Shadows went forth
wann under wolcnum. Weop eal gesceaft,
dark under the clouds. All creation wept,
cwiðdon cyninges fyll. Crist wæs on rode.
lamented the King’s fall. Christ was on the cross.
Hwæðere þær fuse feorran cwoman
Yet there eager ones came from afar
to þam æðelinge. Ic þæt eall beheold.
to that noble one; I beheld all that.
Sare ic wæs mid sorgum gedrefed, hnag ic hwæðre þam secgum to handa,
I was all drenched with sorrow; nevertheless I bowed down to the hands of men,
eaðmod elne mycle. Genamon hie þær ælmihtigne god,
humble, with great eagerness. There they took almighty God,
ahofon hine of ðam hefian wite. Forleton me þa hilderincas
lifted him from the oppressive torment. The warriors forsook me then,
standan steame bedrifenne; eall ic wæs mid strælum forwundod.
standing covered with moisture; I was all wounded with arrows.
Aledon hie ðær limwerigne, gestodon him æt his lices heafdum,
They laid the weary - limbed one down there, they stood at the head of his body,
beheoldon hie ðær heofenes dryhten, ond he hine ðær hwile reste,
they beheld the Lord of heaven there, and he himself rested there a while,
meðe æfter ðam miclan gewinne. Ongunnon him þa moldern wyrcan
weary after the great battle. They began to fashion a tomb for him,
beornas on banan gesyhðe; curfon hie ðæt of beorhtan stane,
warriors in the sight of the slayer; they carved that from bright stone,
gesetton hie ðæron sigora wealdend. Ongunnon him þa sorhleoð galan
they set the Lord of victories in there. They began to sing the sorrow - song for him,
earme on þa æfentide. Þa hie woldon eft siðian,
wretched in the evening time; then they wanted again to travel ,
meðe fram þam mæran þeodne. Reste he ðær mæte weorode.
weary from the glorious Lord. He rested there with little company.
Hwæðere we ðær greotende gode hwile
Nevertheless, weeping, we there cried there a good while
stodon on staðole, syððan stefn up gewat
stood in a fixed position, after the voices departed up
hilderinca. Hræw colode,
of the warriors. The corpse grew cold,
fæger feorgbold. Þa us man fyllan ongan
the fair life - dwelling. Then men began to fell us
ealle to eorðan. Þæt wæs egeslic wyrd!
all to the ground: that was a terrible fate.
Bedealf us man on deopan seaþe. Hwæðre me þær dryhtnes þegnas,
Men buried us in a deep pit; nevertheless the Lord’s thanes,
freondas gefrunon,
friends, discovered me there,
gyredon me golde ond seolfre.
adorned me with gold and silver.
Nu ðu miht gehyran, hæleð min se leofa,
Now you might hear, my beloved hero,
þæt ic bealuwara weorc gebiden hæbbe,
that I evil-doers work experienced have
sarra sorga. Is nu sæl cumen
grievous sorrows. Now the time has come
þæt me weorðiað wide ond side
that I will be honoured far and wide
menn ofer moldan, ond eall þeos mære gesceaft,
by men over the earth and all this glorious creation;
gebiddaþ him to þyssum beacne. On me bearn godes
they will pray to this beacon. On me the Son of God
þrowode hwile. Forþan ic þrymfæst nu
suffered for a while; because of that I am glorious now,
hlifige under heofenum, ond ic hælan mæg
towering under the heavens, and I am able to heal
æghwylcne anra, þara þe him bið egesa to me.
each one of those who is in awe of me.
Iu ic wæs geworden wita heardost,
Formerly I was made the hardest of punishments,
leodum laðost, ærþan ic him lifes weg
most hateful to the people, before I opened for them,
rihtne gerymde, reordberendum.
for the voice - bearers, the true way of life.
Hwæt, me þa geweorðode wuldres ealdor
Listen, the Lord of glory, the Guardian of the kingdom of heaven
ofer holtwudu†, heofonrices weard,
over the forest of trees, the Kingdom of Heaven’s Lord
swylce swa he his modor eac, Marian sylfe,
just as he his mother also, Mary herself,
ælmihtig god for ealle menn
almighty God, for all men
geweorðode ofer eall wifa cynn.
honoured over all woman kind.
Nu ic þe hate, hæleð min se leofa,
Now I urge you, mybeloved man,
þæt ðu þas gesyhðe secge mannum,
that you this vision tell to men
onwreoh wordum þæt hit is wuldres beam,
reveal with words that it is the tree of glory
se ðe ælmihtig god on þrowode
on which almighty God suffered
for mancynnes manegum synnum
for mankind’s many sins
ond Adomes ealdgewyrhtum.
and Adam’s ancient deeds.
Deað he þær byrigde, hwæðere eft dryhten aras
Death he tasted there; nevertheless, the Lord rose up again
mid his miclan mihte mannum to helpe.
with his great might to help mankind
He ða on heofenas astag. Hider eft fundaþ
He ascended into heaven. He will come again
on þysne middangeard mancynn secan
to this middle - earth to seek mankind
on domdæge dryhten sylfa,
on doomsday, the Lord himself,
ælmihtig god, ond his englas mid,
almighty God, and his angels with him,
þæt he þonne wile deman, se ah domes geweald,
so that he will judge, he who has the power of judgement,
anra gehwylcum swa he him ærur her
each one of them, for what they themselves are
on þyssum lænum life geearnaþ.
in this transitory life deserving of.
Ne mæg þær ænig unforht wesan
Nor may any of them be unafraid there
for þam worde þe se wealdend cwyð.
because of the words which the Saviour will speak:
Frineð he for þære mænige hwær se man sie,
he will ask in front of the multitude where the person might be,
se ðe for dryhtnes naman deaðes wolde
who for the Lord’s name death would
biteres onbyrigan, swa he ær on ðam beame dyde.
bitterly taste, just as he did on that tree.
Ac hie þonne forhtiað, ond fea þencaþ
But then they will be fearful and little think
hwæt hie to Criste cweðan onginnen.
what they might begin to say to Christ.
Ne þearf ðær þonne ænig anforht wesan
Nor will there be need there for any to be frightened
þe him ær in breostum bereð beacna selest,
who bear before them in the breast of the best of trees.
ac ðurh ða rode sceal rice gesecan
as then that rood shall the powerful seek
of eorðwege æghwylc sawl,
of the earthly path of each soul
seo þe mid wealdende wunian þenceð.”
must seek the kingdom from the earthly way.’
Gebæd ic me þa to þan beame bliðe mode,
I prayed to the treewith a happy spirit then,
elne mycle, þær ic ana wæs
with great zeal, there where I was alone
mæte werede. Wæs modsefa
with little company. My spirit was
afysed on forðwege, feala ealra gebad
inspired with longing for the way forward; I experienced in all
langunghwila. Is me nu lifes hyht
many periods of longing. It is now my life’s hope
þæt ic† þone sigebeam secan mote
that I might seek the tree if victory
ana oftor þonne ealle men,
alone more often than all men,
well weorþian. Me is willa to ðam
to honour it well. My desire for that is
mycel on mode, ond min mundbyrd is
great in my mind, and my hope of protection is
geriht to þære rode. Nah ic ricra feala
directed to the cross. I do not have many wealthy
freonda on foldan, ac hie forð heonon
friends on this earth; but they have forward from here,
gewiton of worulde dreamum, sohton him wuldres cyning,
passed from the joys of this world, sought for themselves theKing of Glory;
lifiaþ nu on heofenum mid heahfædere,
they live now in the heavens with the High Father,
wuniaþ on wuldre, ond ic wene me
they dwell in glory. And I myself hope
daga gehwylce hwænne me dryhtnes rod,
each day for when the Lord’s cross,
þe ic her on eorðan ær sceawode,
that I looked at here on earth,
on þysson lænan life gefetige
from this temporary life fetch me
ond me þonne gebringe þær is blis mycel,
and then bring mewhere there is great bliss
dream on heofonum, þær is dryhtnes folc
joy in heaven, where the Lord’s people
geseted to symle, þær is singal blis,
are set to feasting, where there is unceasing bliss;
ond meþonne asette þær ic syþþan mot
and he will then set me where I might afterwards
wunian on wuldre, well mid þam halgum
dwell in glory fully with the saints
dreames brucan. Si me dryhten freond,
to partake of joy. May the Lord be a friend to me,
se ðe her on eorþan ær þrowode
he who here on earth suffered previously
on þam gealgtreowe for guman synnum.
on the gallows - tree for the sins of man.
He us onlysde ond us lif forgeaf,
He redeemed us, and gave us life,
He redeemed us, and gave us life,
a heavenly home. Hope was renewed
mid bledum ond mid blisse þam þe þær bryne þolodan.
with dignity and with joy for those who suffered burning there.
Se sunu wæs sigorfæst on þam siðfate,
The Son was victorious in that undertaking,
mihtig ond spedig, þa he mid manigeo com,
powerful and successful, when he came with the multitudes,
gasta weorode, on godes rice,
a host of spirits, into God’s kingdom
anwealda ælmihtig, englum to blisse
the one Ruler almighty, angels of bliss
ond eallum ðam halgum þam þe on heofonum ær
and all the saints who were in heaven before,
wunedon on wuldre, þa heora wealdend cwom,
who dwelled in glory, when their Ruler came,
ælmihtig god, þær his eðel wæs.
almighty God, to where the native land was.
