The Rune Poems

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Rune poems

Rune poems
Rune poems (1915) Anonymous, translated by Bruce Dickins

related portals: Poetry. 1915 translation

The Norwegian Rune Poem

F vldr frnda rge; fesk ulfr skge. r er af illu jarne; opt lypr rinn hjarne. urs vldr kvinna kvillu; ktr vrr fr af illu. ss er flstra fra fr; en skalpr er svra. Ri kvea rossom vsta; Reginn sl svret bzta. Kaun er barna blvan; bl grver nn flvan. Hagall er kaldastr korna; Kristr skp himenn forna. Naur gerer nppa koste; nktan klr froste. s kllum br bria; blindan arf at lia. r er gumna ge; get ek at rr var Fre. Sl er landa ljme; lti ek helgum dme. Tr er inendr sa; opt vrr smir blsa. Bjarkan er laufgrnstr lma; Loki bar flra tma. Mar er moldar auki; mikil er grip hauki. Lgr er, fllr r fjalle foss; en gull ero nosser. r er vetrgrnstr via; vnt er, er brennr, at svia.

Rune poems

Translation of Norwegian Rune Poem

Fe Wealth is a source of discord among kinsmen; the wolf lives in the forest. Ur Dross comes from bad iron; the reindeer often races over the frozen snow. Thurs Giant causes anguish to women; misfortune makes few men cheerful. As Estuary is the way of most journeys; but a scabbard is of swords. Reidh Riding is said to be the worst thing for horses; Reginn forged the finest sword. Kaun Ulcer is fatal to children; death makes a corpse pale. Hagall Hail is the coldest of grain; Christ created the world of old. Naudhr Constraint gives scant choice; a naked man is chilled by the frost. Isa Ice we call the broad bridge; the blind man must be led. Ar Plenty is a boon to men; I say that Frodi was generous. Sol Sun is the light of the world; I bow to the divine decree. Tyr Tyr is a one-handed god; often has the smith to blow. Bjarkan Birch has the greenest leaves of any shrub; Loki was fortunate in his deceit. Madhr Man is an augmentation of the dust; great is the claw of the hawk.

Rune poems Logr A waterfall is a River which falls from a mountain-side; but ornaments are of gold. Yr Yew is the greenest of trees in winter; it is wont to crackle when it burns.

The Icelandic Rune Poem

F er frnda rg ok flar viti ok grafseis gata aurum fylkir. r er skja grtr ok skra verrir ok hiris hatr. umbre vsi urs er kvenna kvl ok kletta bi ok varrnar verr. Saturnus engill. ss er algingautr ok sgars jfurr, ok valhallar vsi. Jupiter oddviti. Rei er sitjandi sla ok snig fer ok jrs erfii. iter rsir. Kaun er barna bl ok bardaga [fr] ok holdfa hs. flagella konungr. Hagall er kaldakorn ok krapadrfa ok snka stt. grando hildingr. Nau er jar r ok ungr kostr ok vssamlig verk. opera niflungr. ss er rbrkr ok unnar ak

Rune poems ok feigra manna fr. glacies jfurr. r er gumna gi ok gott sumar algrinn akr. annus allvaldr. Sl er skja skjldr ok sknandi rull ok sa aldrtregi. rota siklingr. Tr er einhendr ss ok ulfs leifar ok hofa hilmir. Mars tiggi. Bjarkan er laufgat lim ok ltit tr ok ungsamligr vir. abies bulungr. Mar er manns gaman ok moldar auki ok skipa skreytir. homo mildingr. Lgr er vellanda vatn ok vir ketill ok glmmungr grund. lacus lofungr. r er bendr bogi ok brotgjarnt jrn ok ffu frbauti. arcus ynglingr.

Translation of Icelandic Rune Poem

F - Wealth Source of discord among kinsmen and fire of the sea and path of the serpent. r - Shower Lamentation of the clouds and ruin of the hay-harvest and abomination of the shepherd. Thurs - Giant Torture of women

Rune poems and cliff-dweller and husband of a giantess. ss - God Aged Gautr and prince of sgardr and lord of Vallhalla. Reid - Riding Joy of the horsemen and speedy journey and toil of the steed. Kaun - Ulcer Disease fatal to children and painful spot and abode of mortification. Hagall - Hail Cold grain and shower of sleet and sickness of serpents. Naud - Constraint Grief of the bond-maid and state of oppression and toilsome work. Iss - Ice Bark of rivers and roof of the wave and destruction of the doomed. r - Plenty Boon to men and good summer and thriving crops. Sl - Sun Shield of the clouds and shining ray and destroyer of ice. Tyr God with one hand and leavings of the wolf and prince of temples. Bjarken - Birch Leafy twig and little tree

Rune poems and fresh young shrub. Madr - Man Delight of man and augmentation of the earth and adorner of ships. Lgr - Water Eddying stream and broad geysir and land of the fish. Yr - Yew Bent bow and brittle iron and giant of the arrow.

The Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem

Feoh by frofur fira gehwylcum; sceal eah manna gehwylc miclun hyt dlan gif he wile for drihtne domes hleotan. Ur by anmod ond oferhyrned, felafrecne deor, feohte mid hornum mre morstapa; t is modig wuht. orn by earle scearp; egna gehwylcum anfeng ys yfyl, ungemetum ree manna gehwelcum, e him mid reste.

Os by ordfruma lere sprce, wisdomes wrau ond witena frofur and eorla gehwam eadnys ond tohiht. Rad by on recyde rinca gehwylcum sefte ond swihwt, ame sitte on ufan meare mgenheardum ofer milpaas. Cen by cwicera gehwam, cu on fyre blac ond beorhtlic, byrne oftust r hi elingas inne resta. Gyfu gumena by gleng and herenys, wrau and wyrscype and wrcna gehwam ar and twist, e by ora leas. Wenne bruce, e can weana lyt sares and sorge and him sylfa hf bld and blysse and eac byrga geniht.

Rune poems Hgl by hwitust corna; hwyrft hit of heofones lyfte, wealca hit windes scura; weore hit to wtere syan. Nyd by nearu on breostan; weore hi eah oft nia bearnum to helpe and to hle gehwre, gif hi his hlysta ror. Is by ofereald, ungemetum slidor, glisna glshluttur gimmum gelicust, flor forste geworuht, fger ansyne. Ger by gumena hiht, onne God lte, halig heofones cyning, hrusan syllan beorhte bleda beornum ond earfum. Eoh by utan unsmee treow, heard hrusan fst, hyrde fyres, wyrtrumun underwreyd, wyn on ele. Peor by symble plega and hlehter wlancum [on middum], ar wigan sitta on beorsele blie tsomne. Eolh-secg eard hf oftust on fenne wexe on wature, wunda grimme, blode brene beorna gehwylcne e him nigne onfeng gede. Sigel semannum symble bi on hihte, onne hi hine feria ofer fisces be, o hi brimhengest bringe to lande. Tir bi tacna sum, healde trywa wel wi elingas; a bi on frylde ofer nihta genipu, nfre swice. Beorc by bleda leas, bere efne swa eah tanas butan tudder, bi on telgum wlitig, heah on helme hrysted fgere, geloden leafum, lyfte getenge. Eh by for eorlum elinga wyn, hors hofum wlanc, r him hle ymb[e] welege on wicgum wrixla sprce and bi unstyllum fre frofur. Man by on myrge his magan leof: sceal eah anra gehwylc orum swican, forum drihten wyle dome sine t earme flsc eoran betcan. Lagu by leodum langsum geuht, gif hi sculun nean on nacan tealtum

Rune poems and hi sya swye brega and se brimhengest bridles ne gym[e]. Ing ws rest mid East-Denum gesewen secgun, o he sian est ofer wg gewat; wn fter ran; us Heardingas one hle nemdun. - Eel by oferleof ghwylcum men, gif he mot r rihtes and gerysena on brucan on bolde bleadum oftast. Dg by drihtnes sond, deore mannum, mre metodes leoht, myrg and tohiht eadgum and earmum, eallum brice. Ac by on eoran elda bearnum flsces fodor, fere gelome ofer ganotes b; garsecg fanda hwer ac hbbe ele treowe. sc bi oferheah, eldum dyre sti on staule, stede rihte hylt, eah him feohtan on firas monige. Yr by elinga and eorla gehws wyn and wyrmynd, by on wicge fger, fstlic on frelde, fyrdgeatewa sum. Iar by eafix and eah a bruce fodres on foldan, hafa fgerne eard wtre beworpen, r he wynnum leofa. Ear by egle eorla gehwylcun, onn[e] fstlice flsc onginne, hraw colian, hrusan ceosan blac to gebeddan; bleda gedreosa, wynna gewita, wera geswica.

Translation (Dickins 1915)

From Runic and heroic poems of the old Teutonic peoples [1] (1915) Feoh Wealth is a comfort to all men; yet must every man bestow it freely, if he wish to gain honour in the sight of the Lord. Ur The aurochs is proud and has great horns; it is a very savage beast and fights with its horns; a great ranger of the moors, it is a creature of mettle.

Rune poems Thorn The thorn is exceedingly sharp, an evil thing for any knight to touch, uncommonly severe on all who sit among them. Os The mouth is the source of all language, a pillar of wisdom and a comfort to wise men, a blessing and a joy to every knight. Rad Riding seems easy to every warrior while he is indoors and very courageous to him who traverses the high-roads on the back of a stout horse. Cen The torch is known to every living man by its pale, bright flame; it always burns where princes sit within. Gyfu Generosity brings credit and honour, which support one's dignity; it furnishes help and subsistence to all broken men who are devoid of aught else. Wynn Bliss he enjoys who knows not suffering, sorrow nor anxiety, and has prosperity and happiness and a good enough house. Haegl Hail is the whitest of grain; it is whirled from the vault of heaven and is tossed about by gusts of wind and then it melts into water. Nyd Trouble is oppressive to the heart; yet often it proves a source of help and salvation to the children of men, to everyone who heeds it betimes. Is Ice is very cold and immeasurably slippery; it glistens as clear as glass and most like to gems; it is a floor wrought by the frost, fair to look upon. Ger Summer is a joy to men, when God, the holy King of Heaven, suffers the earth to bring forth shining fruits for rich and poor alike.

Rune poems Eoh The yew is a tree with rough bark, hard and fast in the earth, supported by its roots, a guardian of flame and a joy upon an estate. Peordh Peorth is a source of recreation and amusement to the great, where warriors sit blithely together in the banqueting-hall. Eolh The Eolh-sedge is mostly to be found in a marsh; it grows in the water and makes a ghastly wound, covering with blood every warrior who touches it. Sigel The sun is ever a joy in the hopes of seafarers when they journey away over the fishes' bath, until the courser of the deep bears them to land. Tir Tiw is a guiding star; well does it keep faith with princes; it is ever on its course over the mists of night and never fails. Beorc The poplar bears no fruit; yet without seed it brings forth suckers, for it is generated from its leaves. Splendid are its branches and gloriously adorned its lofty crown which reaches to the skies. Eh The horse is a joy to princes in the presence of warriors. A steed in the pride of its hoofs, when rich men on horseback bandy words about it; and it is ever a source of comfort to the restless. Mann The joyous man is dear to his kinsmen; yet every man is doomed to fail his fellow, since the Lord by his decree will commit the vile carrion to the earth. Lagu The ocean seems interminable to men, if they venture on the rolling bark and the waves of the sea terrify them and the courser of the deep heed not its bridle. Ing Ing was first seen by men among the East-Danes,

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Rune poems till, followed by his chariot, he departed eastwards over the waves. So the Heardingas named the hero. Ethel An estate is very dear to every man, if he can enjoy there in his house whatever is right and proper in constant prosperity. Dg Day, the glorious light of the Creator, is sent by the Lord; it is beloved of men, a source of hope and happiness to rich and poor, and of service to all. Ac The oak fattens the flesh of pigs for the children of men. Often it traverses the gannet's bath, and the ocean proves whether the oak keeps faith in honourable fashion. sc The ash is exceedingly high and precious to men. With its sturdy trunk it offers a stubborn resistance, though attacked by many a man. Yr Yr is a source of joy and honour to every prince and knight; it looks well on a horse and is a reliable equipment for a journey. Ior Iar is a river fish and yet it always feeds on land; it has a fair abode encompassed by water, where it lives in happiness. Ear The grave is horrible to every knight, when the corpse quickly begins to cool and is laid in the bosom of the dark earth. Prosperity declines, happiness passes away and covenants are broken.

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Rune poems

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The Abecedarium Nordmannicum

(There are various readings of this difficult manuscript. The following is the reading given by Dickins, Runic and heroic poems of the old Teutonic peoples, published 1915 and thus free of copyright. Cursive letters are emendations by Dickins.) Feu forman Ur after Thuris thritten stabu, Os is himo oboro, Rat endost ritan Chaon thanne cliut. Hagal, Naut hab& Is, Ar endi Sol Tiu, Brica endi Man midi Lagu the leohto, Yr al bihabet.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1923. It may be copyrighted outside the U.S. (see Help:Public domain).

References
[1] http:/ / www. archive. org/ details/ runicandheroicpo00dickuoft

Article Sources and Contributors

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Article Sources and Contributors

Rune poems Source: https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?oldid=4387205 Contributors: Base, Billinghurst, Dbachmann, Intimalai, Longfellow, Sherurcij, Skadinaujo, Zhaladshar, 8 anonymous edits

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