VL OE Literature – Busse – page 1

Widsith (Text georgetown.edu/labyrinth) Transl. soton.ac.uk/~enm/widsith.htm

Widsið maðolade, wordhord onleac, Widsith spoke, unlocked his word-hoard,
se þe monna mæst mægþa ofer eorþan, he who had travelled most of all men
folca geondferde; oft he on flette geþah through tribes and nations across the earth.
mynelicne maþþum. Him from Myrgingum Often he had gained great treasure in hall.
5 æþele onwocon. He mid Ealhhilde, He belonged by birth to the Myrging tribe.
fælre freoþuwebban, forman siþe Along with Ealhild, the kind peace-weaver,
Hreðcyninges ham gesohte for the first time, from the Baltic coast,
eastan of Ongle, Eormanrices, he sought the home of Eormanric,
wraþes wærlogan. Ongon þa worn sprecan: king of the Ostrogoths, hostile to traitors.
10 "Fela ic monna gefrægn mægþum wealdan! He began then to speak at length:
Sceal þeodna gehwylc þeawum lifgan, ‘I have heard of many men who ruled over nations.
eorl æfter oþrum eðle rædan, Every leader should live uprightly,
se þe his þeodenstol geþeon wile. rule his estates according to custom,
þara wæs Hwala hwile selast, if he wants to succeed to a kingly throne.
15 ond Alexandreas ealra ricost Hwala for a time was the best of all,
monna cynnes, ond he mæst geþah and Alexander too, the noblest of men,
þara þe ic ofer foldan gefrægen hæbbe. who prospered most of all of those
ætla weold Hunum, Eormanric Gotum, that I have heard of across the earth.
Becca Baningum, Burgendum Gifica. Attila ruled the Huns, Eormanric the Goths,
20 Casere weold Creacum ond Cælic Finnum, Becca the Baningas, Gifica the Burgundians.
Hagena Holmrygum ond Heoden Glommum. Caesar ruled the Greeks and Caelic the Finns,
Witta weold Swæfum, Wada Hælsingum, Hagena the Holmrycgas and Henden the Glomman.
Meaca Myrgingum, Mearchealf Hundingum. Witta ruled the Swaefe, Wada the Haelsingas,
þeodric weold Froncum, þyle Rondingum, Meaca the Myrgingas, Mearc the Hundingas.
25 Breoca Brondingum, Billing Wernum. Theodric ruled the Franks, Thyle the Rondingas,
Oswine weold Eowum ond Ytum Gefwulf, Breoca the Brondingas, Billa the Waerne.
Fin Folcwalding Fresna cynne. Oswine ruled the Eowan and Gefwulf the Jutes,
Sigehere lengest Sædenum weold, Finn, son of Folcwalda, the Frisian race.
Hnæf Hocingum, Helm Wulfingum, Sigehere for many years ruled the Sea-Danes,
30 Wald Woingum, Wod þyringum, Hnaef the Hocingas, Helm the Wulfingas,
Sæferð Sycgum, Sweom Ongendþeow, Wald the Woingas, Wod the Thuringians,
Sceafthere Ymbrum, Sceafa Longbeardum, Saeferth the Sycgan, Ongentheow the Swedes,
Hun Hætwerum ond Holen Wrosnum. Sceafthere the Ymbran, Sceaf the Langobards,
Hringweald wæs haten Herefarena cyning. Hun the Haetware, and Holen the Wrosnan.
35 Offa weold Ongle, Alewih Denum; Hringwald was called the king of the Herefaran.
Offa ruled the Angles, Alewih the Danes.
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se wæs þara manna modgast ealra, He was the bravest of all those men,
no hwæþre he ofer Offan eorlscype fremede, but could not defeat Offa in deeds of arms,
ac Offa geslog ærest monna, and the noble Offa while still a boy
cnihtwesende, cynerica mæst. won in battle the greatest of kingdoms.
40 Nænig efeneald him eorlscipe maran No-one of that age ever achieved
on orette. Ane sweorde more glory than he did. With his sword alone
merce gemærde wið Myrgingum he marked the border against the Myrgings
bi Fifeldore; heoldon forð siþþan at the mouth of the Eider. Angles and Swedes
Engle ond Swæfe, swa hit Offa geslog. observed it after that as Offa had won it.
45 Hroþwulf ond Hroðgar heoldon lengest Hrothwulf and Hrothgar, nephew and uncle,
sibbe ætsomne suhtorfædran, held peace together for many years
siþþan hy forwræcon wicinga cynn after they had driven off the Heathobard tribe
ond Ingeldes ord forbigdan, and beaten down Ingeld's line of battle,
forheowan æt Heorote Heaðobeardna þrym. cut down at Heorot the Heathobard force.
50 Swa ic geondferde fela fremdra londa So I travelled widely through foreign lands,
geond ginne grund. Godes ond yfles through distant countries, and there I met
þær ic cunnade cnosle bidæled, both good and bad fortune, far from my kin,
freomægum feor folgade wide. and served as a follower far and wide.
Forþon ic mæg singan ond secgan spell, And so I can sing and tell a tale,
55 mænan fore mengo in meoduhealle declare to the company in the mead-hall
hu me cynegode cystum dohten. how noble rulers rewarded me with gifts.
Ic wæs mid Hunum ond mid Hreðgotum, I was with the Huns and the glorious Goths,
mid Sweom ond mid Geatum ond mid Suþdenum. with the Swedes and with the Geats and with the South-Danes.
Mid Wenlum ic wæs ond mid Wærnum ond mid wicingum. I was with the Wenlas, the Waerne and the Wicingas.
60 Mid Gefþum ic wæs ond mid Winedum ond mid Gefflegum. I was with the Gefthan, the Winedas and the Gefflegan.
Mid Englum ic wæs ond mid Swæfum ond mid ænenum. I was with the Angles, the Swaefe and the Aenenas.
Mid Seaxum ic wæs ond Sycgum ond mid Sweordwerum. I was with the Saxons, the Sycgan and the Sweordweras.
Mid Hronum ic wæs ond mid Deanum ond mid Heaþoreamum. I was with the Hronan, the Dean and the Heathoreamas.
Mid þyringum ic wæs ond mid þrowendum, I was with the Thuringians and with the Throwendas
65 ond mid Burgendum, þær ic beag geþah; and with the Burgundians: there I gained a torc.
me þær Guðhere forgeaf glædlicne maþþum There Guthhere granted me splendid treasure
songes to leane. Næs þæt sæne cyning! as reward for my song; that king was not tight-fisted.
Mid Froncum ic wæs ond mid Frysum ond mid Frumtingum. I was with the Franks, with the Frisians and the Frumtingas.
Mid Rugum ic wæs ond mid Glommum ond mid Rumwalum. I was with the Rugians, the Glomman and the Romans.
70 Swylce ic wæs on Eatule mid ælfwine, I was in Italy with Aelfwine too:
se hæfde moncynnes, mine gefræge, of all men he had, as I have heard,
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leohteste hond lofes to wyrcenne, the readiest hand to do brave deeds,

heortan unhneaweste hringa gedales, the most generous heart in giving out rings
beorhtra beaga, bearn Eadwines. and shining torcs, Eadwine's son.
75 Mid Sercingum ic wæs ond mid Seringum; I was with the Sercings and with the Serings.
mid Creacum ic wæs ond mid Finnum ond mid Casere, I was with the Greeks and Finns, and also with Caesar,
se þe winburga geweald ahte, who had the power over prosperous cities,
wiolena ond wilna, ond Wala rices. riches and treasure and the Roman Empire.
Mid Scottum ic wæs ond mid Peohtum ond mid Scridefinnum; I was with the Irish, with the Picts and the Lapps.
80 mid Lidwicingum ic wæs ond mid Leonum ond mid I was with the Lidwicingas, the Leonas and the Langobards,
[Longbeardum,
mid hæðnum ond mid hæleþum ond mid Hundingum. with the Haethenas and the Haelethas and with the Hundingas.
Mid Israhelum ic wæs ond mid Exsyringum, I was with the Israelites and with the Assyrians,
mid Ebreum ond mid Indeum ond mid Egyptum. with the Hebrews and the Indians and with the Egyptians.
Mid Moidum ic wæs ond mid Persum ond mid Myrgingum, I was with the Medes and the Persians and with the Myrgingas,
85 ond Mofdingum ond ongend Myrgingum, with the Moabites and Ongendmyrgingas and with the Amothingas.
ond mid Amothingum. Mid Eastþyringum ic wæs I was with the East-Thuringians and with the Ofdingas,
ond mid Eolum ond mid Istum ond Idumingum. with the Eolas and the Philistines and with the Idumeans.
Ond ic wæs mid Eormanrice ealle þrage, And I was with Eormanric throughout his reign.
þær me Gotena cyning gode dohte; There the king of the Goths granted me treasure:
90 se me beag forgeaf, burgwarena fruma, the king of the city gave me a torc
on þam siex hund wæs smætes goldes, made from pure gold coins, worth six hundred pence.
gescyred sceatta scillingrime;
þone ic Eadgilse on æht sealde, I gave that to Eadgils when I came home,
minum hleodryhtne, þa ic to ham bicwom, as thanks to my lord, ruler of the Myrgingas,
95 leofum to leane, þæs þe he me lond forgeaf, because he gave me land which once was my father's.
mines fæder eþel, frea Myrginga.
Ond me þa Ealhhild oþerne forgeaf, And then Ealhhild, Eadwine's daughter,
dryhtcwen duguþe, dohtor Eadwines. noble queen of the household, gave me another;
Hyre lof lengde geond londa fela, her fame extended through many lands
100 þonne ic be songe secgan sceolde when I used my song to spread the word
hwær ic under swegle selast wisse of where under the heavens I knew a queen,
goldhrodene cwen giefe bryttian. adorned with gold, most generous of all.
ðonne wit Scilling sciran reorde Then Scilling and I with our clear voices,
for uncrum sigedryhtne song ahofan, before our glorious lord, struck up our song;
105 hlude bi hearpan hleoþor swinsade, sung to the harp, it rang out loudly.
þonne monige men, modum wlonce, Then many men with noble hearts
wordum sprecan, þa þe wel cuþan, who understood these things openly said
þæt hi næfre song sellan ne hyrdon. that they had never heard a better song.
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ðonan ic ealne geondhwearf eþel Gotena, From there I travelled through the Gothic homeland --
110 sohte ic a gesiþa þa selestan; I always sought out the best companions --
þæt wæs innweorud Earmanrices. that was Eormanric's household guard!
Heðcan sohte ic ond Beadecan ond Herelingas, I visited Hehca and Beadeca and the Herelingas,
Emercan sohte ic ond Fridlan ond Eastgotan, Emerca and Fridla and Eastgota,
frodne ond godne fæder Unwenes. the wise and virtuous father of Unwen.
115 Seccan sohte ic ond Beccan, Seafolan ond þeodric, I visited Secca and Becca, Seafola and Theodric,
Heaþoric ond Sifecan, Hliþe ond Incgenþeow. Heathoric and Sifeca, Hlith and Incgentheow.
Eadwine sohte ic ond Elsan, ægelmund ond Hungar, I visited Eadwine and Elsa, Aegelmund and Hungar,
ond þa wloncan gedryht Wiþmyrginga. and the proud household of the Withmyrgingas.
Wulfhere sohte ic ond Wyrmhere; ful oft þær wig ne alæg, I visited Wulfhere and Wyrmhere; there battle often raged
120 þonne Hræda here heardum sweordum in the Vistula woods, when the Gothic army
ymb Wistlawudu wergan sceoldon with their sharp swords had to defend
ealdne eþelstol ætlan leodum. their ancestral seat against Attila's host.
Rædhere sohte ic ond Rondhere, Rumstan ond Gislhere, I visited Raedhere and Rondhere, Rumstan and Gislhere,
Wiþergield ond Freoþeric, Wudgan ond Haman; Withergield and Freotheric, Wudga and Hama.
125 ne wæran þæt gesiþa þa sæmestan, They were by no means the worst of companions,
þeah þe ic hy anihst nemnan sceolde. even though I happen to mention them last.
Ful oft of þam heape hwinende fleag Often a whistling spear flew from the army,
giellende gar on grome þeode; screaming on its way to the enemy line;
wræccan þær weoldan wundnan golde there the exiles Wudga and Hama
130 werum ond wifum, Wudga ond Hama. gained twisted gold, men and women.
Swa ic þæt symle onfond on þære feringe, So I have always found throughout my travels
þæt se biþ leofast londbuendum that the lord who is dearest to all his subjects
se þe him god syleð gumena rice is the one God grants a kingdom of men
to gehealdenne, þenden he her leofað." to have and to hold while he lives on earth.'
135 Swa scriþende gesceapum hweorfað Wandering like this, driven by chance,
gleomen gumena geond grunda fela, minstrels travel through many lands;
þearfe secgað, þoncword sprecaþ, they state their needs, say words of thanks,
simle suð oþþe norð sumne gemetað always, south or north, they find some man
gydda gleawne, geofum unhneawne, well-versed in songs, generous in gifts,
140 se þe fore duguþe wile dom aræran, who wishes to raise his renown with his men,
eorlscipe æfnan, oþþæt eal scæceð, to do great things, until everything passes,
leoht ond lif somod; lof se gewyrceð, light and life together; he who wins fame
hafað under heofonum heahfæstne dom. has lasting glory under the heavens.