Eald Anglisc Rún Léoþ/Old English Rune Poem
(Original text followed by Þórbeorht Línléah’s translation)
I
Feoh byþ frófor fíra gehwylcum
Sceal ðéah manna gehwylc miclan hyt dælan
gif hé wile for drihtne dómes hléotan.
Fee-cattle beeth a benefit for all men.
Shall though every man mickle deal it,
if he will, before the Drighten [Wóden], doom’s lots cast.
II
Úr byþ ánmód and oferhyrned
felafrécne déor feohteþ mid hornum
mære mórstapa þæt is módig wuht
Auroch beeth one-minded and horned over-head.
The greatly greedy beast fighteth with horns.
Infamous moor-stepper; that is a moody wight.
III
Þorn byþ ðearle scearp þegna gehwylcum
anfeng ys yfel ungemetum réþe
manna gehwylcum ðe him mid resteð.
Thorn beeth severely sharp for all thanes
It is evil to grasp, terrible without mete,
for all men that mid them resteth.
IV
Ós byþ ordfruma ælcre spræce
wísdómes wráþu and wítena frófor
and eorla gehwám éadnys and tóhiht
Ós [Wóden] beeth the spear-ruler of all speech
wisdom’s stay, and the witty-ones’ help
and every earl’s happiness and hope.
V
Rád byþ on recyde rinca gehwylcum
séfte and swíþhwæt þám þe sitteþ onufan
méare mægenheardum ofer mílpaþas
Ride beeth in the hall for all warriors
soft, and swith-bold for them that sitteth upon
a main-hardy mare over mile-paths.
VI
Cén byþ cwicera gehwám cúþ on fýre
blác and beorhtlic byrneþ oftust
ðær hí æþelingas inne restaþ
Torch beeth to all that is quick couth (known) on fire
beaming and brightly it burneth oftest
where the Athelings resteth inside.
VII
Gyfu gumena byþ gleng and herenys
wraþu and wyrþscype and wræcna gehwám
ár and ætwist ðe byþ óþra léas
Gift beeth to men adornment and praise
stay and worship and for all wretches
honor and well-being beeth they otherwise without.
VIII
Wynne brúceþ ðe can wéana lýt
sáres and sorge and him selfa hæfþ
blæd and blysse and éac byrga geniht
Joy brooketh he who kens lite want
of sores and sorrow and himself haveth
bounty and bliss and eke a burg’s abundance
IX
Hagol byþ hwítost corna hwyrft hit of heofones lyfte
wealcaþ hit windes scúra weorþeþ hit tó wætere syððan
Hail beeth the whitest of corns whirleth it from heaven’s loft
The wind’s showers walketh it wortheth it to water thereafter.
X
Níed byþ nearu on bréostan, weorþeþ hit ðéah oft níþa bearnum
tó helpe and tó hæle gif hí his hlystaþ æror
Need beeth narrow on the breast though it oft wortheth for the bairns of men
to help and to heal, if they ere listeneth to it.
XI
Ís byþ oferceald ungemetum slidor
glisnaþ glæshlúttur gimmum gelícust
flór forste geworuht fæger ansýne
Ice beeth over-cold slippery without mete,
glisteneth glass-clear likest gems
a floor wrought of frost, a fair sight
XII
Gér byþ gumena hiht ðonne god læteþ
hálig heofones cyning hrúsan sellan
beorhte bléda beornum and ðearfum.
Year beeth the hight (hope) of men, when god letteth,
heaven’s holy king, Earth to sell
bright blades [of barley] to bairns and beggars.
XIII
Éoh byþ útan unsméþe tréow,
heard, hrúsan fæst hyrde fýres,
wyrtruman underwreþyd wynan on éþle
Yew beeth without an unsmooth tree
Hard earth fast, herder of fires,
with wort-roots underheld, a wynn (joy) on ancestral land.
XIV
Peorð byþ symble plega and hlehtor
wlancum on wisum ðár wígan sittaþ
on béorsele blíþe ætsomne.
Pear-wood [hearp or tafl] beeth ever play and laughter
amid the boastful and wise where warriors sitteth
in beer-hall blithe together.
XV
Eolhxsecg eard hæfþ oftust on fenne
weaxeð on wætere wundaþ grimme
blóde breneð beorna gehwylcne
ðe him ænigne onfeng gedéð.
Elk-sedge haveth a home oftest in the fen
waxeth on water woundeth grim
by blood burneth every warrior
who in any way layeth hold it.
XVI
Sigel sémannum symble biþ on hihte
ðonn híe hine fériaþ ofer fisces beþ
oþ hí brimhengest bringeþ tó lande
Sun to seamen ever beeth a hight (hope)
when they fareth it over the fish’s bath
till they, the brim-stallion, bringeth to land.
XVII
Tír biþ tácna sum healdeð trywa wel
wiþ æþelingas á biþ on færylde
ofer nihta genipu næfre swíceþ
Star beeth some token that holdeth trow well
with athelings; ever beeth on faring
over night’s clouds, never betrayeth.
XVIII
Beorc byþ bléda léas bereþ efne swá ðéah
tánas bútan túdder biþ on telgum wlitig
héah on helme hrysted fægere
geloden léafum lyfte getenge
Birch beeth without blossom, beareth it even so though
tines without fruit. Beeth it fair in branches,
high in helm adorned fair,
laden with leaves and nigh the sky-loft.
XIX
Eh byþ for eorlum æþelinga wyn
hors hófum wlanc ðær him hæleþas ymbe
welege on wicgum wrixlaþ spræce
and biþ unstyllum æfre frófur
Steed beeth for earls the wynn (joy) of athelings,
a horse proud of hoofs around where the heroes,
wealy upon steeds, trade speech;
and beeth it for the unstill (traveling) ever a comfort.
XX
Mann byþ on myrgþe his mágan léof
sceal þéah ánre gehwylc óðrum swícan
for ðám dryhten wyle dóme síne
þæt earme flæsc eorþan betæcan
Mann beeth in mirth beloved of his kinsman
though each one shall abandon the other,
for them the Drighten wills by his doom
the vulnerable flesh to beteach (commit) to Earth.
XXI
Lagu byþ léodum langsum geþúht
gif hí sculun néþan on nacan tealtum
and hí sæýþa swýþe brégaþ
and se brimhengest brídles ne gýmeð
Water beeth to folk thought longsome
if they shall dare it on tilting ship
and the sea-waves greatly frighten,
and the brim-stallion heeds not the bridle.
XXII
Ing wæs ærest mid Éast-Denum
gesewen secgun oþ hé siððan eft
ofer wæg gewát wæn æfter ran
ðus heardingas ðone hæle nemdon
Ing was erst, mid the East Danes
seen by sedge-dwellers. Then he went eft
over the wave. His wain ran after him.
Thus the Heardings named the hero.
XXIII
Éðel byþ oferléof æghwylcum men
gif hé mót þær rihtes and gerysena on
brúcan on bolde bléadum oftast.
Ancestral land beeth over-dear for all men
if he might there, rights and honor,
brook in his dwelling, with bounty oftest.
XXIV
Dæg byþ drihtnes sond déore mannum
mære metodes léoht myrgþ and tóhiht
éadgum and earmum eallum bríce
Day beeth the Drighten’s sending, dear to men
He-who-metes’s mighty light, mirth and hight (hope)
for the wealthy and the poor, needful for all.
XXV
Ác byþ on eorþan elda bearnum
flæsces fódor fereþ gelóme
ofer ganotes bæþ gársecg fandaþ
hwæþer ác hæbbe æþele tréowe.
Oak beeth on earth for the bairns of men
flesh’s fodder, fareth it frequent
over the gannet’s bath; Gársecg [a sea god] testeth
whether oak holds noble trow.
XXVI
Æsc biþ oferhéah eldum dýre
stíþ on staþule stede rihte hylt
ðéah him feohtan on fíras monige
Ash is over-high dear to men,
stith in staddle, rightly holds stead
though against him fight many men.
XXVII
Ýr byþ æþelinga and eorla gehwæs
wyn and weorþmynd byþ on wicge fæger
fæstlíc on færelde fyrdgeatewa sum
Bow beeth for athelings and every earl
wynn (joy) and worthmind; beeth it fair on steed,
fastly on expedition tis some fyrd-armament.
XXVIII
Íor byþ éafixa and ðéah á brúceþ
fódres on foldan hafaþ fægerne eard
wætre beworpen ðær hé wynnum léofaþ
Grass snake beeth a river-fish and though it always brooketh
of fodder on fold (land) it haveth a fair home
surrounded by water there it liveth in wynn (joy).
XIX
Éar byþ egle eorla gehwylcun,
ðonn fæstlíce flæsc onginneþ
hráw cólian hrúsan céosan
blác té gebeddan bléda gedréosaþ
wynna gewítaþ wéra geswícaþ
Grave beeth grievous to each earl
when fastly flesh beginneth
corpse to cool, to choose earth,
bleakness to bed, fruit faileth,
wynn (joy) departeth, oaths giveth way.
