Old English Rune Poem Translation | Verse Indeterminate Saxon

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In summary, the poet is describing the different types of beings in the world, and how they are related. He starts by talking about humans, who are the most fortunate of all because they have the ability to learn and grow. Next, he discusses animals, who are strong and have courage, but are also capable of feeling pain. He then turns to the gods, who are powerful and wise, and are always there to help people. The poem ends with a description of the afterlife, where people are reunited with their loved ones and are surrounded by beauty.
  • #1
wolram
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I am trying to translate this poem can anyone help?

The Rune Poem

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

feoh byþ frofur fira gehwylcum.
Sceal ðeah manna gehwylc miclun hyt dælan
gif he wile for drihtne domes hleotan.
ur byþ anmod and oferhyrned,
5
felafrecne deor, feohteþ mid hornum,
mære morstapa; þæt is modig wuht.
ðorn byþ ðearle scearp; ðegna gehwylcum
anfeng ys yfyl, ungemetun reþe
manna gehwylcun ðe him mid resteð.
10
os byþ ordfruma ælcre spræce,
wisdomes wraþu and witena frofur,
and eorla gehwam eadnys and tohiht.
rad byþ on recyde rinca gehwylcum
sefte, and swiþhwæt ðam ðe sitteþ on ufan
15
meare mægenheardum ofer milpaþas.
cen byþ cwicera gehwam cuþ on fyre,
blac and beorhtlic, byrneþ oftust
ðær hi æþelingas inne restaþ.
gifu gumena byþ gleng and herenys,
20
wraþu and wyrþscype, and wræcna gehwam
ar and ætwist ðe byþ oþra leas.
wenne bruceþ ðe can weana lyt,
sares and sorge, and him sylfa hæfþ
blæd and blysse and eac byrga geniht.
25
hægl byþ hwitust corna; hwyrft hit of heofones lyfte,
wealcaþ hit windes scuras, weorþeþ hit to wætere syððan.
nyd byþ nearu on breostan, weorþeþ hi ðeah oft niþa bearnum
to helpe and to hæle gehwæþre, gif hi his hlystaþ æror.
is byþ oferceald, ungemetum slidor,
30
glisnaþ glæshluttur, gimmum gelicust,
flor forste geworuht, fæger ansyne.
ger byþ gumena hiht, ðon god læteþ,
halig heofones cyning, hrusan syllan
beorhte bleda beornum and ðearfum.
35
eoh byþ utan unsmeþe treow,
heard, hrusan fæst, hyrde fyres,
wyrtrumun underwreþyd, wyn on eþle.
peorð byþ symble plega and hlehter
wlancum ðar wigan sittaþ
40
on beorsele bliþe ætsomne.
eolhx secg eard hæfþ oftust on fenne,
wexeð on wature, wundaþ grimme,
blode breneð beorna gehwylcne
ðe him ænigne onfeng gedeð.
45
sigel semannum symble biþ on hihte,
ðonn hi hine feriaþ ofer fisces beþ,
oþ hi brimhengest bringeþ to lande.
tir biþ tacna sum, healdeð trywa wel
wiþ æþelingas, a biþ on færylde,
50
ofer nihta genipu næfre swiceþ.
beorc byþ bleda leas, bereþ efne swa ðeah
tanas butan tudder, biþ on telgum wlitig,
heah on helme hrysted fægere,
geloden leafum, lyfte getenge.
55
eh byþ for eorlum æþelinga wyn,
hors hofum wlanc, ðær him hæleþ ymbe,
welege on wicgum, wrixlaþ spræce,
and biþ unstyllum æfre frofur.
man byþ on myrgþe his magan leof;
60
sceal þeah anra gehwylc oðrum swican,
for ðam dryhten wyle dome sine
þæt earme flæsc eorþan betæcan.
lagu byþ leodum langsum geþuht,
gif hi sculun neþan on nacan tealtum,
65
and hi sæyþa swyþe bregaþ,
and se brimhengest bridles ne gymeð.
ing wæs ærest mid Eastdenum
gesewen secgun, oþ he siððan eft
ofer wæg gewat, wæn æfter ran;
70
ðus heardingas ðone hæle nemdun.
eðel byþ oferleof æghwylcum men,
gif he mot ðær rihtes and gerysena on
brucan on bolde bleadum oftast.
dæg byþ drihtnes sond, deore mannum,
75
mære metodes leoht, myrgþ and tohiht
eadgum and earmum, eallum brice.
ac byþ on eorþan elda bearnum
flæsces fodor, fereþ gelome
ofer ganotes bæþ; garsecg fandaþ
80
hwæþer ac hæbbe æþele treowe.
æsc biþ oferheah, eldum dyre,
stiþ on staþule, stede rihte hylt,
ðeah him feohtan on firas monige.
yr byþ æþelinga and eorla gehwæs
85
wyn and wyrþmynd, byþ on wicge fæger,
fæstlic on færelde, fyrdgeatewa sum.
ior byþ eafix, and ðeah a bruceþ
fodres on foldan, hafaþ fægerne eard,
wætre beworpen, ðær he wynnum leofaþ.
90
ear byþ egle eorla gehwylcun,
ðonn fæstlice flæsc onginneþ,
hraw colian, hrusan ceosan
blac to gebeddan; bleda gedreosaþ,
wynna gewitaþ, wera geswicaþ.
 
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  • #2
I'm able to read a bit of Old Norse, but reading this Saxon text is a bit like me hearing an Icelander speak:
I almost, (but for the most part not) get what he is saying..
 
  • #4
Your a star evo, i have been trying to intemperate this word by word all week:approve:
 
  • #5
wolram said:
Your a star evo, i have been trying to intemperate this word by word all week:approve:
Glad I could help, I love old sagas.
 
  • #6
The following is a gift to both of you, one of the most beautiful stanzas in the Norse Havamal:

" Deyr fé,
deyja frændr,
deyr sjálfr et sama;
ek veit einn,
at aldri deyr:
dómr um dauðan hvern"
 
  • #7
arildno said:
The following is a gift to both of you, one of the most beautiful stanzas in the Norse Havamal:

" Deyr fé,
deyja frændr,
deyr sjálfr et sama;
ek veit einn,
at aldri deyr:
dómr um dauðan hvern"
Aw, same to you. :smile:
 
  • #8
arildno said:
The following is a gift to both of you, one of the most beautiful stanzas in the Norse Havamal:

" Deyr fé,
deyja frændr,
deyr sjálfr et sama;
ek veit einn,
at aldri deyr:
dómr um dauðan hvern"

Does that mean you have to die in order to be immortal?
 
  • #9
arildno said:
The following is a gift to both of you, one of the most beautiful stanzas in the Norse Havamal:

" Deyr fé,
deyja frændr,
deyr sjálfr et sama;
ek veit einn,
at aldri deyr:
dómr um dauðan hvern"
As it so happens, I happen to have a couple translations of the Poetic Edda (a.k.a. Elder Edda), which contains the Hávamál (sayings of the high one), right in front of me.

Translation by Lee M. Hollander:
77
Cattle die and kinsmen die,
thyself eke soon wilt die;
one thing, I wot, will wither never:
the doom over each one dead.

Translation by Carolyne Larrington:
77
Cattle die, kinsmen die,
the self must also die;
I know one thing which never dies:
the reputation of each dead man.

Unfortunately I don't have any translations of the rune poems on hand at the moment (besides what one can find on the Internet).
 
Last edited:
  • #10
lisab said:
Does that mean you have to die in order to be immortal?
Or we live on (if we've deserved it) in the memories of others..
 
  • #11
wolram said:
Your a star evo, i have been trying to intemperate this word by word all week:approve:

Do you mean 'interpret'? It's no use lacking self-control in trying to translate this poem.
 
  • #12
SteamKing said:
Do you mean 'interpret'? It's no use lacking self-control in trying to translate this poem.

What a plonker am i. :redface: i must have been half :zzz:
 
  • #13
arildno said:
Or we live on (if we've deserved it) in the memories of others..

I thought we just had to drink mead...might need to steal the goat from Valhalla first...don't think the Einherjar would oblige...
_____________________________________
A bit of googling suggests that I was wrong about mead*. We need apples!
An apple a day keeps Elli away!

*probably confused roles with ambroisa...
 
  • #14
"Anyone into old English",

What would be great is if language instruction were to be available to learn Old English for speaking, listening, conversing, to be able to think in the language so that it can be learned as a living language - no longer really practical now that it has evolved too much since being what it once was. Translation of written, old, material is nice, but thinking and communicating in a language NOW can also be great, just because this will appeal to some people who really like being able to think in and communicate NOW in whatever language.
 

1. What is the "Old English Rune Poem Translation"?

The "Old English Rune Poem Translation" refers to a collection of verses in the Old English language that describe the meaning and symbolism of the runic alphabet, also known as the Futhorc or Anglo-Saxon runes. These verses were likely composed in the 8th or 9th century and are one of the few surviving sources of information on the meanings and uses of these ancient symbols.

2. What is the "Verse Indeterminate Saxon"?

The "Verse Indeterminate Saxon" is a term that refers to the style of the Old English Rune Poem. It is characterized by its use of alliteration, a poetic device common in Old English literature where words in a line begin with the same sound, and its use of a varying number of syllables per line, making it difficult to determine the exact meter of the poem.

3. Who wrote the Old English Rune Poem Translation?

The author of the Old English Rune Poem Translation is unknown. The original manuscript, known as the Cotton Otho B.x manuscript, does not include an author's name or any other identifiable information. It is believed that the poem was composed by an Anglo-Saxon poet or scholar, possibly as part of a larger work on the runic alphabet.

4. What is the significance of the Old English Rune Poem Translation?

The Old English Rune Poem Translation is an important source of information on the meanings and uses of the Futhorc runes. It provides insight into the beliefs and worldview of the Anglo-Saxons, and also gives us a glimpse into the poetic and linguistic styles of the time period. The poem is also significant because it is one of the few surviving sources of Old English literature.

5. Are there any variations or discrepancies in different versions of the Old English Rune Poem Translation?

Yes, there are some variations and discrepancies in different versions of the Old English Rune Poem Translation. The original manuscript, as well as later versions, contain some minor differences in spelling and word order. There are also some variations in the meanings and interpretations of certain runes. However, the overall structure and content of the poem remain consistent across different versions.

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