The Wife's Lament

Ed. Murray McGillivray. Online Corpus of Old English Poetry (OCOEP). Edition in progress. This file last updated 12/12/07.

Ic þis giedd wrece    bi me ful geomorre,
minre sylfre sið.    Ic þæt secgan mæg,
hwæt ic yrmþa gebad,    siþþan ic up aweox,
niwes oþþe ealdes,    no ma þonne nu.

5

A ic wite wonn    minra wræcsiþa.
Ærest min hlaford gewat    heonan of leodum
ofer yþa gelac;    hæfde ic uhtceare
hwær min leodfruma    londes wære.
Ða ic me feran gewat    folgað secan,

10

wineleas wræcca,    for minre weaþearfe.
Ongunnon þæt þæs monnes    magas hycgan
þurh dyrne geþoht,    þæt hy todælden unc,
þæt wit gewidost    in woruldrice
lifdon laðlicost,    ond mec longade.

15

Het mec hlaford min    herheard niman,
ahte ic leofra lyt    on þissum londstede,
holdra freonda.    Forþon is min hyge geomor.
Ða ic me ful gemæcne    monnan funde,
heardsæligne,    hygegeomorne,

20

mod miþendne,    morþor hycgendne.
Bliþe gebæro    ful oft wit beotedan
þæt unc ne gedælde    nemne deað ana
owiht elles;    eft is þæt onhworfen,
is nu    swa hit næfre wære

25

freondscipe uncer.    Sceal ic feor ge neah
mines felaleofan    fæhðu dreogan.
Heht mec mon wunian    on wuda bearwe,
under actreo    in þam eorðscræfe.
Eald is þes eorðsele,    eal ic eom oflongad,

30

sindon dena dimme,    duna uphea,
bitre burgtunas,    brerum beweaxne,
wic wynna leas.    Ful oft mec her wraþe begeat
fromsiþ frean.    Frynd sind on eorþan,
leofe lifgende,    leger weardiað,

35

þonne ic on uhtan    ana gonge
under actreo    geond þas eorðscrafu.
Þær ic sittan mot    sumorlangne dæg,
þær ic wepan mæg    mine wræcsiþas,
earfoþa fela;    forþon ic æfre ne mæg

40

þære modceare    minre gerestan,
ne ealles þæs longaþes    þe mec on þissum life begeat.
A scyle geong mon    wesan geomormod,
heard heortan geþoht,    swylce habban sceal
bliþe gebæro,    eac þon breostceare,

45

sinsorgna gedreag.    Sy æt him sylfum gelong
eal his worulde wyn,    sy ful wide fah
feorres folclondes,    þæt min freond siteð
under stanhliþe    storme behrimed,
wine werigmod,    wætre beflowen

50

on dreorsele.    Dreogeð se min wine
micle modceare;    he gemon to oft
wynlicran wic.    Wa bið þam þe sceal
of langoþe    leofes abidan.