The Wife’s Lament

fols. 115r–115v
  • I2c2 þis giedd wrece bi me ful geomorre,
  • minre sylfre sið. Ic þæt secgan mæg,
  • hwæt ic yrmþa gebad, siþþan ic up weox,
  • niwes oþþe ealdes, no ma þonne nu.
  • 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,
  • wineleas wrecca, 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.
  • 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,
  • 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 no wære
  • 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,
  • 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,
  • 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
  • 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,
  • 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
  • on dreorsele. Dreogeð se min wine
  • micle modceare; he gemon to oft
  • wynlicran wic. Wa bið þam þe sceal
  • of langoþe leofes abidan|