WRITINGS

Englisc

Leodum is minum  swylce him mon lac gife;
willað hy hine aþecgan,  gif he on þreat cymeð.
Ungelic is us.

Wulf is on iege,  ic on oþerre.
Fæst is þæt eglond,  fenne biworpen.
Sindon wælreowe  weras þær on ige;
willað hy hine aþecgan,  gif he on þreat cymeð.
Ungelice is us.

Wulfes ic mines widlastum  wenum dogode;
þonne hit wæs renig weder  ond ic reotugu sæt,
þonne mec se beaducafa  bogum bilegde,
wæs me wyn to þon,  wæs me hwæþre eac lað.

Wulf, min Wulf,  wena me þine
seoce gedydon,  þine seldcymas,
murnende mod,  nales meteliste.
Gehyrest þu, Eadwacer?  Uncerne earne hwelp
bireð Wulf to wuda.
þæt mon eaþe tosliteð  þætte næfre gesomnad wæs,
uncer giedd geador.
 

English

These kinfolk of mine find him a fair gift;
They will have him for a meal if he comes among men,
Unlike as we are.

Wulf on one island, I another.
Fast is that island, wrapped round by fens.
There are bloodthirsty boys in this land;
They will have him for a meal if he comes among men,
Unlike as we are.

Wulf dogged my wondering thoughts with wide-wanderings;
When it was rainy weather and I sat wracked by wailing,
Then a slaughter-strong one shut me up in his arms,
Which was a thrill to me then, however it hurt.

Wulf, my wolf, my thoughts of you
Have stricken me sick, your seldom-comings
Make for mournful moods, not the meals I miss.

You listening, wealth-watcher?
A wolf lugs our likely whelp to the woods.
Easy to tear apart what was never together,
The tale of us all.