The Wife's Lament

Source: The Exeter Book. Eds. George Philip Krapp and Elliot van Kirk Dobbie. New York: Columbia University Press, 1936. 210 - 211.

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.