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Anglo Saxon English
Hwæt!
Ic swefna cyst secgan wylle, hwæt me gemætte to midre nihte,
syðþan reordberend reste wunedon!
Þuhte me þæt ic gesawe syllicre treow on lyft lædan, leohte
bewunden, beama beorhtost. Eall þæt beacen wæs begoten mid golde.
Gimmas stodon fægere æt foldan sceatum, swylce þær fife wæron uppe on
þam eaxlegespanne.
Beheoldon þær engel dryhtnes ealle, fægere
þurh forðgesceaft. Ne wæs ðær huru fracodes gealga, ac hine þær
beheoldon halige gastas, men ofer moldan, ond eall þeos mære
gesceaft. Syllic wæs se
sigebeam, ond ic synnum fah, forwunded mid wommum. Geseah ic
wuldres treow, wædum geweorðode, wynnum scinan, gegyred mid golde;
gimmas hæfdon bewrigene weorðlice wealdendes treow.
Hwæðre ic þurh þæt gold ongytan
meahte earmra ærgewin, þæt hit ærest ongan swætan on þa swiðran
healfe. Eall ic wæs mid sorgum gedrefed, forht ic wæs for þære fægran
gesyhðe. Geseah ic þæt fuse beacen wendan wædum ond bleom; hwilum
hit wæs mid wætan bestemed, beswyled mid swates gange, hwilum mid since
gegyrwed.
Hwæðre ic þær licgende lange hwile
beheold hreowcearig hælendes treow, oððæt ic gehyrde þæt hit
hleoðrode. Ongan þa word sprecan wudu
selesta: "Þæt wæs geara iu, (ic þæt gyta geman), þæt
ic wæs aheawen holtes on ende, astyred of stefne minum. Genaman me
ðær strange feondas, geworhton him þær to wæfersyne, heton me heora
wergas hebban. Bæron me ðær beornas on
eaxlum, oððæt hie me on beorg asetton, gefæstnodon me þær feondas
genoge.
Geseah ic þa frean mancynnes efstan
elne mycle þæt he me wolde on gestigan.
Þær ic þa ne dorste ofer dryhtnes word bugan oððe
berstan, þa ic bifian geseah eorðan sceatas. Ealle ic mihte
feondas gefyllan, hwæðre ic fæste stod.
Ongyrede hine þa geong hæleð, (þæt wæs god ælmihtig), strang ond
stiðmod. Gestah he on gealgan heanne, modig on manigra gesyhðe, þa
he wolde mancyn lysan. Bifode ic þa me
se beorn ymbclypte. Ne dorste ic hwæðre bugan to eorðan, feallan to
foldan sceatum, ac ic sceolde fæste standan. Rod wæs ic aræred. Ahof ic ricne
cyning, heofona hlaford, hyldan me ne dorste.
Þurhdrifan hi me mid deorcan
næglum. On me syndon þa dolg gesiene, opene inwidhlemmas. Ne dorste
ic hira nænigum sceððan. Bysmeredon
hie unc butu ætgædere. Eall ic wæs mid blode bestemed, begoten of þæs
guman sidan, siððan he hæfde his gast onsended. Feala ic on þam beorge gebiden hæbbe
wraðra wyrda. Geseah ic weruda god þearle þenian. Þystro hæfdon
bewrigen mid wolcnum wealdendes hræw, scirne sciman, sceadu
forðeode, wann under wolcnum. Weop eal gesceaft, cwiðdon cyninges
fyll. Crist wæs on rode.
Hwæðere þær fuse feorran cwoman
to þam æðelinge. Ic þæt eall beheold.
Sare ic wæs mid sorgum gedrefed, hnag ic hwæðre þam secgum to
handa eaðmod, elne mycle. Genamon hie þær ælmihtigne god, ahofon hine
of ðam hefian wite. Forleton me þa hilderincas standan steame
bedrifenne; eall ic wæs mid strælum forwundod. Aledon hie ðær limwerigne, gestodon
him æt his lices heafdum, beheoldon hie ðær heofenes dryhten, ond he hine ðær
hwile reste, meðe æfter ðam miclan gewinne.
Ongunnon him þa moldern wyrcan
beornas on banan gesyhðe; curfon hie ðæt of beorhtan stane, gesetton hie
ðæron sigora wealdend. Ongunnon him þa sorhleoð galan earme on þa
æfentide, þa hie woldon eft siðian, meðe fram þam mæran þeodne, reste he
ðær mæte weorode. Hwæðere we ðær
greotende gode hwile stodon on staðole, syððan stefn up gewat
hilderinca. Hræw colode, fæger feorgbold.
Þa us man fyllan ongan ealle to
eorðan. Þæt wæs egeslic wyrd!
Bedealf us man on deopan seaþe. Hwæðre me þær dryhtnes þegnas,
freondas gefrunon, ond gyredon me golde ond seolfre. Nu ðu miht
gehyran, hæleð min se leofa, þæt ic bealuwara weorc gebiden hæbbe,
sarra sorga. Is nu sæl cumen þæt me weorðiað wide ond side menn
ofer moldan, ond eall þeos mære gesceaft, gebiddaþ him to þyssum
beacne.
On me bearn godes þrowode
hwile. Forþan ic þrymfæst nu hlifige under heofenum, ond ic hælan mæg
æghwylcne anra, þara þe him bið egesa to me. Iu ic wæs geworden wita heardost,
leodum laðost, ærþan ic him lifes weg rihtne
gerymde, reordberendum. Hwæt, me
þa geweorðode wuldres ealdor ofer holmwudu, heofonrices weard! Swylce swa he his modor eac, Marian
sylfe, ælmihtig god for ealle menn geweorðode ofer eall wifa
cynn. Nu ic þe
hate, hæleð min se leofa, þæt ðu þas gesyhðe secge mannum, onwreoh
wordum þæt hit is wuldres beam, se ðe ælmihtig god on þrowode for
mancynnes manegum synnum ond Adomes ealdgewyrhtum. Deað he þær byrigde, hwæðere eft
dryhten aras mid his miclan mihte mannum to helpe. He ða on heofenas astag. Hider eft
fundaþ on þysne middangeard mancynn secan on domdæge dryhten sylfa,
ælmihtig god, ond his englas id, þæt he þonne wile deman, se ah
domes geweald, anra gehwylcum swa he him ærur her on þyssum
lænum life geearnaþ.
Ne mæg þær ænig unforht wesan
for þam worde þe se wealdend cwyð.
Frineð he for þære mænige hwær se man sie, se ðe for dryhtnes
naman deaðes wolde biteres onbyrigan, swa he ær on am beame
dyde. Ac hie þonne forhtiað, ond
fea þencaþ hwæt hie to Criste cweðan onginnen. Ne þearf ðær þonne ænig anforht wesan
þe him ær in breostum bereð beacna selest, ac ðurh ða rode
sceal rice gesecan of eorðwege æghwylc sawl, seo þe mid
wealdende wunian þenceð."
Gebæd ic me þa to þan
beame bliðe mode, elne mycle, þær ic ana wæs mæte werede. Wæs
modsefa afysed on forðwege, feala ealra gebad langunghwila. Is me
nu lifes hyht þæt ic þone sigebeam secan mote ana oftor þonne ealle
men, well weorþian. Me is willa to ðam mycel on mode, ond min
mundbyrd is geriht to þære rode.
Nah ic ricra feala freonda on
foldan, ac hie forð heonon gewiton of worulde dreamum, sohton him
wuldres cyning, lifiaþ nu on heofenum mid heahfædere, wuniaþ on wuldre,
ond ic wene me daga gehwylce hwænne me dryhtnes rod, þe ic her on
eorðan ær sceawode, on þysson lænan life gefetige ond me þonne
gebringe þær is blis mycel, dream on heofonum, þær is dryhtnes folc
geseted to symble, þær is singal blis, ond me þonne asette þær ic
syþþan mot wunian on wuldre, well mid þam halgum dreames rucan.
Si me dryhten freond, se ðe her on
eorþan ær þrowode on þam gealgtreowe for guman synnum. He us onlysde ond us lif forgeaf,
heofonlicne ham. Hiht wæs geniwad mid bledum ond mid blisse þam þe
þær bryne þolodan. Se sunu wæs
sigorfæst on þam siðfate, mihtig ond spedig, þa he mid manigeo com,
gasta weorode, on godes rice, anwealda ælmihtig, englum to blisse
ond eallum ðam halgum þam þe on heofonum ær wunedon on wuldre, þa heora wealdend
cwom, ælmihtig god, þær his eðel wæs.
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Modern
English
Listen, I will recount the best of
dreams, which came to me in the middle of the night, after speech-bearers
turned to rest. It seemed to me that I
saw a most wondrous tree, the brightest of rood-trees, raised aloft,
encircled by light. That beacon was completely covered with gold;
studded with beautiful jewels at its base and with five upon the
shoulder-beam.
All those made pure through eternal
decree, looked upon the Lord’s angel there.
Nor was it a criminal's cross; but holy spirits, men over the earth,
and all this famous creation gazed upon it.
Wondrous was the tree of victory, whilst I was stained with sin, badly
wounded with iniquity. I saw the tree
of glory, richly clothed, shining joyfully, adorned with gold. Jewels covered splendidly the Lord's
tree.
But still through that gold I could
sense the ancient hostility of the wretched ones, as it had immediately begun
to bleed on the right side. I was engulfed in sorrow; fearful because
of that beautiful vision. I saw that shining beacon change covering and
colour; sometimes it was drenched with blood, soaked with blood's flow,
sometimes adorned with treasure.
I lay there a long time gazing at the
Healer’s troubled tree, until I heard it call out. The best wood then began to speak words:
"That was years gone by, I still remember, that I was hewn down at the
forest's edge, cut out of my tree trunk. Strong foes took me there and
made me into a display for themselves, ordered me to hoist up their
criminals. Warriors carried me on
shoulders, until they set me up on a hill; many foes fastened me there.
Then I saw mankind's Lord hasten with
great zeal; he wished to climb on me.
I dared not contradict the Lord’s will when I saw the earth’s surface
trembling. I could have slayed all
the foes, but I stood firm. The young
Healer stripped himself (that was God Almighty) strong and resolute. He stepped up onto the high gallows, brave
in the sight of many, where he would set mankind free. I shook when the warrior embraced me. I didn’t dare to bow down to the earth,
fall to the ground. I was raised as a
cross! I raised the King aloft, the
Lord of heavens, I dared not bend.
Then they pierced me with dark
nails. The wounds were visible on me,
open vicious wounds. But I didn’t dare
harm any of them. They mocked the two
of us together. I was drenched all
over with blood, flowing from the man’s side, after he had released his
spirit. Many cruel fates I endured on
that hill. I saw the God of hosts
severely stretched out. A shadowy
darkness covered the Lord’s corpse with clouds, its shining radiance; a
darkness crept over it, black under the sky.
All creation wept, lamented the fall of the king. Christ on the cross.
And then, from afar came the eager
ones to the Prince. I beheld it
all. I was filled with deep sorrow,
yet I bent down to the hands of those men, humbly and with great zeal. Then they took the Almighty God and lifted
him from that terrible torment. Those
warriors then left me, standing, sprinkled with moisture, punctured all over
with tiny arrows. They lay the
exhausted Lord down there and stood by his body’s head, watching over the
heaven’s Ruler. And he rested there a
while, weary after that great battle.
And then, before me his slayer, those
brave warriors began to build an earth mound, carved out of the brightest of
stone, and placed into it the Lord of Victories. When they had done this, they began to sing
a dirge, mournful in the evening hour.
They then wearily took their leave of the glorious Prince, he rested
alone. But we, standing there fixed,
wept a good while until the voices of the warriors had faded away. The corpse cooled, fair dwelling of the
soul.
And then a man felled us all to the
ground. That was a dreadful fate! One of them buried us in a deep pit. However, the Lord’s thegns, friends, sought
me out and adorned me with gold and silver.
Now you might have heard, my beloved hero, of that which I have
suffered at the hands of evil doers,
painful and grievous this was.
But now is the time that I should be revered throughout the world and
all men from far and wide should pray to this beacon.
On me did God’s son suffer for a time. For this, I now tower in glory under the
heavens and can heal all those who hold me in awe. In olden days I was made the harshest of
punishments, hateful to people, before I showed them, the speech bearers, the
true path to life. Behold, the Lord of
Glory, heaven’s guardian, honoured me over the forest trees, just as he,
Almighty God, also honoured his mother, Mary herself, for all men, over all
womankind. Now I call on you my
beloved warriors that you speak of this vision to all mankind, reveal with
words that it is the tree of glory on which Almighty God suffered for
mankind’s many sins and Adam’s deeds of old.
Death he tasted there, but the Lord rose again with his mighty power
to help all mankind. Then he ascended
into heaven. And he will come again to
this middle earth to seek out mankind on judgement day, the Lord himself,
Almighty God, and his Angels with him, that he will then judge, he who wields
the right to judge, everyone according to what they have earned during this
transitory life.
Nor should anyone be unafraid of the
words the ruler will speak. He will
ask before the multitudes where is the person willing to taste bitter death
for the sake of the Lord’s name, as he did beforehand on that tree. But they will be afraid and not know what
to say to Christ. But there will be no
need to be afraid for any of those who bear before them in their hearts the
best of signs. But through the cross
shall every soul who desires to dwell in the Lord come to the kingdom from
the earthly path.
I prayed to the cross with a joyful
heart, with great zeal, there where I was alone with little company. My spirit was inspired with longing to seek
the path to the next world, that for which it has yearned for so long. It is now my life’s joy that I might seek
the victory tree alone more often than others to honour it well. This desire is strong in my soul and my
hope of protection is directed to that cross.
I don’t have many powerful friends on this earth, for they
have passed on from the joys of this world, sought for themselves the king of
glory and are living now in heaven with the High Father, dwelling in
glory. And I myself long for that day
when the Lord’s cross, which I beheld here on earth, will take me from this
transitory life and bring me to where there is great bliss, joy in heaven,
where the Lord’s people are seated at the feast, where there is perpetual
bliss, and then place me where I can for evermore dwell in glory with the
holy ones in bliss.
May the Lord be a friend to me, he
who suffered that time on the gallows-tree here on earth for the sins of
men. He liberated us and gave us life,
a heavenly home. Hope was restored
with glory and with joy those who had suffered burning there. The Son was victorious in that journey,
mighty and swift, when he came with the hoards, the company of souls, into
God’s kingdom, the Almighty Ruler, to the joy of Angels and all the holy ones
who dwelt in heaven before, who dwelt in glory, when their Ruler came,
Almighty God, there his homeland was.
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