Deor

Welund him be wurman Weland himself, by means of worms (swords?),

wræces cunnade, experienced agony,
anhydig eorl the strong-minded noble
earfoþa dreag, endured troubles;
hæfde him to gesiþþe he had for his companions
sorge and longaþ, sorrow and longing,
4a wintercealde wræce, winter-bitter wrack,
wean oft onfond he often found misery
siþþan hine Niðhad on after Niðhad
nede legde, put fetters on him,
swoncre seonobende supple sinew-bonds
on syllan monn. on the better man.
Þæs ofereode, That was overcome,
þisses swa mæg. so may this be.
8a Beadohilde ne wæs Beadohild was not
hyre broþra deaþ as sad in mind
on sefan swa sar for the death of her brothers
swa hyre sylfre þing, as for her own trouble,
þæt heo gearolice she had
ongietan hæfde clearly realized
þæt heo eacen wæs; that she was pregnant;
æfre ne meahte she could never
12a þriste geþencan think resolutely
hu ymb þæt sceolde. of how that would have to (turn out).
Þæs ofereode, That was overcome,
þisses swa mæg. so may this be.
We þæt Mæðhilde We heard that
mone gefrugnon the moans of Matilda,
wurdon grundlease of the lady of Geat,
Geates frige, were numberless
16a þæt hi seo sorglufu so that (her) sorrowful love
slæp ealle binom. entirely deprived of sleep.
Þæs ofereode, That was overcome,
þisses swa mæg. so may this be.
Ðeodric ahte [#] Theodric ruled
þritig wintra for thirty winters
 Mæringa burg; the city of the Mærings;
þæt wæs monegum cuþ. that was known to many.
20a Þæs ofereode, That was overcome,
þisses swa mæg. so may this be.
We geascodan We heard
Eormanrices Ermanaric's
wylfenne geþoht; wolfish thought;
ahte wide folc he ruled widely the people
Gotena rices; of the kingdom of the Goths -
þæt wæs grim cyning. That was a grim king!
24a Sæt secg monig Many a warrior sat,
sorgum gebunden, bound up by cares,
wean on wenan, woes in mind,
wyscte geneahhe wished constantly
þæt þæs cynerices that the kingdom
ofercumen wære. were overcome.
Þæs ofereode, That was overcome,
þisses swa mæg. so may this be.
28a Siteð sorgcearig, He sits sorrowful and anxious,
sælum bidæled, bereft of joy,
on sefan sweorceð, darkening in his mind,
sylfum þinceð he thinks to himself
þæt sy endeleas that (it) is endless
earfoða dæl, the (his) part of troubles;
mæg þonne geþencan then he can consider
þæt geond þas woruld that throughout this world
32a witig Dryhten the wise Lord
wendeþ geneahhe, always goes,
eorle monegum to many men
are gesceawað, he shows honour,
wislicne blæd, sure glory,
sumum weana dæl. to some a share of troubles.
Þæt ic bi me sylfum I, for myself,
secgan wille, want to say this,
36a þæt ic hwile wæs that for a while I was
Heodeninga scop, the scop (bard) of the Hedenings,
dryhtne dyre; dear to my lord;
 me wæs Deor noma. my name was Deor.
Ahte ic fela wintra I had for many winters
folgað tilne, a good position,
holdne hlaford, a loyal lord,
oþ þæt Heorrenda nu, until Heorrenda now,
40a leoðcræftig monn, a man skilful in songs,
londryht geþah has taken the estate
þæt me eorla hleo that the protector (hleo) of warriors (eorla)
ær gesealde. before (ær) gave to me.
Þæs ofereode, That was overcome,
þisses swa mæg. so may this be.