THE WANDERER¹

A New Translation

Clifford A. Truesdell, IV

© 2007

Oft him anhaga	Often the lone-dweller	see note^2 on anhaga
are gebideð,	God’s comfort finds,
metudes miltse,	Creator’s kindness;	see note^3
þeah þe he modcearig	though he, heart-troubled,
geond lagulade	through ocean roads
longe sceolde	long rows
hreran mid hondum	with hands	lit: “stirs with his hands”
hrimcealde sæ,	the rime-cold sea,
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wadan wræclastas.	walks exile ways:
Wyrd bið ful aræd!	Fate is full moveless.^4
Swa cwæð eardstapa,	So spoke a wanderer	eard-stapa, "earth walker"
earfeþa gemyndig,	mindful of troubles,
wraþra wælsleahta,	fierce battle slaughter,
winemæga hryre:	killing of kin.
"Oft ic sceolde ana	“Often each day,
uhtna gehwylce	alone, before dawn,	uhtna: see note^5
mine ceare cwiþan.	I speak my sorrows.
Nis nu cwicra nan	For none now lives
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þe ic him modsefan	to whom my spirit
minne durre	I could
sweotule asecgan.	plainly open.
Ic to soþe wat	I too well know
þæt biþ in eorle	that for the well-born^6
indryhten þeaw,	it is noble custom
þæt he his ferðlocan	that he his breast
fæste binde,	bind fast	ferð-loca, “soul’s container,” i.e.
healde his hordcofan	hold heart’s coffer,	breast
hycge swa he wille.	think what he will.
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Ne mæg werig mod	The weary mind Fate
wyrde wiðstondan,	can’t withstand,
ne se hreo hyge	nor troubled spirit
helpe gefremman.	render help.
Forðon domgeorne	So honor-eager	dom, “the opinion of others,”
dreorigne oft	sadness oft	reputation
In hyra breostcofan	in breast	breostcofan, “breast coffer”
bindað fæste;	bind fast;
swa ic modsefan	as I my spirit
minne sceolde,	must,
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oft earmcearig,	(often wretched,
eðle bidæled,	of home bereft,
freomægum feor	far from kin)
feterum sælan,	fasten with fetters --
siþþan geara iu	since long ago
goldwine minne	my gold-giver	gold-wine = “gold-friend” (lord)
hrusan heolstre biwrah,	I covered with earth’s darkness;^8
ond ic hean þonan	and wretched, thence
wod wintercearig	went, winter-worn
ofer waþema gebind,	over waves’ expanse,	waþema gebind, “the weft of the
		waves”
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sohte seledreorig	sought, hall-saddened,	see note^9
sinces bryttan,	a giver of treasure,
hwær ic feor oþþe neah	where far or near
findan meahte	I might find
þone þe in meoduhealle	him who in mead hall
min mine wisse,	would show me affection,	see note^10
oþþe mec freondleasne	or comfort me,
frefran wolde,	friendless,
weman mid wynnum.	treat me with kindness.	or: “comfort with pleasures”
Wat se þe cunnað,	He who knows, can tell forth^10
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hu sliþen bið	how cruel a comrade
sorg to geferan,	is sorrow
þam þe him lyt hafað	to him who lacks	litotically: “little has of beloved
leofra geholena.	beloved companions.	protectors”
Warað hine wræclast,	Exile’s path holds him,
nales wunden gold,	not twisted gold.
ferðloca freorig,	chill spirit,
nalæs foldan blæd.	not world’s wealth.
Gemon he selesecgas	He calls to mind hall-fellows,
ond sincþege,	the giving of treasure:
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hu hine on geoguðe	How in youth
his goldwine	his gold-giver	gold-wine, “gold friend” (lord)
wenede to wiste.	treated him to feasting.
Wyn eal gedreas!	All joy has perished.
Forþon wat se þe sceal	This knows he who must
his winedryhtnes	his loved lord’s
leofes larcwidum	wise sayings
longe forþolian,	long forego:
ðonne sorg ond slæp	When sorrow and sleep
somod ætgædre	At once together
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earmne anhogan	the poor lone man
oft gebindað.	so often bind,
þinceð him on mode	he dreams
þæt he his mondryhten	that his liege lord he
clyppe ond cysse,	hugs and kisses
ond on cneo lecge	and on knee lays
honda ond heafod,	hand and head,
swa he hwilum ær	as in times past he did,
In geardagum	in his past days
giefstolas breac.	by the gift throne.
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Đonne onwæcneð eft	Then wakens again
wineleas guma,	the lordless man.
gesihð him biforan	sees before him
fealwe wegas,	dark waves,	if fealwe wegas [MS] , “dark
baþian brimfuglas,	sea birds swim,	ways”; but if fealwe wægas, which
brædan feþra,	spread their feathers.	makes better sense, “dark waves.”
hreosan hrim ond snaw,	Frost and snow fall,
hagle gemenged.	mixed with hail.