Ik this giedd wreche bi me ful geomorre,
Medieval Unknown old_englishThe Wife's Lament
Verse Indeterminate Saxon
Ic þis giedd wrece bi me ful geomorre, minre sylfre sið. Ic þæt secgan mæg, hwæt ic yrmþa gebad, siþþan ic up weox, 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 wrecca, 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 no 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.