Deor lyrics

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,
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.
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
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
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.
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!
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
oferc*men wære.     were overcome.
Þæs ofereode,     That was overcome,
þisses swa mæg.     so may this be.
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
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,
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,
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.