The Departing Soul's Address to the Body: A Fragment of a Semi-Saxon Poem: Discovered Among the Archives of Worcester Cathedral
Religion
The Departing Soul's Address to the Body: A Fragment of a Semi-Saxon Poem: Discovered Among the Archives of Worcester Cathedral
Poetry
for drihten hit wot. 465 for the Lord knoweth them;
_thon_ne heo onfoth hore dom. then they receive their doom
of drihtenes muthe. from the Lord's mouth,
also hit is awriten. as it is written;
of _drih_tenes muthe. from the Lord's mouth:
_Ite maledicti in ignem eternum._ 470 _Ite maledicti in ignem eternum._
thonne sculen wit si_thien_. Then shall we depart
to alre seoruwe mest. into uttermost sorrow,
faren mid feondes. go with fiends
in thet eche fur. in that everlasting fire,
beornen _æ_fre. 475 to burn for ever;
ende nis ther nefre. end is there never.
_Et quia bona egerunt ibunt in vitam _Et quia bona egerunt ibunt in vitam
eternam._ eternam._
thonne _go_n theo goden. Then go the good,
mid Gode sithian. departing with God,
echeliche wunien. 480 to dwell everlastingly
in alre wuldre. in ever-during glory.
* * * * * * * * * *
* * * me suke to the. * * * * *
_Osmeum aperui, et attraxi ipsum._ _Osmeum aperui, et attraxi ipsum._
thu * * * et drowe me to the. thou * * * drew me to thee,
walawa! and wa is me. 486 well away! and woe is me!
that ic efre com to the. that I ever came to thee;
for noldest _thu_ mid thine muthe. for thou wouldst not with thy mouth
bimænen thine neode. bewail thy infirmities;
ac æfre diȝelliche. 490 but ever darkly
thu woldest _ham_ bidernan. thou wouldst hide them;
noldest thu ham siggen. nor wouldst thou confess them;
biforen none preosten. before any priest,
ther _al_le men secheth ham ore. where all men seek pardon,
bimæneth hore misdeden. 495 bewail their misdeeds,
and seoththen milts_unge_ foth. and afterwards obtain mercy;
thurh sothne scrift. through true shrift
sithieth to Criste. depart to Christ;
seggeth hore sunnen. confess their sins
and hor _soules_ helpith. 500 and help their souls,
thurh sothe bireousunge. through true repentance.
theo soule reste onfoth. the soul acquires rest;
ac ne the _scalt_ nefre resten. but thou shalt never rest,
thurh thine bireousunge. through thy repentance.
ac altogædere ic am forlor_en_. 505 Eke I am altogether lost
_thurh_ thine luthere deden. through thy wicked deeds;
noldest thu mid muthe. thou wouldst not with thy mouth
bidden me none milt_sunge_. pray for mercy to me;
nu thu ert adumbed. now thou art bedumbed,
and death haueth the keiȝe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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