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
These were made
thæs Almihties fæder. 560 by the Almighty Father;
of thissen andweorke. of this substance
alle thing he iwrouhte. all things he wrought;
and th_us_ hit is iwriten. and thus it is written
on holie wisdome. in holy wisdom,
_Fiat et facta sunt omnia._ 565 _Fiat et facta sunt omnia._
He seide iwu_rthe_. He said, let be,
_and_ alle thing iworthen. and all things were;
thus mid one worde. thus with one word
al hit was iwurthen. was all created;
he iscop th_onne_ thene sune. 570 he made then the sun,
alle isceafte wisliche. all truly created
thurh wisdome. by his wisdom,
and efre he hit wiseth. and he guides it ever,
_Imaginem et similitudinem._ _Imaginem et similitudinem._
and ic deorewurthe. 575 And I, in the dear
drihtenes onlicn_esse_. Lord's likeness.
* * * * * * * * * *
* * * * of God. * * * of God,
and ic the imæne. and me between,
mid lothre lufe. 580 with pure love,
and ic thin wale iwearth. and I thy bliss decreed;
hu so _thu nol_dest. how so thou wouldst not;
weila thine fule iwill. alas! thy foul will
wo haveth hit me idon. hath wrought my woe.
Thu fule mathe _mæ_te. 585 Thou foul food for worms,
hwi hauest thu me biswiken. why hast thou deceived me?
For thine fule sunne. For thy wicked sin
ic scal nu _in helle_. I shall now in hell
dreiȝen ther wrecche sith. suffer there a wretched time,
all for thine fule lif. 590 all for thy wicked life;
ȝet ic wulle the ætwi_nne_. yet I will flee thee
_and thine_ wea sithes. and thy dreary fate.
Nu ic scal soriliche. Now I shall sorrowfully
sithien from the. depart from thee;
nu beoth thine teth atru. 595 thy teeth are now poisonous;
_thin_ tunge is ascorted. thy tongue is shortened,
theo the facen was. which was so deceitful
and then feonde icweme. and pleasing to the fiend.
Mid wowe _dreames_. With unjust judgments,
and mid gultes feole. 600 and with many trespasses,
_thu_ othre birefedest. thou bereaved others
rihtes istreones. of their rightful wealth,
gæderest to * * * ime. gatheredest * * *
ac hit is nu all igon. but it is now all gone
thurh thæs deofles lore. 605 through the devil's lore,
the the licode wel. that thou liked so well.
Nu lith thin _bodige_ stille.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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