1A3.23

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2

THE WIFE'S LAMENT

    
3Ic þis giedd wrece bi me ful geomorre, minre sylfre sið.
4Ic þæt secgan mæg, hwæt ic yrmþa gebad, siþþan ic up
5weox, niwes oþþe ealdes, no ma þonne nu.
6A ic wite wonn minra wræcsiþa.
7ærest min hlaford gewat heonan of leodum ofer yþa gelac;
8hæfde ic uhtceare hwær min leodfruma londes wære.
9ða ic me feran gewat folgað secan, wineleas wræcca , for
10minre weaþearfe.
11Ongunnon þæt þæs monnes magas hycgan þurh dyrne geþoht,
12þæt hy todælden unc, þæt wit gewidost in woruldrice
13lifdon laðlicost, ond mec longade.
14Het mec hlaford min herheard niman, ahte ic leofra lyt on
15þissum londstede, holdra freonda.
16Forþon is min hyge geomor, ða ic me ful gemæcne monnan
17funde, heardsæligne, hygegeomorne, mod miþendne,
18morþor hycgendne .
19Bliþe gebæro ful oft wit beotedan þæt unc ne gedælde
20nemne deað ana

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21owiht elles: eft is þæt onhworfen,
22is nu swa hit no wære freondscipe uncer.
23Sceal ic feor ge neah mines felaleofan fæhðu dreogan.
24Heht mec mon wunian on wuda bearwe, under actreo in þam
25eorðscræfe.
26Eald is þes eorðsele, eal ic eom oflongad, sindon dena
27dimme, duna uphea, bitre burgtunas, brerum beweaxne,
28wic wynna leas.
29Ful oft mec her wraþe begeat fromsiþ frean.
30Frynd sind on eorþan, leofe lifgende, leger weardiað, þonne
31ic on uhtan ana gonge under actreo geond þas eorðscrafu.
32þær ic sittan mot sumorlangne dæg, þær ic wepan mæg
33mine wræcsiþas, earfoþa fela; forþon ic æfre ne mæg
34þære modceare minre gerestan, ne ealles þæs
35longaþes þe mec on þissum life begeat.
36A scyle geong mon wesan geomormod, heard heortan geþoht,
37swylce habban sceal bliþe gebæro, eac þon
38breostceare, sinsorgna gedreag, sy æt him sylfum gelong eal
39his worulde wyn, sy ful wide fah feorres folclondes,
40þæt min freond siteð under stanhliþe storme
41behrimed, wine werigmod, wætre beflowen on dreorsele.
42Dreogeð se min wine micle modceare; he gemon to oft wynlicran
43wic.
44Wa bið þam þe sceal of langoþe leofes abidan.