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Anglo
Saxon English
Hwæt! Ic swefna cyst secgan wylle, hwæt me gemætte to midre nihte, syðþan reordberend reste
wunedon! Þuhte me þæt ic gesawe syllicre
treow on lyft lædan, leohte
bewunden, beama beorhtost. Eall þæt beacen wæs
begoten mid golde. Gimmas stodon fægere æt foldan
sceatum, swylce þær fife wæron uppe on þam eaxlegespanne.
Beheoldon þær engel
dryhtnes ealle, fægere þurh forðgesceaft.
Ne wæs ðær huru fracodes gealga, ac hine þær beheoldon halige gastas, men ofer moldan, ond eall þeos
mære gesceaft. Syllic wæs se sigebeam, ond ic synnum
fah, forwunded mid wommum. Geseah ic wuldres treow,
wædum geweorðode, wynnum scinan, gegyred mid golde; gimmas hæfdon bewrigene weorðlice wealdendes treow.
Hwæðre ic þurh þæt
gold ongytan meahte earmra ærgewin, þæt hit ærest ongan swætan on þa swiðran healfe.
Eall ic wæs mid sorgum gedrefed, forht ic wæs for þære
fægran gesyhðe. Geseah ic þæt
fuse beacen wendan wædum ond bleom; hwilum hit wæs mid wætan bestemed, beswyled mid swates gange, hwilum mid since gegyrwed.
Hwæðre ic þær licgende
lange hwile beheold hreowcearig hælendes treow, oððæt ic gehyrde þæt hit hleoðrode. Ongan þa word sprecan wudu selesta: "Þæt wæs geara
iu, (ic þæt gyta geman),
þæt ic wæs aheawen holtes on ende, astyred of stefne minum. Genaman me ðær strange feondas, geworhton him þær to wæfersyne, heton me heora wergas hebban. Bæron me ðær beornas on eaxlum, oððæt hie me on beorg asetton, gefæstnodon me þær feondas genoge.
Geseah ic þa frean
mancynnes efstan elne mycle þæt
he me wolde on gestigan. Þær ic þa ne dorste ofer dryhtnes word bugan oððe berstan, þa ic bifian
geseah eorðan sceatas. Ealle ic mihte feondas
gefyllan, hwæðre ic fæste stod. Ongyrede hine þa geong
hæleð, (þæt wæs god ælmihtig), strang ond stiðmod.
Gestah he on gealgan heanne, modig on manigra gesyhðe, þa he wolde mancyn
lysan. Bifode ic þa
me se beorn ymbclypte.
Ne dorste ic hwæðre bugan to eorðan, feallan to foldan sceatum, ac ic sceolde
fæste standan. Rod wæs ic aræred. Ahof ic ricne
cyning, heofona hlaford, hyldan me ne dorste.
Þurhdrifan hi me mid deorcan næglum. On me syndon þa dolg gesiene,
opene inwidhlemmas.
Ne dorste ic hira nænigum sceððan. Bysmeredon hie unc butu ætgædere.
Eall ic wæs mid blode bestemed, begoten of þæs guman sidan, siððan he hæfde his gast onsended. Feala ic on þam beorge gebiden hæbbe wraðra wyrda. Geseah ic weruda
god þearle þenian. Þystro hæfdon bewrigen mid wolcnum wealdendes hræw, scirne sciman, sceadu forðeode, wann under wolcnum. Weop eal gesceaft,
cwiðdon cyninges fyll. Crist wæs on rode.
Hwæðere þær fuse feorran
cwoman to þam æðelinge. Ic þæt eall beheold. Sare ic wæs mid sorgum
gedrefed, hnag ic hwæðre þam secgum
to handa eaðmod, elne mycle. Genamon hie þær
ælmihtigne god, ahofon hine of ðam hefian
wite. Forleton me þa hilderincas standan steame bedrifenne; eall ic wæs mid strælum
forwundod. Aledon hie ðær
limwerigne, gestodon him æt his lices heafdum, beheoldon hie ðær heofenes dryhten, ond he hine ðær hwile
reste, meðe æfter ðam miclan
gewinne.
Ongunnon him þa moldern wyrcan
beornas on banan gesyhðe; curfon hie ðæt of beorhtan
stane, gesetton hie ðæron sigora
wealdend. Ongunnon
him þa sorhleoð galan earme on þa æfentide, þa hie woldon
eft siðian, meðe fram þam
mæran þeodne, reste he ðær mæte weorode. Hwæðere we ðær greotende gode hwile stodon
on staðole, syððan stefn up gewat hilderinca. Hræw colode, fæger feorgbold.
Þa us
man fyllan ongan ealle to eorðan. Þæt wæs egeslic
wyrd! Bedealf us man on deopan seaþe. Hwæðre me þær dryhtnes þegnas, freondas gefrunon, ond gyredon me golde ond seolfre. Nu ðu
miht gehyran, hæleð min se leofa, þæt ic bealuwara
weorc gebiden hæbbe, sarra sorga. Is nu sæl cumen þæt me weorðiað wide ond side menn ofer moldan, ond eall þeos
mære gesceaft, gebiddaþ him to þyssum beacne.
On me
bearn godes þrowode hwile. Forþan ic þrymfæst
nu hlifige under heofenum, ond ic hælan
mæg æghwylcne anra, þara þe him bið egesa
to me. Iu ic wæs geworden wita heardost,
leodum laðost, ærþan ic him lifes weg rihtne
gerymde, reordberendum. Hwæt, me þa geweorðode wuldres ealdor ofer holmwudu, heofonrices weard! Swylce swa he his modor eac, Marian sylfe, ælmihtig god for ealle menn geweorðode ofer eall wifa
cynn. Nu ic þe
hate, hæleð min se leofa,
þæt ðu þas gesyhðe secge mannum, onwreoh wordum þæt hit is wuldres beam, se ðe ælmihtig god on þrowode for mancynnes manegum synnum ond Adomes ealdgewyrhtum. Deað he þær byrigde, hwæðere eft dryhten
aras mid his miclan mihte mannum to helpe. He ða on heofenas astag. Hider eft fundaþ on þysne middangeard mancynn secan on domdæge dryhten sylfa, ælmihtig god, ond his englas id, þæt he þonne wile deman, se ah
domes geweald, anra gehwylcum swa he him ærur her on þyssum lænum life geearnaþ.
Ne mæg þær ænig unforht wesan for þam worde þe se wealdend cwyð. Frineð he for þære mænige hwær se man sie, se ðe for dryhtnes naman deaðes wolde biteres onbyrigan, swa he ær on am beame dyde. Ac hie þonne forhtiað, ond fea þencaþ
hwæt hie to Criste cweðan onginnen. Ne þearf ðær þonne
ænig anforht wesan þe him ær in breostum bereð beacna selest, ac ðurh ða rode sceal rice gesecan of eorðwege æghwylc sawl, seo þe mid wealdende wunian þenceð."
Gebæd ic me þa to þan beame
bliðe mode, elne mycle, þær ic ana wæs
mæte werede. Wæs modsefa afysed
on forðwege, feala ealra gebad langunghwila.
Is me nu lifes hyht þæt ic
þone sigebeam secan mote ana oftor þonne ealle men, well weorþian.
Me is willa to ðam mycel on mode, ond min mundbyrd is geriht to þære rode.
Nah ic ricra feala
freonda on foldan, ac
hie forð heonon gewiton of worulde dreamum, sohton him wuldres cyning, lifiaþ nu on heofenum mid heahfædere, wuniaþ on wuldre, ond ic wene
me daga gehwylce hwænne me dryhtnes rod, þe ic her on eorðan ær sceawode, on þysson lænan life gefetige ond me þonne gebringe þær is blis mycel, dream on heofonum, þær is dryhtnes folc geseted to symble, þær is singal blis, ond me þonne asette þær ic syþþan
mot wunian on wuldre, well
mid þam halgum dreames rucan.
Si me
dryhten freond, se ðe her
on eorþan ær þrowode on þam gealgtreowe for guman synnum. He us onlysde ond us lif forgeaf,
heofonlicne ham. Hiht
wæs geniwad mid bledum ond mid blisse þam þe þær bryne
þolodan. Se sunu wæs sigorfæst on
þam siðfate, mihtig ond spedig, þa he mid manigeo com, gasta weorode, on godes rice, anwealda ælmihtig, englum to blisse ond eallum
ðam halgum þam þe on heofonum
ær wunedon on wuldre, þa heora
wealdend cwom, ælmihtig god, þær his eðel wæs.
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Modern English
Listen,
I will recount the best of dreams, which came to me in the middle of the
night, after speech-bearers turned to rest.
It seemed to me that I saw a most wondrous tree, the brightest of
rood-trees, raised aloft, encircled by light.
That beacon was completely covered with gold; studded with beautiful jewels
at its base and with five upon the shoulder-beam.
All
those made pure through eternal decree, looked upon the Lord’s angel
there. Nor was it a criminal's cross;
but holy spirits, men over the earth, and all this famous creation gazed upon
it. Wondrous was the tree of victory,
whilst I was stained with sin, badly wounded with iniquity. I saw the tree of glory, richly clothed,
shining joyfully, adorned with gold.
Jewels covered splendidly the Lord's tree.
But
still through that gold I could sense the ancient hostility of the wretched
ones, as it had immediately begun to bleed on the right side. I was
engulfed in sorrow; fearful because of that beautiful vision. I saw
that shining beacon change covering and colour; sometimes it was drenched
with blood, soaked with blood's flow, sometimes adorned with treasure.
I lay
there a long time gazing at the Healer’s troubled tree, until I heard it call
out. The best wood then began to speak
words: "That was years gone by, I still remember, that I was hewn down
at the forest's edge, cut out of my tree trunk. Strong foes took me
there and made me into a display for themselves, ordered me to hoist up their
criminals. Warriors carried me on
shoulders, until they set me up on a hill; many foes fastened me there.
Then
I saw mankind's Lord hasten with great zeal; he wished to climb on me. I dared not contradict the Lord’s will when
I saw the earth’s surface trembling.
I could have slayed all the foes, but I stood firm. The young Healer stripped himself (that was
God Almighty) strong and resolute. He
stepped up onto the high gallows, brave in the sight of many, where he would
set mankind free. I shook when the
warrior embraced me. I didn’t dare to
bow down to the earth, fall to the ground.
I was raised as a cross! I
raised the King aloft, the Lord of heavens, I dared not bend.
Then
they pierced me with dark nails. The
wounds were visible on me, open vicious wounds. But I didn’t dare harm any of them. They mocked the two of us together. I was drenched all over with blood, flowing
from the man’s side, after he had released his spirit. Many cruel fates I endured on that hill. I saw the God of hosts severely stretched
out. A shadowy darkness covered the
Lord’s corpse with clouds, its shining radiance; a darkness
crept over it, black under the sky.
All creation wept, lamented the fall of the king. Christ on the cross.
And
then, from afar came the eager ones to the Prince. I beheld it all. I was filled with deep sorrow, yet I bent
down to the hands of those men, humbly and with great zeal. Then they took the Almighty God and lifted
him from that terrible torment. Those
warriors then left me, standing, sprinkled with moisture, punctured all over
with tiny arrows. They lay the
exhausted Lord down there and stood by his body’s head, watching over the
heaven’s Ruler. And he rested there a
while, weary after that great battle.
And
then, before me his slayer, those brave warriors began to build an earth
mound, carved out of the brightest of stone, and placed into it the Lord of
Victories. When they had done this,
they began to sing a dirge, mournful in the evening hour. They then wearily took their leave of the
glorious Prince, he rested alone. But
we, standing there fixed, wept a good while until the voices of the warriors
had faded away. The corpse cooled,
fair dwelling of the soul.
And
then a man felled us all to the ground.
That was a dreadful fate! One
of them buried us in a deep pit.
However, the Lord’s thegns, friends, sought
me out and adorned me with gold and silver.
Now you might have heard, my beloved hero, of that which I have
suffered at the hands of evil doers, painful and grievous this was. But now is the time that I should be revered
throughout the world and all men from far and wide should
pray to this beacon.
On me did God’s son suffer for a time. For this, I
now tower in glory under the heavens and can heal all those who hold me in
awe. In olden days I was made the harshest
of punishments, hateful to people, before I showed them, the speech bearers,
the true path to life. Behold, the
Lord of Glory, heaven’s guardian, honoured me over the forest trees, just as
he, Almighty God, also honoured his mother, Mary
herself, for all men, over all womankind.
Now I call on you my beloved warriors that you speak of this vision to
all mankind, reveal with words that it is the tree of glory on which Almighty
God suffered for mankind’s many sins and Adam’s deeds of old. Death he tasted there, but the Lord rose
again with his mighty power to help all mankind. Then he ascended into heaven. And he will come again to this middle earth
to seek out mankind on judgement day, the Lord himself, Almighty God, and his
Angels with him, that he will then judge, he who wields the right to judge,
everyone according to what they have earned during this transitory life.
Nor
should anyone be unafraid of the words the ruler will speak. He will ask before the multitudes where is
the person willing to taste bitter death for the sake of the Lord’s name, as
he did beforehand on that tree. But
they will be afraid and not know what to say to Christ. But there will be no need to be afraid for
any of those who bear before them in their hearts the best of signs. But through the cross shall every soul who
desires to dwell in the Lord come to the kingdom from the earthly path.
I
prayed to the cross with a joyful heart, with great zeal, there where I was
alone with little company. My spirit
was inspired with longing to seek the path to the next world, that for which
it has yearned for so long. It is now
my life’s joy that I might seek the victory tree alone more often than others
to honour it well. This desire is
strong in my soul and my hope of protection is directed to that cross.
I don’t have many powerful friends on
this earth, for they have passed on from the joys of this world, sought for
themselves the king of glory and are living now in heaven with the High
Father, dwelling in glory. And I
myself long for that day when the Lord’s cross, which I beheld here on earth,
will take me from this transitory life and bring me to where there is great
bliss, joy in heaven, where the Lord’s people are seated at the feast, where
there is perpetual bliss, and then place me where I can for evermore dwell in
glory with the holy ones in bliss.
May
the Lord be a friend to me, he who suffered that time on the gallows-tree
here on earth for the sins of men. He liberated us and gave us life, a
heavenly home. Hope
was restored with glory and with joy those who had suffered burning
there. The Son was victorious in that
journey, mighty and swift, when he came with the hoards,
the company of souls, into God’s kingdom, the Almighty Ruler, to the joy of
Angels and all the holy ones who dwelt in heaven before, who dwelt in glory,
when their Ruler came, Almighty God, there his homeland was.
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