Showing posts with label Old English. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Old English. Show all posts

Saturday, September 29, 2012

More Beowulf!


I think I bit off a bit more than I should have today... nevertheless, here's more Beowulf, in case anyone's interested. If you guys like it, I'll keep posting as I translate. I'd like to have the whole poem translated within a year.


To Scyld Scefing a son was granted,
an heir to his house, 
sent by God as a comfort to the people, 
for they had suffered long
with no Lord to love or lead them.

The Life-Lord, Wielder of Glory,
gave honor and renown to that boy.
Beow was his name,
father to the father to the father of Beowulf
of whom our story is told.

Scyld's heir was known and loved
far and wide, and why?
Young men could learn from him.

The young hero gave splendid gifts
to his dear companions
so that when war came
they would stand by his side
to defend the people.

So!
In lands everywhere,
by lofty deeds
will a man prosper.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

The Opening Poem of Beowulf

Hey guys, a special treat for you today! This is my own (loose) translation of the opening poem of Beowulf. I've always kinda wanted to study some Old English; now it's actually going to come in handy for one of the projects I'm working on!

If you guys like it/are interested, I might keep posting little tidbits relating to Old English now and again. Here it is...



What? Listen!
Hear of Spear-Danes in days of yore
hear of Kings of Men
and learn of glory.

Hear of Scyld Scefing
called the Shield King
How he showed courage,
How he scattered threats
How he took the mead-halls of his enemies...

And made other kings fear him.

He started out with nothing
Found destitute as a babe.
He would not stay that way.

He grew, under the great sky,
in power, in honor, in prosperity,
until all other kings
that dwelt upon the whale road
had to give him tribute.

That was a good king!