Old English Poetry

Translations of great Old English Poetry by Kit O'Saoraidhe

Hear me well! I wish to tell of the finest dream

Which found me in the middle of the night,

When speech-bearers dwelt soundly in their sleep.

I saw, it seemed, a beautiful tree

Lifted high into the air, enveloped

In the brightest of bright lights,

Begotten in gold. Stunning gemstones stood

Studded on the surface of the world;

Five radiated high on the cross-beam's middle parts. I beheld God's angel,

With all the earth and all creation; the stained victory-tree,

Sorely wrought in iniquity,

Honourably gazing on the earthly joys of men.

That cross-beam was astounding, blackened with men's sins

And the open sores of shame. I spied that Tree of Glory

Bestowed with ornaments and beaming with great joy,

Trees decked in precious gems

All bountifully encircled in gold.

But through it all I clearly saw

The wretches of strife as it began

To sweat blood from it's right side. I was filled with sorrow

And I was afraid. I saw that herald of doom,

Blooming red-hues; blood mingling with water,

Soiled and drenched as it flowed, sometimes adorned with gem-stones.

I sat there troubled, when all at once

I heard a voice flowing

From the Saviour's cross;

The noble tree spoke these words to me:

'For a long time still, I remember,

My wood was hewn at Holtes-end,

Removed by my foundation. Strange fiends then took me,

Made a show of me; outlaws raised me up,

Men's shoulders bore me on the berg

And devils bound me. Then I saw the Lord

Hasten with courage. He wished to climb upon me.

I dared not refuse the Saviour's word,

Or bend or shake, even when the surface

Of the earth began to shiver. I could have brought down

Every kind of terrible demon, but I stood fast, impervious to pain.

The young man made ready; God Almighty was he,

Strong and resolute in mind, now made lowly, utterly despised.

The redeemer of mankind scaled my heights, bold and brave.

I trembled at his embrace, but I dared not bend

Or fall to the field on that awful day; I stayed sturdy and unmoved.

I was raised aloft with the King bound onto me,

The herald of heaven was flayed and whipped,

Pierced cruelly with inky nails. Forever those stripes can be seen on me,

Gaping welt-malice, I dared not oppress.

They mocked us both together, an unhappy pair, insulted and blood-smeared.

It issued from that poor man's side, as his spirit ascended.

Many cruel experiences I have bourne on that hill,

Terrible violence endured. I saw the Lord of Hosts

Viciously streched apart. Darkness fell,

Wound with clouds, darkening the sky around the great Saviour,

His corpse radiantly gleaming. A shadow streched out,

Dark covered the world. All creation sobbed,

Lamenting the King's woeful passion. For sure, indeed, he was the Christ.

Then people came from far and wide,

To behold that noble and ravaged man.

I was sore and oppressed with sorrow, yet I bowed to their hands

Greatly humbled. They eagerly took hold of Almighty God,

Lifted him out of his oppression. Those legionaries left me,

Spited, Drenched with blood and bruised by arrows.

They laid his jaded limbs down and stood at his head,

Regarding the Lord of the Heavens, a mighty warrior, now at rest,

Weary from his agony. They carried him to the tomb,

Clearly, in the soldier's sight, they carved the luminous stone

And arranged his bone-house in it. Sorrowful songs were sung

In the eventide. They returned a little later,

Echoing their grief. There he dwelt with the little band.

We lamented there a good while,

Stood resolutely after the warriors lament

Rang up to heaven. The body grew cold,

That goodly fair life-lodge. Then someone cut us down

All into the earth. That was a horrible fate.

They buried us, deep down in the pit. But the Lord's apostles,

His true friends found out about me,

And graced me with gold and silver.

"Now, my brethren, you may know

What I endured at the hands of the evil earth-dwellers,

The painful sorrows I bore. Far and wide

All men across the seas will be fated

To offer prayers to my cross,

That bright and best beacon of faith." God's son

Suffered upon me for a little while. For sure, I am resplendent now,

Towering under heaven, and I can make strong

Each and every soul that cleaves to me.

Once I became the wisest sage bearing bitter torment,

Most loathsome to the people. I gave my life

For lowly people and showed them the right way.

Hear me well! The Prince of Glory, Heaven's Preserver

Honoured me above all other trees, the Kingdom of Heaven offered protection.

So this man honoured Mary,

He that was God made man. For the good of every soul

He has esteemed her over all women.

Now I command you, most beloved of men,

That you tell of what you see to everyone,

Reveal the words of the world's bright beam,

Which Almighty God suffered upon

For the sin of Man in its great multitude,

And for Adam in his ancient deeds;

He tasted death there, yet he rose again

Through his mickle-might, a help and stay for every man.

To heaven he rose; he will hurry back

To this middle-earth to seek all men

On the Day of Wrath. The Lord Himself,

Almighty God and all his angels

Will come when he wills to wield his judgement;

All men will answer for their earthly deeds

They have committed in this transitory life.

Neither will any be unafraid,

For the words the Saviour said.

He asks that they boldly immerse themselves

In the Word of God, he who would gladly taste

Bitter death, as He did before on that terrible tree.

Then they are afraid, a few of them think

Of how they can begin to answer Christ's petition.

Nor any need to be unafraid

Who on their breast bears that most perfect symbol.

But through that cross, every soul

Will enter His Kingdom at the end of their earthly way,

He who intends to dwell with the Lord.'

I prayed to that cross happily and freely,

With mickle ardour when I was alone

In spirit with a few friends. My heart was drawn,

Impelled to experience the Way,

Waiting for a while. He is my life's hope.

I wait upon that mighty beam,

Often alone, more than other men,

And honour it well. My will is to

Keep it in the front of my mind; it is my hope of protection.

I meditate on that cross. I have not many

Strong friends; they have hastened on

From earthly joys, seeking Glory's King.

Now they abide in Heaven with the Almighty,

Still in wonder. I expect I will,

With great force, always keen towards the Rood,

Which I saw upon the earth.

This loaned, little life will be taken away

And bear me to that place of bliss;

That dream of heaven where the Lord's saintly band

Is seated at the feast, where there is everlasting rapture,

And set me where I may

Live in glory with all the saints;

All my hopes and dreams granted. May he be a friend,

He who died on earth

On that cruel gallow-tree for all mens sins;

He released us and redeemed our lives

And gave us a heavenly home. Hope was renewed,

Through fire and suffering, bliss and glory were bought.

The Son won the victory in that great adventure,

Mighty and triumphant. With a multitude

Of the heavenly host, he came to God's kingdom,

That perfect god-man. Bliss to the angels

And all the saints, those who dwelt in Heaven

In glory and wonder, when their Christ-king came;

Almighty God made manifest, to where his homeland was.