Anglo-Saxon Rune Poem
Translation and commentary.
A medieval poem from where we get knowledge of the runes. The runes are available to be used and played with by people of all races and orientations, they are for humanity and not exclusive to any one group of people or any one religion. The study of the runes should be associated with peace and love V.
A interpretation of the three aetts(8) of the Futhorc as a sequence outlining a journey to power: ᚠ wealth ᚢ is sometimes struggled for ᚦ avoid the company of trolls who cast insults ᚩ seek wisdom and be praised ᚱ ride ᚲ to feasthall ᚷ give gifts ᚹ make merry :: ᚺ troubles fade ᚾ the needs of the heart ᛁ are a bridge [by affirmations: boasts] to ᛃ abundance ᛇ strong ᛈ boasts ᛉ end evils ᛊ bringing victory :: ᛏ the glory from which ᛒ rejuvenates and restores ᛖ pride ᛗ of humans ᛚ and the journey ᛜ has attained wealth ᛟ allowing estate ᛞ and power [by affirmation alone]. Each rune has many meanings.
ᚠ Feoh byþ frofur fira gehwylcum;
sceal ðeah manna gehwylc miclun hyt dælan
gif he wile for drihtne domes hleotan.
Wealth is a comfort to people*, everyone;
shall though people always great it share
if they wish for Lord’s judgement favor.
[*Fira is poetic for people and is related to the word for fire, fyr, comparing people to flames. The translation tries to be word for word so the reader can crossreference.]
Wealth is a comfort to all people, they should always share generously, if they wish for the Lord’s favorable judgement. [Noblesse oblige.]
ᚢ Ur byþ anmod ond oferhyrned,
felafrecne deor, feohteþ mid hornum
mære morstapa; þæt is modig wuht.
Aurochs are one-minded and above-horned,
very-fierce deer, fights with horns
famed moor-stepper; that is proud always.
Aurochs are of one mind and high horned, a very fierce deer that fights with horns, a famed moor stepper that is always proud. [Aurochs are a large species of feral cattle, considering traces of their DNA likely exist in other cattle they can potentially come back into existence in the right social conditions, meaning if cattle become wild again the Aurochs can maybe breathe again.]
ᚦ Ðorn byþ ðearle scearp; ðegna gehwylcum
anfeng ys yfyl, ungemetum reþe
manna gehwelcum, ðe him mid resteð.
Thorns are severely sharp; serving everyone’s
defense is evil(yfel), immensely cruel
to people always, those who upon sit.
Thorns are severely sharp, serving everyone’s defense is evil, they are always very cruel to people who sit among them. [This rune is associated with trolls in other rune poems, trolls are called thurs and called an anguish to women. The second clause in the stanza may refer to elk-sedge ᛉ, which is associated with prayers to Saint Michael in a medieval English context. Trolls would have been associated with the lower classes who were known to have an instinct to mock people or bully them, they were associated with Satan.]
ᚩ Os byþ ordfruma ælere spræce,
wisdomes wraþu ond witena frofur
and eorla gehwam eadnys ond tohiht.
Mouth is the source of all speech,
wisdom’s pillar and witan’s comfort,
and to earls always a pleasure and delight.
[People praise earls with their mouth, and it is stipulated always because people were forbidden to insult and slander earls. This can relate to the concept in the Book of Psalms about God being enthroned by praise. A witan is a Lore keeper and adviser, mouth being a comfort to witan means they make their wealth through advising. This rune is associated with Odin in other poems. The wife of Odin is Frigg, Frij.]
ᚱ Rad byþ on recyde rinca gehwylcum
sefte ond swiþhwæt, ðamðe sitteþ on ufan
meare mægenheardum ofer milpaþas.
Riding is quick rich everyone
soft and strong-vigor, they sit on top
horse powerfully(magan)-firm over mileposts.
Riding is swift for the rich people, it is gentle yet with great vigor, the horse is firmly powerful during the miles. [Horse riding was seen as a means of travel for the wealthy, rad can be seen as denoting travel with travel being easy for the rich due to employing horses.]
ᚳ Cen byþ cwicera gehwam, cuþ on fyre
blac ond beorhtlic, byrneþ oftust
ðær hi æþelingas inne restaþ.
Torch is quick always, manifest with fire
pale and bright, burns often
where the rulers within rejoice.
[Cen can mean bold, it can also refer to candle as Cynewulf may have used it, it is also associated with wisdom(ken, keen). In this stanza it appears to relate to feasthall. The word hi can refer to a group of, and æþel means estate or homeland with ing being offspring, æþeling is ruler. Feasthall can also mean shrine.]
ᚷ Gyfu gumena byþ gleng and herenys,
wraþu and wyrþscype and wræcna gehwam
ar and ætwist, ðe byþ oþra leas.
Gift givers are honored and praised,
pillar of dignity to poor those
respecting and nourishing, those are other without.
Gift givers are honored and praised, supporting the dignity of those who are poor, respecting and nourishing them, who are without else(otherwise)[or: who would otherwise be without, and ætwist can mean existence or to feed, subsist.]
ᚹ Wenne bruceþ, ðe can weana lyt
sares and sorge and him sylfa hæfþ
blæd and blysse and eac byrga geniht.
Joy belongs to, those who know misery little
Sores and sorrows him self bind(or imprison, shun, exile)
Prosperity and bliss and a secured abundance.
Joy belongs to those who know little misery, sores and sorrows they shun, having the blessings of prosperity and a secured abundance(abundantia).
[Shunning was done in Anglo-Saxon culture via speech acts, telling them to go away in prayer etc. however one manuscript calls this poem as containing Danish letters.]
ᚻ Hægl byþ hwitust corna; hwyrft hit of heofones lyfte,
wealcaþ hit windes scura; weorþeþ hit to wætere syððan.
Hail is the whitest corn; travels it through the sky’s air,
in waves of wind’s showers; becomes it to water later.
Hail is the whitest corn, it travels through the sky’s air, in waves of wind’s showers, then later becomes water. [Troubles do not last.]
ᚾ Nyd byþ nearu on breostan; weorþeþ hi þeah oft niþa bearnum
to helpe and to hæle gehwæþre, gif hi his hlystaþ æror.
Need is near at heart; becomes they though often envy bear.
to help and to heal however, if they listen first.
Need is near at heart, it exists in those who are often envious, however to help and be nourished, they must heed it. [This stanza was difficult to translate, alternatives are welcome; some of the words have multiple options and understanding the correct context is important to choosing what definition to use.]
ᛁ Is byþ ofereald, ungemetum slidor,
glisnaþ glæshluttur gimmum gelicust,
flor forste geworuht, fæger ansyne.
Ice is very old, immensely slippery
glistens glittering gem likeness
floor frost wrought, beautiful face.
Ice is very old amd very slippery, it glistens like glittering gems, a frost wrought floor with abeautiful face. [Here we see the use of alliteration with the many words beginning with G.]
ᛄ Ger byþ gumena hiht, ðonne God læteþ,
halig heofones cyning, hrusan syllan
beorhte bleda beornum ond ðearfum.
Year is a giver of hope, when God lets,
sacred heaven’s King, earth sell
bright fruit to be born by labor.
[Year has connotations of harvest, the use of the word sell implies the fruits of the earth are produced by labor.]
ᛇ Eoh byþ utan unsmeþe treow,
heard hrusan fæst, hyrde fyres,
wyrtrumun underwreþyd, wyn on eþle.
Yew is outer unsmooth tree,
hard ground fixed, herd of flames,
roots supported by, joy on estate.
Yew trees are unsmooth on the outside, firmly fixed in the ground, supported by their roots, a herd of flames, a joy on the estate. [Yew seems to symbolize strength, it may have been used to make torches.]
ᛈ Peorð byþ symble plega and hlehter
wlancum [on middum], ðar wigan sittaþ
on beorsele bliþe ætsomne.
Peorth is feast-play and laughter
proud [the middle]. their warriors sit
in beerhall happy together.
[Plega(play) can mean clapping, sword play can mean a clashing of swords, feast play can refer to either clapping or maybe clinking cups together to make a toast or pledge, a ‘ale-cup boast’(see: Beowulf) or prayer. Peorth may allude to these things. The character for the Peorth rune ᛈ looks like a cup or clapping, it may relate to ritualized boasts of warriors, did they have a seat at the center of The Feasthall? This rune can relate to clapping, songs, oaths, pledges, and merrymaking. I t may require more analysis. Peo means pie, could it relate to that? Peorth as pies could fit. Boasts and affirmations do not need to be said in the presence of others, they can be said alone, which is probably better to do to avoid risk of mockery.]
ᛉ Eolh-secg eard hæfþ oftust on fenne
wexeð on wature, wundaþ grimme,
blode breneð beorna gehwylcne
ðe him ænigne onfeng gedeþ.
Elk-sedge soil has often in the fen
grows in water, wounds grim
blood burning born of all
of those any who grab reaching.
Elk sedge dwells often in the fen, it grows in water and wounds grim, with burning blood, any who reach to grab it. [This rune is a symbol of protection.]
ᛋ Sigel semannum symble biþ on hihte,
ðonne hi hine feriaþ ofer fisces beþ,
oþ hi brimhengest bringeþ to lande.
Sun provides a feast is with hope
then they over ferry fishes bath,
until their brim-horse brings to land.
The sun provides a feast of hope, then it ferries over fishes bath, until it’s brim-horse brings it to land. [Brim means the edge of a sea, brim-horse is a kenning for boat, the word sigel means both sun and victory.]
ᛏ Tir biþ tacna sum, healdeð trywa wel
wiþ æþelingas; a biþ on færylde
ofer nihta genipu, næfre swiceþ.
Tir is a signal/mark with, holds true well
with rulers; to shall at journey
over night cloudy, never betrays.
Tir is a mark of holding true with rulers, upon a journey through a cloudy night, it never betrays. [Tir means glory or honor, in particular this may refer to keeping your oath or a warrior keeping their boast to rulers. A person who has tir is a person who has kept their word, in all matters. Some have translated tir as meaning north star, but the word tir means glory, and this stanza seems to indicate keeping one’s word, which holding true means, making your word true.]
ᛒ Beorc byþ bleda leas, bereþ efne swa ðeah
tanas butan tudder, biþ on telgum wlitig,
heah on helme hrysted fægere,
geloden leafum, lyfte getenge.
Birch is fruitless, bears even as though
twigs with prolific, is at plant beautiful,
high on helm decorated pleasantly
golden leaved, lift pressing.
Birch is fruitless even though it has prolific branches, it is a beautiful plant, decorated pleasantly high on helm, with golden leaves high pressing. [Birch may symbolize beauty or if we interpret this as bark it could refer to silence. Birch can symbolize rejuvenation, its bark can regrow.]
ᛖ Eh byþ for eorlum æþelinga wyn,
hors hofum wlanc, ðær him hæleþ ymb[e]
welege on wicgum wrixlaþ spræce
and biþ unstyllum æfre frofur.
Horse is for earls and rulers a joy,
horse hoof proud, where the saviors abound
wealthy(welig) on steed change speech
and to unstill always comfort.
Horse is for earls and rulers a joy, horses walk proud where our saviors abound, by the rider’s use of speech upon a steed, it can bring comfort to one unsteady. [This rune hearkens to use of speech to control things, Eh refers to the horse of a warrior or ruler.]
ᛗ Man byþ on myrgþe his magan leof:
sceal þeah anra gehwylc oðrum swican,
forðum drihten wyle dome sine
þæt earme flæsc eorþan betæcan.
Men(humans of both genders) are in mirth with strong friends(loves, cognate with leaf):
shall though any each other betray,
Indeed Lord will judge that sight
that miserable flesh to earth hand over.
People are in mirth with strong friends, however should one betray another, the Lord shall judge it and hand him over to the earth. [This rune suggests the power of fellowship and portrays betrayal as an evil in the sight of God, in this sense God is associated with the sun as a all-seeing eye. The rune for sun is associated with a solar chariot where the sin is a wheel of such, sun symbolizes victory.]
ᛚ Lagu byþ leodum langsum geþuht,
gif hi sculun neþan on nacan tealtum
and hi sæyþa swyþe bregaþ
and se brimhengest bridles ne gym[eð].
Lake is for a nation long-enduring in thought,
if they should dare on boat tilting
and their sea-wave quickly breaks
and the brimhorse bridles no gem.
The ocean seems vast to people, and they may dare to go on a tilting boat, in the quickly breaking seawaves, if their brimhorse(kenning for boat) bridles no gems.
ᛝ Ing wæs ærest mid East-Denum
gesewen secgun, oþ he siððan est
ofer wæg gewat; wæn æfter ran;
ðus Heardingas ðone hæle nemdun.
Ing was first(a ruler) among East Danes
to see(or provide?) to tell, that he went east
over wave departed, went after plunder
thus Heardings(name of a clan or tribe) their hero(this soncept is linked with healer and provider of wealth to a community) named.
Ing was first among the East Danes, they saw they say, that he sailed east, departing over waves, going after plunder, thus the Heardings named their savior.
[This stanza seems to directly connect with the one on Lake, Lagu, which can also mean ocean.]
ᛟ Eþel byþ oferleof æghwylcum men,
gif he mot ðær rihtes and gerysena on
brucan on bolde bleadum oftast.
Estate(or homeland) is very loved by all proud men,
if they meet there straight and appropriate in
using the abode grows often.
Estate is very loved by all proud men, if they meet it right and appropriately, they enjoy a bountiful harvest often. [Estate is tantamount to having mind, the cultivation of mind is through having boundaries and being respected, disrespect can stifle mental development.]
ᛞ Dæg byþ drihtnes sond, deore mannum,
mære metodes leoht, myrgþ and tohiht
eadgum and earmum, eallum brice.
Day is Lord’s messenger, dear men(m/f),
known meets light, mirth and delight
to the blessed and poor, all use.
Day is Lord’s messenger, dear people, light is made known causing mirth and delight, to both the rich and poor, all enjoy.
***** This ends the third aett of the traditional runic sequance, the following runes appear to be Anglo-Saxon additions. The three aetts appear to be a meaningful sequence that was used to symbolize something, as this sequence has appeared on a number of objects including brooches and stones. The later additions are meaningful yet don’t appear to be part of that sequence, though they can inform it.
ᚪ Ac byþ on eorþan elda bearnum
flæsces fodor, fereþ gelome
ofer ganotes bæþ; garsecg fandaþ
hwæþer ac hæbbe æþele treowe.
Oak is on earth old born
Flesh’s food, ferries frequently
over ganets(fish) bath; ocean true(trustworthy)
whatever oak has homeland tree.
Oak is old born on earth, pig’s food, frequently ferries over fishes bath; trustworthy for th e ocean in whatevery country it grows.
[Oak was used to make boats and its acorns feed pigs.]
ᚫ Æsc biþ oferheah, eldum dyre
stiþ on staþule, stede rihte hylt,
ðeah him feohtan on firas monige.
Ash is very high,
stiff at foundation, strong straight hilt
though they fight warriors many.
[Ash was used to make spears.]
ᚣ Yr byþ æþelinga and eorla gehwæs
wyn and wyrþmynd, byþ on wicge fæger,
fæstlic on færelde, fyrdgeatewa sum.
Iron is rulers and earls always
joy and worthmind(praised and honored), is on warriors beautiful(pleasant),
fast(firm) on journey, a military gear.
[Iron is a metaphor for sword, Cynewulf appears to use the rune to mean writ-iren which is a kenning for a pen.]
ᛡ Iar byþ eafix and ðeah a bruceþ
fodres on foldan, hafaþ fægerne eard
wætre beworpen, ðær he wynnum leofaþ.
Beaver is happy and though it eats
food on land, it has beautiful home
water covered, where they enjoy loves ones.
[This rune symbolizes a protected home.]
ᛠ Ear byþ egle eorla gehwylcun,
ðonn[e] fæstlice flæsc onginneþ,
hraw colian, hrusan ceosan
blac to gebeddan; bleda gedreosaþ,
wynna gewitaþ, wera geswicaþ.
Earth is loathsome to earls everyone,
when the fixed flesh begins
corpse cools, ground accepts
pale to wed, fruit falls
joy departs, human stops moving.
Earth is loathsome to all earls, there unmoving flesh of corpses cool, the ground accepts the pale wedding, as fruits fall, joy departs and the human is without motion.
[The earth rune shows that the fruits the earth produces are fueled by the destruction of other life-forms, this rune is not negative because it is the earth, balanced with a positive. It also shows that earls tend to avoid battle to preserve their lives, it associates life-force with joy and movement, which is related to Qi-gong. In Havamal it associates joyful songs with healing spells, which is an inference from this rune as joy produces life force and can be generated by songs. My mother said that people are addicted to their emotions and shifting away from depression can happen by a shift in focus, and according to Havamal and this, the focus can be through singing a song. My mother believed in singing songs to honor ancestors in order to improve their weal, joyful contemporary songs, which relates to rites of eulogy done for the departed or prayers for the departed.]
Special thanks to:
https://bosworthtoller.com/ Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary
https://www.oldenglishtranslator.co.uk/
A runic letter is both a symbol of a concept as well as representing a sound, when representing a concept we can imagine a runic letter as presiding over an associated affirmation or be a standalone affirmation itself, as such we can call the runic alphabet magical in that its letters are designed to have impact on consciousness which in turn constructs and manipulates reality, the world we live in. Repetition of affirmations is called chanting and a means of focusing mind-force. Affirmation means to strengthen. A book of affirmations can have a rune presiding over each one acting as a seal, with the affirmation the detailed talisman(hypnosis). We create our reality with the words we speak.
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Rune_poems
Translating this was a pleasure. The national epic associated with The Rune Poem, is Beowulf. Beowulf is the national epic of The English Speaking People of all colors. English speakers of all colors are an Anglo-Saxon race, race is language not skin color. The word people though should replace race, because the word race itself can be misleading, we are a people. An Anglo-Saxon people of many colors.
Thurs in other rune poems:
ᚦ Þurs vældr kvinna kvillu;
kátr værðr fár af illu.
ᚦ Þurs er kvenna kvöl
ok kletta búi
ok varðrúnar verr.
Saturnus þengill. [Saturn’s* theign.]
*Saturn is associated with Satan because Saturn was seen as preying upon children, for which was an association of Satan. Prayers for protection from Satan can be seen as parents praying for their children, and themselves, to be protected from bullying, and bullies are sometimes called trolls or internet-trolls. Bullying and trolling was seen as serious maledictions, while benedictions refers to good words. Be well.
Prayer to Saint Michael, the archangel: Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
I’d like to thank my parents for providing me the opportunities to be able to translate and comment on this rune poem, this translation is dedicated to them.
Rune Poem manuscript.