# The Wife's Lament

ic ðis giedd wrece || bi me ful geomorre
minre sylfre sið || ic ðæt secgan mæg
hwæt ic yrmða gebad || siððan ic up weox
niwes oððe ealdes || no ma ðonne nu
a ic wite wonn || minra wræcsiða
ærest min hlaford gewat || heonan of leodum
ofer yða gelac || hæfde ic uhtceare
hwær min leodfruma || londes wære
ða ic me feran gewat || folgað secan
wineleas wræcca || for minre weaðearfe
ongunnon ðæt ðæs monnes || magas hycgan
ðurh dyrne geðoht || ðæt hy todælden unc
ðæt wit gewidost || in woruldrice
lifdon laðlicost || ond mec longade
het mec hlaford min || herheard niman
ahte ic leofra lyt || on ðissum londstede
holdra freonda || forðon is min hyge geomor
ða ic me ful gemæcne || monnan funde
heardsæligne || hygegeomorne
mod miðendne || morðor hycgendne
bliðe gebæro || ful oft wit beotedan
ðæt unc ne gedælde || nemne deað ana
owiht elles || eft is ðæt onhworfen
is nu || swa hit no wære
freondscipe uncer || sceal ic feor ge neah
mines felaleofan || fæhðu dreogan
heht mec mon wunian || on wuda bearwe
under actreo || in ðam eorðscræfe
eald is ðes eorðsele || eal ic eom oflongad
sindon dena dimme || duna uphea
bitre burgtunas || brerum beweaxne
wic wynna leas || ful oft mec her wraðe begeat
fromsið frean || frynd sind on eorðan
leofe lifgende || leger weardiað
ðonne ic on uhtan || ana gonge
under actreo || geond ðas eorðscrafu
ðær ic sittan mot || sumorlangne dæg
ðær ic wepan mæg || mine wræcsiðas
earfoða fela || forðon ic æfre ne mæg
ðære modceare || minre gerestan
ne ealles ðæs longaðes || ðe mec on ðissum life begeat
a scyle geong mon || wesan geomormod
heard heortan geðoht || swylce habban sceal
bliðe gebæro || eac ðon breostceare
sinsorgna gedreag || sy æt him sylfum gelong
eal his worulde wyn || sy ful wide fah
feorres folclondes || ðæt min freond siteð
under stanhliðe || storme behrimed
wine werigmod || wætre beflowen
on dreorsele || dreogeð se min wine
micle modceare || he gemon to oft
wynlicran wic || wa bið ðam ðe sceal
of langoðe || leofes abidan