An runic inscription on a whale bone found in Lund (southern Sweden).
Similar inscriptions were placed on wooden sticks.
Riddle 60 (Exeter Book 10/11
th
c.)
translated by Richard Hamer
Ic wæs be sonde, sæwealle neah,
æt merefaroþe, minum gewunade
frumstaþole fæst; fea ænig wæs
monna cynnes, þæt minne þær
5 on anæde eard beheolde,
ac mec uhtna gehwam yð sio brune
lagufæðme beleolc. Lyt ic wende
þæt ic ær oþþe sið æfre sceolde
ofer meodubence muðleas sprecan,
10 wordum wrixlan. þæt is wundres dæl,
on sefan searolic þam þe swylc ne conn,
hu mec seaxes ord ond seo swiþre hond,
eorles ingeþonc ond ord somod,
þingum geþydan, þæt ic wiþ þe sceolde
15 for unc anum twam ærendspræce
abeodan bealdlice, swa hit beorna ma
uncre wordcwidas widdor ne mænden.
1.
Once I was at the sea-shore, by the sand,
2.
Near the sea-wall I lived established firm
3.
Upon my roots; and there were very few
4.
Of humankind who looked upon my home
5.
There in that lone and solitary land;
6.
But every day the dark wave played with me
7.
In watery embrace. I little thought
8.
That late or early I at any time
9.
Should ever mouthless speak across the mead-bench,
10.
Communicate with words. It is a wonder
11.
Amazing to the minds of those who know not
12.
How the knife’s point within the strong right hand,
13.
The man’s skill and the point worked busily
14.
On me, so that I fearlessly could tell
15.
A message to you, for the two of us
16.
Alone to hear, so that no other man
17.
Could hear and tell abroad our speech more widely.
The Husband’s Message (located imediately after Riddle 60 in the Exeter Book),
translated by Richard Hamer
1.
Nu ic onsundran
þe secgan wille
2.
[[.....]] treocyn
ic tudre aweox;
3.
in mec æld[[.....]]
sceal ellor londes
4.
settan [[.....]]
sealte streamas
5.
[[.....]]sse.
Ful oft ic on bates
6.
[[.....]]
… gesohte
7.
þær mec mondryhten
min [[.....]]
8.
ofer heah hofu;
eom nu her cumen
9.
on ceolþele, ond nu cunnan scealt
10.
hu þu ymb modlufan
mines frean
11.
on hyge hycge.
Ic gehatan dear
12.
þæt þu þær tirfæste
treowe findest.
13.
Hwæt, þec þonne biddan het
se þisne beam agrof
14.
þæt þu sinchroden
sylf gemunde
15.
on gewitlocan
wordbeotunga,
16.
þe git on ærdagum
oft gespræcon,
17.
þenden git moston
on meoduburgum
18.
eard weardigan,
an lond bugan,
19.
freondscype fremman.
Hine fæhþo adraf
1.
Now I will tell to you who live apart
2.
How I grew up in youth among the trees.
3.
On me must sons of men write messages,
4.
Send me from foreign lands across the waves,
5.
Thus guide their thoughts across the salty streams.
6.
Often by boat have I sought out some land
7.
Where my lord sent me forth to take some message
8.
Over the deep wide sea; now have I come
9.
On shipboard here, and now must I find out
10.
How you feel in your heart about your love
11.
Towards my lord. For I dare promise you
12.
That you will find great loyalty in him.
13.
He bids me tell you, then, who carved this wood,
14.
That you, bejewelled, should yourself recall
15.
In your own secret heart the vows and oaths
16.
That you both made in former times together,
17.
When you might still together live among
18.
The festive cities, both dwell in one land,
19.
And love each other. Feud drove him away
