Wherefore no man grows wise without he have his share of winters
from The Wanderer
trans Michael Alexander
A wise man may grasp how ghastly it shall be
when all this world's wealth standeth waste,
even as now, in many places, over the earth
walls stand, wind beaten,
hung with hoar-frost; ruined habitations.
The wine-halls crumble; their wielders lie
bereft of bliss, the band all fallen
proud by the wall. War took off some,
carried them on their course hence; one a bird bore
over the high sea; one the hoar wolf
dealt to death; one his drear-cheeked
earl stretched in an earthen trench.
The Maker of men hath so marred this dwelling
that human laughter is not heard about it
and idle stand these old giant-works.
A man who on these walls wisely looked
who sounded deeply this dark life
would think back to the blood spilled here,
weigh it in his wit. His word would be this:
'Where is that horse now? Where are those men? Where is the hoard-sharer?
Where is the house of the feast? Where s the hall's uproar?
Alas, bright cup! Alas, burnished fighter!
Alas, proud prince! How time has passed,
dark under night's helm, as though it had never been!
There stands in the stead of staunch thanes
a towering wall wrought with worm-shapes;
the earls are off-taken by the ash-spear's point,
- that thirsty weapon. Their Weird is glorious.
Storms break on the stone hillside,
the ground bound by drivig sleet,
winter's wrath. Then wanness cometh,
night's shade spreadeth, sendeth from north
the rough hail to harry mankind.
'In the earth-realm all is crossed;
Wierd's will changeth the world.
Wealth is lent us, friends are lent us, man is lent, kin is lent;
all this earth's frame shall stand empty.'
So spoke the sage in his heart; he sat apart in thought.
Good is he who keeps faith: nor should care too fast
be out of a man's breast before he first know the cure:
a warrior fights on bravely. Well is it for him who seeks forgiveness,
the Heavenly Father's solace, in whom all our fastness stands.
trans Michael Alexander
A wise man may grasp how ghastly it shall be
when all this world's wealth standeth waste,
even as now, in many places, over the earth
walls stand, wind beaten,
hung with hoar-frost; ruined habitations.
The wine-halls crumble; their wielders lie
bereft of bliss, the band all fallen
proud by the wall. War took off some,
carried them on their course hence; one a bird bore
over the high sea; one the hoar wolf
dealt to death; one his drear-cheeked
earl stretched in an earthen trench.
The Maker of men hath so marred this dwelling
that human laughter is not heard about it
and idle stand these old giant-works.
A man who on these walls wisely looked
who sounded deeply this dark life
would think back to the blood spilled here,
weigh it in his wit. His word would be this:
'Where is that horse now? Where are those men? Where is the hoard-sharer?
Where is the house of the feast? Where s the hall's uproar?
Alas, bright cup! Alas, burnished fighter!
Alas, proud prince! How time has passed,
dark under night's helm, as though it had never been!
There stands in the stead of staunch thanes
a towering wall wrought with worm-shapes;
the earls are off-taken by the ash-spear's point,
- that thirsty weapon. Their Weird is glorious.
Storms break on the stone hillside,
the ground bound by drivig sleet,
winter's wrath. Then wanness cometh,
night's shade spreadeth, sendeth from north
the rough hail to harry mankind.
'In the earth-realm all is crossed;
Wierd's will changeth the world.
Wealth is lent us, friends are lent us, man is lent, kin is lent;
all this earth's frame shall stand empty.'
So spoke the sage in his heart; he sat apart in thought.
Good is he who keeps faith: nor should care too fast
be out of a man's breast before he first know the cure:
a warrior fights on bravely. Well is it for him who seeks forgiveness,
the Heavenly Father's solace, in whom all our fastness stands.