The Old English Rune Poem
Translated by Edred Thorsson
[Money] is a comfort to everybody
although every man ought to deal it out freely
if he wants to get approval from the lord.
[Aurochs] is fearless and greatly horned
a very fierce beast, it fights with its horns,
a famous roamer of the moor it is a courageous animal.
[Thorn] is very sharp; for every thane
who grasps it; it is harmful, and exceedingly cruel
to every man who lies upon them.
[God/Mouth] is the chieftain of all speech,
the mainstay of wisdom and a comfort to the wise ones,
for every noble warrior hope and happiness.
[Riding] is in the hall to every warrior
easy, but very hard for the one who sits up
on a powerful horse over miles of road.
[Torch] is to every living person known by its fire,
it is clear and bright it usually burns
when the athlings rest inside the hall.
[Gift] is for every man a pride and praise,
help and worthiness; and of every homeless adventurer
it is the estate and substance for those who have nothing else.
[Joy] is had by the one who knows few troubles
pains and sorrows, and to him who himself has
power and blessedness, and a good enough house.
[Hail] is the whitest of grains, it comes from high in heaven
showers of wind hurl it, then it turns to water.
[Need] is constricting on the chest although to the children of men it often becomes
a help and salvation nevertheless, if they heed it in time.
[Ice] is very cold and exceedingly slippery;
it glistens, clear as glass, very much like gems,
a floor made of frost is fair to see.
[Harvest] is the hope of men, when god lets,
holy king of heaven, the earth gives
her bright fruits to the noble ones and the needy.
[Yew] is on the outside a rough tree
and hard, firm in the earth, keeper of the fire,
supported by roots, [it is a] joy on the estate.
[Lot box] is always play and laughter
among bold men, where the warriors sit
in the beer hall, happily together.
[Elk's] sedge has its home most often in the fen,
it waxes in the water and grimly wounds
and reddens [“burns”] with blood any man
who, in any way, tries to grasp it.
[Sun] is by seamen always hoped for
when they fare far away over the fishes' bath
until the brine-stallion they bring to land.
[Tir] is a star, it keeps faith well
with athlings, always on its course
over the mists of night it never fails.
[Birch] is without fruit but just the same it bears
limbs without fertile seed; it has beautiful branches,
high on its crown it is finely covered,
loaded with leaves, touching the sky.
[Horse] is, in front of the earls, the joy of athlings,
a charger proud on its hooves; when concerning it, heroes--
wealthy men—on warhorses exhange speech,
and it is always a comfort to the restless.
[Man] is in his mirth dear to his kinsman;
although each shall depart from the other;
for the lord wants to commit, by his decree,
that frail flesh to the earth.
[Water] is to people seemingly unending
if they should venture out on an unsteady ship
and the sea waves frighten them very much,
and the brine-stallion does not heed its bridle.
[Ing] was first, among the East-Danes,
seen by men until he again eastward [or 'back”]
went over the wave; the wain followed on;
this is what the warriors called the hero.
[Day] is the lord's messenger, dear to men,
the ruler's famous light; [it is] mirth and hope
to rich and poor [and] is useful for all.
[Estate] is very dear to every man,
if he can enjoy what is right and according to custom
in his dwelling, most often in prosperity.
[Oak] is on the earth for the children of men
the nourishment of meat; it often fares
over the gannet's bath [ = sea ]: The sea finds out
whether the oak keeps noble troth.
[Ash] is very tall, [and] very dear to men
firm on its base it holds its place rightly
although it is attacked by man men.
[Yew bow] is for athlings and noble alike
a joy and sign of worth, it is excellent on a horse,
steadfast on an expedition-- [it is] a piece a war-gear.
[Serpent] is a river fish although it always takes
food on land, it has a fair abode
surrounded by water, where it lives in joy.
[Grave] is hateful to every noble
when steadily the flesh begins--
the corpse--to become cold to choose the earth
palely as a bedmate; fruits fall
joys pass away, bonds of faith dissolve.
although every man ought to deal it out freely
if he wants to get approval from the lord.
[Aurochs] is fearless and greatly horned
a very fierce beast, it fights with its horns,
a famous roamer of the moor it is a courageous animal.
[Thorn] is very sharp; for every thane
who grasps it; it is harmful, and exceedingly cruel
to every man who lies upon them.
[God/Mouth] is the chieftain of all speech,
the mainstay of wisdom and a comfort to the wise ones,
for every noble warrior hope and happiness.
[Riding] is in the hall to every warrior
easy, but very hard for the one who sits up
on a powerful horse over miles of road.
[Torch] is to every living person known by its fire,
it is clear and bright it usually burns
when the athlings rest inside the hall.
[Gift] is for every man a pride and praise,
help and worthiness; and of every homeless adventurer
it is the estate and substance for those who have nothing else.
[Joy] is had by the one who knows few troubles
pains and sorrows, and to him who himself has
power and blessedness, and a good enough house.
[Hail] is the whitest of grains, it comes from high in heaven
showers of wind hurl it, then it turns to water.
[Need] is constricting on the chest although to the children of men it often becomes
a help and salvation nevertheless, if they heed it in time.
[Ice] is very cold and exceedingly slippery;
it glistens, clear as glass, very much like gems,
a floor made of frost is fair to see.
[Harvest] is the hope of men, when god lets,
holy king of heaven, the earth gives
her bright fruits to the noble ones and the needy.
[Yew] is on the outside a rough tree
and hard, firm in the earth, keeper of the fire,
supported by roots, [it is a] joy on the estate.
[Lot box] is always play and laughter
among bold men, where the warriors sit
in the beer hall, happily together.
[Elk's] sedge has its home most often in the fen,
it waxes in the water and grimly wounds
and reddens [“burns”] with blood any man
who, in any way, tries to grasp it.
[Sun] is by seamen always hoped for
when they fare far away over the fishes' bath
until the brine-stallion they bring to land.
[Tir] is a star, it keeps faith well
with athlings, always on its course
over the mists of night it never fails.
[Birch] is without fruit but just the same it bears
limbs without fertile seed; it has beautiful branches,
high on its crown it is finely covered,
loaded with leaves, touching the sky.
[Horse] is, in front of the earls, the joy of athlings,
a charger proud on its hooves; when concerning it, heroes--
wealthy men—on warhorses exhange speech,
and it is always a comfort to the restless.
[Man] is in his mirth dear to his kinsman;
although each shall depart from the other;
for the lord wants to commit, by his decree,
that frail flesh to the earth.
[Water] is to people seemingly unending
if they should venture out on an unsteady ship
and the sea waves frighten them very much,
and the brine-stallion does not heed its bridle.
[Ing] was first, among the East-Danes,
seen by men until he again eastward [or 'back”]
went over the wave; the wain followed on;
this is what the warriors called the hero.
[Day] is the lord's messenger, dear to men,
the ruler's famous light; [it is] mirth and hope
to rich and poor [and] is useful for all.
[Estate] is very dear to every man,
if he can enjoy what is right and according to custom
in his dwelling, most often in prosperity.
[Oak] is on the earth for the children of men
the nourishment of meat; it often fares
over the gannet's bath [ = sea ]: The sea finds out
whether the oak keeps noble troth.
[Ash] is very tall, [and] very dear to men
firm on its base it holds its place rightly
although it is attacked by man men.
[Yew bow] is for athlings and noble alike
a joy and sign of worth, it is excellent on a horse,
steadfast on an expedition-- [it is] a piece a war-gear.
[Serpent] is a river fish although it always takes
food on land, it has a fair abode
surrounded by water, where it lives in joy.
[Grave] is hateful to every noble
when steadily the flesh begins--
the corpse--to become cold to choose the earth
palely as a bedmate; fruits fall
joys pass away, bonds of faith dissolve.