Old English Rune Poem

Translation by Ethan Barrett.


Feoh
Feoh byþ frofur fira gehwylcum;
Feoh is ease for everyone;

sceal ðeah manna gehwylc miclum hyt dælan
shall though each man much he deal

gif he wile for dryhtne domes hleotan.
if he wills from the Lord dooms lots.

Feoh : Wealth


Ur
Ur byþ anmod ond oferhyrned,
Ur is proud and overhorned,

felafrecne deor feohteþ mid hornum
very bold deer fights with horns

mære morstapa þæt is modig wuht.
mighty moor-stepper that is bold wight.

Ur : Aurochs (Ox)


Thorn
þorn byþ ðearle scearp ðegna gehwylcum
Thorn is painfully sharp to thanes whichever

anfeng is yfel ungemetum reþe
grasp is evil grievously cruel

manna gehwelcum ðe him mid resteð.
to each man who with them rests.

Thorn : Thorn


Os
Os byþ ordfruma ælere spræce,
Os is the source of all speech

wisdomes wraþu ond witena frofur
wisdom's stay and wisemen's gladness

and eorla gehwam eadnys ond tohiht
and each earl's joy and good hope

Os : god, one of the Aesir (As)


Rad
Rad byþ on recyde rinca gehwylcum
Rad is in hall to every warrior

sefte ond swiþhwæt ðamðe sitteþ on ufan
soft and hard-indeed to he who sitteth upon

meare mægenheardum ofer milpaþas.
mare strong-hard over mile-paths.

Rad : Ride

Cen
Cen byþ cwicera gehwam cuþ on fyre
Cen is to all the quick known as fire

blac ond beorhtlic byrneþ oftust
bleak and brightly burneth oftest

ðær hi æþelingas inne restaþ.
there where æthelings within resteth.>

Cen : Torch


Gyfu
Gyfu gumena byþ gleng and herenys,
Gyfu is to men glee and honor

wraþu and wyrþscype and wræcna gehwam
help and worthiness and to wretches all

ar and ætwist ðe byþ oþra leas.
honor and feasting they are otherwise without.

Gyfu : Gift

Wen
Wynn ne brúceþ þe can wana lýt,
Wynn gladdens who has little want,

sáres and sorge and him selfa hæfþ
pains, and sorrows and himself hath

blæd and blysse and éac burga geniht
fruit and bliss and also stronghold enough.

Wynn : Joy, Winning

Haegl
Hagol biþ hwítost corna hwyrft hit of heofones lyfte,
Hagol is whitest of corns it whirls from heaven's loft,

wealcaþ hit windes scúra, weorþeþ hit tó wætere syððan
it is wielded in winds showers it worths to water then

Hagol : Hail

Nyd
Níed biþ nearu on bréostan, weorþeþ híe þeah oft níþa bearnum
Níed is narrow on the breast, worths it though oft to men's born

tó helpe and tó hæle gehwæþre, gif híe his hlystaþ æror
to help and to heal however, if it is listened to early

Nied : Need

Is
Ís byþ oferceald, ungemetum slidor,
Ís is overcold, awfully slippery,

glisnaþ glæshlútor, gimmum gelícost,
glistens glasslike, likest to gems,

flór forste geworuht, fæger ansíene
a floor frost-wrought, a fair sight

Is : Ice

Ger
Géar biþ gumena hiht, þonne god læteþ,
Géar is men's hope, if god lets,

hálig heofones cyning, hrúsan sellan
holy heaven's king, the Earth sells

beorhte bléda beornum and þearfum
bright fruits to men and needs

Gear : Year, Harvest

Eoh
Éoh biþ útan unsméþe tréow,
Éoh is outwardly unsmooth tree,

heard, hrúsan fæst, hierde fyres,
hard, earth-fast, herds fires,

wyrtruman underwreþed, wynn on éþle
roots under-wreathed, a joy on homestead

Eoh : Yew

Peorth
Peorþ biþ symble plega and hleahtor
Peorþ is always play and laughter

wlancum þar wigan sittaþ
proud the warriors sit

on béorsele blíþe ætsamne
in beerhall blithe together

Peorth : ?


Eolhx
Eolh-secg eard hæfþ oftost on fenne,
Eolh-secg a home hath oftest in a fen

weaxe on wætere, wundaþ grimme,
waxes in water woundeth grim,

blóde breneð beorna gehwilcne
blood it brings on men whichever

þe him ænigne onfeng gedéð
who in anyway dares to grasp

Eolh-Secg : Elk-Sedge, kenning for 'sword'


Sigel
Sigel sæmannum simble biþ on hihte,
Sigel to seamen always is a hope

þonne híe hine fériaþ ofer fisces bæþ,
when it fareth over fishes bath,

oþ híe brimhengest bringeþ tó lande
to sea-steed it bringeth to land

Sigel : Sun


Tyr
Tir biþ tácna sum, healdeð tréowa wel
Tir is some token, holds troth well

wiþ æþelingas, á biþ on færylde,
with æthelings, ever is on bearing,

ofer nihta genipu næfre swíceþ
over nights mists never deceives

Tir : The god Tir, Tyr, or Tiw.


Beorc
Beorc biþ bléda léas, bereþ efne swá þéah
Beorc is fruit-less, beareth even though

tánas bútan túdor, biþ on telgum wlitig,
twigs without fruit, are on boughs beautiful,

héah on helme hrysted fægere,
high in helm adorned fair,

gehlóden léafum, lyfte getenge
loaded with leaves, pressing aloft

Beorc : Birch tree

Eh
Éh biþ for eorlum æþelinga wynn,
Éh is for earls æþeling's delight,

hors hófum wlanc, ðær him hæleþ ymbe,
horse hooves proud, there about heroes,

welege on wicgum, wrixlaþ spræce,
wealthy on steeds, mix speech,

and biþ unstyllum æfre frofur
and is to the unstill ever a joy

Eh : Horse

An
Mann biþ on myrgþe his mágan léof;
Mann is in mirth his kinsman's love;

sceal þéah ánre gehwilc óðrum swícan,
though shall each others deceive,

for þám dryhten wille dóme síne
for they the lord wills for doom

þæt earme flæsc eorþan betæcan
that poor flesh earths student

Mann : Man


Lagu
Lagu biþ léodum langsum geþúht,
Lagu is to folk a lengthy thought

gif híe sculun néþan on nacan tealtum,
if they should dare on ship tilting,

and híe sæýþa swíþe brégaþ,
and the sea-waves fiercely frighten,

and sé brimhengest brídles ne gíemeð
and the sea-steeds' bridles don't heed.

Lagu : Lake, Water

Ing
Ing wæs ærest mid Eastdenum
Ing was first amid East-Danes

gesewen secgun, oþ hé siððan eft
seen, they say, until he then eft

ofer wæg gewát, wæn æfter ran;
over wave went wagon after ran;

þus heardingas þone hæle nemdon
thus the Heardings the hero named.

Ing : The god Ing

Daeg
Dæg biþ dryhtnes sond, déore mannum,
Dæg is Lord's messenger, dear to men,

mære metodes léoht, myrgþ and tóhiht
splendid Creator's light, mirth and good hope

éadgum and earmum, eallum bryce
wealthy and poor, all enjoy

Daeg : Day

Ethel
Éðel byþ oferleof æghwylcum men,
Éðel is over-dear to all men,

gif hé mót þær rihtes and gerisena on
if he may there be in rightness and in goodness

brúcan on bolde blædum oftost
enjoy in household glorys oftest

Ethel : Homestead

Ac
Ác biþ on eorþan ielda bearnum
Ác is on earth for men's born

flæsces fódor, féreþ gelóme
flesh's fodder, faireth often

ofer ganotes bæþ; gársecg fandaþ
over gannets' bath; spear-man findeth

hwæþer ác hæbbe æþele tréowe
whether oak has nobility true

Ac : Oak

Aesc
Æsc biþ oferhéah, ieldum déore,
Æsc is over-high man's dear,

stiþ on staþole, stede rihte hielt,
stern in standing, stead right held,

þéah him feohtan on fíras manige
though it fights off men a-many

Aesc : Ash

Yr
Ýr biþ æþelinga and eorla gehwæs
Ýr is to æþelings and earls alike

wynn and weorþmynd, biþ on wicge fæger,
joy and worthiness 'tis on steed fair

fæstlíc on færelde, fyrdgeatewa sum
steady on journey, war-tool some

Yr : Bow

Ior
Íor biþ éafisc, and þéah a brúceþ
Íor is a riverfish and though a joy

fódres on foldan, hafaþ fægerne eard,
feeds on earth hath fair home

wætre beworpen, þær hé wynnum léofaþ
water around, there he joyfully lives

Ior : Serpent

Ear
Éar byþ egle eorla gehwilcun,
Éar is ugly to earls whichever

þonn fæstlice flæsc onginneþ,
then steadily flesh beginneth

hræw cólian, hrúsan ceosan
body cools earth it chooses

blác to gebeddan; bléda gedréosaþ,
a bleak bedding; fruits they fall

wynna gewítaþ, wera geswícaþ
joys known men they betray

Ear : Grave