Fylgija Ear

Follow the Earth

Fylgija Ear

Grave remains disgusting to every noblemanGrab bleibt ekel jedem Edeling
When decaying flesh festersWenn faulendes Fleisch sich gärt
The ground cruelly coolsGrund klagt grausam kühlend
Gifts go away, sheaves rotFahren die Gaben hin, verfaulen Garben
Joy breaks away, agreements breakFreude bricht fort, Verträge brechen

Ear is a source of grief to every noblemanEar byþ egle eorla gehwylcun
When flesh begins to grow fastÐonne fæstlice flæsc onginneþ
The corpse cools, the earth choosesHraw colian, hrusan ceosan
Black to the grave; blossoms witherBlac to gebeddan; bleda gedreosaþ
Joys depart, men deceiveWynna gewitaþ, wera geswicaþ

Wealth is a comfort to every manFeoh byþ frofur fira gehwylcum
Yet each must share it generously with othersSceal ðeah manna gehwylc miclun hyt dælan
If he wishes to obtain honor from the LordGif he wile for drihtne domes hleotan

Aurochs is fierce and hornedUr byþ anmod ond oferhyrned
A very savage beast, fights with hornsFelafrecne deor, feohteþ mid hornum
A famous wanderer; that is a courageous creatureMære morstapa; þæt is modig wuht

Thorn is very sharp to every thaneÐorn byþ ðearle scearp; ðegna gehwylcum
An evil thing, exceedingly severeAnfeng ys yfyl, ungemetum reþe
To every man who rests among themManna gehwelcum, ðe him mid resteð

Mouth is the source of all languageOs byþ ordfruma ælere spræce
A comfort to the wise and a blessing to every warriorWisdomes wraþu ond witena frofur
And a joy to every noblemanAnd eorla gehwam eadnys ond tohiht

Riding is said to be for every warriorRad byþ on recyde rinca gehwylcum
Easy and swift, for those who sit on topSefte ond swiþhwæt, ðamðe sitteþ on ufan
A strong steed over the mile-pathsMeare mægenheardum ofer milpaþas

Torch is known to every living being, seen in fireCen byþ cwicera gehwam, cuþ on fyre
Black and bright, it burns most oftenBlac ond beorhtlic, byrneþ oftust
Where princes rest insideÐær hi æþelingas inne restaþ

Hail is the whitest of grains; it whirls from the heavens' skyHægl byþ hwitust corna; hwyrft hit of heofones lyfte
It is tossed by the wind's showers; it turns to water thereafterWealcaþ hit windes scura; weorþeþ hit to wætere syððan

Need is oppressive to the heart; yet often it proves a source of helpNyd byþ nearu on breostan; weorþeþ hi þeah oft niþa bearnum
To children and to each man, if he heeds it in timeTo helpe and to hæle gehwæþre, gif hi his hlystaþ æror

Ice is very cold, exceedingly slipperyIs byþ ofereald, ungemetum slidor
Gleaming glass-clear, most like gemsGlisnaþ glæshluttur gimmum gelicust
A floor wrought by frost, fair in appearanceFlor forste geworuht, fæger ansyne

Yew is a tree outside, a rough treeEoh byþ utan unsmeþe treow
Hard fast on the earth, guardian of firesHeard hrusan fæst, hyrde fyres
Supported by roots, joy in the homelandWyrtrumun underwreþyd, wyn on eþle

Sun is ever a hope to seafarersSigel semannum symble biþ on hihte
When they journey away over the fishes' bathÐonne hi hine feriaþ ofer fisces beþ
Until the courser of the deep bears them to landOþ hi brimhengest bringeþ to lande

Tyr is a token of a thing, it keeps faith wellTir biþ tacna sum, healdeð trywa wel
With nobleman; it is always on a journeyWiþ æþelingas; a biþ on færylde
Over the mists of night, never failsOfer nihta genipu, næfre swiceþ

Birch has no fruit, yet bears without seedBeorc byþ bleda leas, bereþ efne swa ðeah
Boughs, beautiful in branchesTanas butan tudder, biþ on telgum wlitig
High on the trunk, adorned fairHeah on helme hrysted fægere
With leaves, touching the skyGeloden leafum, lyfte getenge

Man is dear to his kin in joyMan byþ on myrgþe his magan leof
Yet each one must forsake the otherSceal þeah anra gehwylc oðrum swican
For the Lord wills his doomForðum drihten wyle dome sine
That wretched flesh return to earthþÆt earme flæsc eorþan betæcan

Water seems to men a long timeLagu byþ leodum langsum geþuht
If they must venture in a troubled shipGif hi sculun neþan on nacan tealtum
And the sea-tides terrify them greatlyAnd hi sæyþa swyþe bregaþ
And the sea-steed does not heed the bridleAnd se brimhengest bridles ne gymeð

Ear is a source of grief to every noblemanEar byþ egle eorla gehwylcun
When flesh begins to grow fastÐonne fæstlice flæsc onginneþ
The corpse cools, the earth choosesHraw colian, hrusan ceosan
Black to the grave; blossoms witherBlac to gebeddan, bleda gedreosaþ
Joys depart, men deceiveWynna gewitaþ, wera geswicaþ