Order of the World

Here's something that's been sitting in my folder for a few weeks. I don't usually do much with the lyric poetry, and wonder if the voice is right. I taught this poem a few months agom, using Daniel Tobin's translation in The Word Exchange. Then I felt that his version had a New Age-y feel to it that rankled me, but after looking at it so hard while working on this, I realized I must have been imagining that license. So I have an appreciation for Tobin's work, and a growing respect for the poems of that volume in general. The semester is now over, and I think my students got a lot out of the experience. I did too, learning a lot about the lyric poetry of Old English, as well as figuring out some things and hard truths about my own translations.

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The Order of the World

Do you wish, hurrying hero, to wordfully greet the alien moon,
the wise bearer of prophecies, and ask that much-traveled one
about the creation to come, to inquire who speaks of broad destinies,
of kindly crafts alive in every way, which every day
through the glory of God bring forth many miracles
to the generations of men?

Each a manifest token to him who through his wisdom
knows how to perceive the entire world in his breast,
the brooding man, that many years ago with skill of the wise
and with songs, men, warriors counsel-fast,
often knew how to express and to speak rightly,
always asking that of the kindred of men
and speaking about the joining of cunning mysteries
ever mindful of what the greatest men know.

Therefore one who lives in courage must inquire,
that deep-hearted man, of secret creations,
to be inscribed in the mind with the skill
of word-hoards, and fastened in the spirit’s close—
and to think forth stoutly, nor must it
weary a mindful man, to wisely perfect the world.

Learn this lore! Quickly I must speak
of the Measurer’s majesty too great
for you, mind-crafty in your chest,
to be able to comprehend with your mind.
Is that power of yours very great?

There is no measure of man, moving on the earth,
that he might be able in breast his high creation
further to investigate when the Lord gives him
in order to understand God’s own decree;
but we must thank the Famous Prince
ever forever, for that which the Eternal King
wishes to give us into the beauty of the soul
so that we can easily ascend
forth to the celestial kingdom,
if it is sufficient to us in our spirits
and we wish to hold to the decrees of the Heaven-King.

Hear this mortal message and affix your thought.
Listen! The Father Almighty shaped at the start,
the Warden of High Hosts, heaven and earth,
the bed of the broad ocean, all of patent creation,
which now in the chastisement through the Lord’s hand
heightens and heaves up the holy fruits.

He that readily knows therefore joined all,
everything with another; they must all bear
stiff direction, just as their guide ordered them
various measures through this greater kind.

So they bear forth beauty into the world,
the Glory of the Lord and his majestic deeds,
his glittering praise into those lengthy times,
performing faithfully the word of the Eternal Lord
in that first throne where the Lord seats himself,
the pure Guardian of Heaven, eagerly holding
the boundaries of the ocean; his might draws forth
the heaven-candle and, among the waves,
the Owner of Life laps and leads
into his own bosom all creation.

So wide-spirited glory stands for him
of all judges the most fitting,
who shaped this life for us and this bright light
that comes every morning over the misty cliffs,
wading across the waves, adorned with miracles,
and at dawn hastens from the east,
lovely and winsome to the generations of men;
for every one living it bears forth its light
the brightest brands so everything on earth
can enjoy his radiance, which he wishes to give,
the Truth-King of Victories, sight of the eyes.
Then it turns with this glory into the western skies
the star much magnified, traveling together,
until in the evening out of the spear-waves
traversing the grounds, calling across the gloom;
night comes afterward, keeping his constraining command
the Holy Lord. The heaven-bright skies
incites the resplendence into the creation of God
under the embrace of the earth, the traveling star.

Therefore no man lives of his wisdom
so that he can know of his departure through his own power,
how the gold-bright sun passes beyond the earth
into that inky blackness below the crowding waters,
or who of the land-dwellers can enjoy that light,
after she departs over the ocean.

He that readily knows therefore joined
day to night, the deeps to the heights,
breeze to sea-stream, land to water,
flood to flood, fish to the waves.
Nor do these works weaken, but he holds them well;
they stand stoutly, firmly covered over
with his great belt of power in that great majesty
among them may be heaved up heaven and earth,

The ones who abide in that place are blessed then,
hopeful is his hearth-band. That is the greatest army,
an uncountable number of the prosperous, the bands of angels.
They always see their own king,
looking in their eyes and having enough of everything.
There is no dark creature among them, for those who
see the King of Glory in the skies; his is the feast and the joy
eternal and endless, with blessedness as consolation.

Therefore one must ponder their Measurer.
Every child of man abandon your useless desires,
the joys of this loaned life, and set out for mild bliss.
Forsake hateful malice, settling everything
amid fiery sins, and betake yourself to the one granting the realm.

Exodus XLVII

So, with this post, the Exodus is nearly complete, the seventh poem under the ASNPP umbrella. Just one more section until I move on to a new poem and new challenge. I'm thinking the next poem pretty much has to be Christ and Satan, really the last narrative poem in the corpus besides Beowulf (already been translated by far too many people) and Judith (which has a great, very usable verse translation by Elaine Treharne). So there we shall go.

I'm also pondering expanding the mission of the translation project to other insular works, such as the great untranslated body of Anglo-Norman verse. These ones would be quite the challenge, since most of the romances are so very long and since there are so few translations available at all. This really seems like the direction to go, as the field really cries out for work. I guess I would have to open up yet another blog for that project; make a new home for the French romances and other Anglo-Norman works and then get to work.

Here's Exodus, section XLVII below:

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They had raised over their shield-covers a beacon
as their symbol, a golden lion, boldest of the beasts,
when the greatest of the assembled host
crossed the sea in a crowd of spears.
By that leading standard, they pronounced that
they wished to no longer endure humiliation
by any peoples while they were living when they reared
their spear-wood to combat. The surge was at their head,
the harshest of hand-play, the mindful warriors,
the slaughtering blows and soldiers unafraid,
bloody swathes of swords and the onslaught of battle-power,
and the clashing of war-masks wherever Judah ventured. (319-30)

After that force boldly followed that sailor, the son of Reuben.
The sea-reavers bore their shields across the salty marsh,
a multitude of men. A great host went forth unafraid.
He had destroyed his preeminent authority with sinful deeds
so that he had to proceed later in the trail of his loved ones.
His own brother had taken away his right of the first-born,
wealth and honor’s rank among that nation.
He was ready to march nonetheless. (331-39)

Forwards after him there in a mighty band of the people
came the son of Simeon, the third battalion pressed ahead
among the battle-chosen, bedewed of spear-shafts,
their standards moving across the spear-ranks.
The rush of dawn arrived over the pointed waves,
that certain beacon of God, the morning famous-bright.
The company departed forth. (340-46)

Next one army of the people followed after another,
in iron-clad companies. One greatest in military might
directed them on the forth-ways, and for that he became famous,
each tribe following the heavens, kindred after kindred.
Each one knew the rights of their lineage, just as Moses
commanded them, the rank of the earls. One patriarch
had they all, a beloved source to the people,
and he had received the land-rights, wise in his soul,
dear to his free kin. He had conceived this nation of keen men,
this certain high-father, this holy people, the kindred of Israel,
deserving of God, so do old men relate with skilled thought,
those who, greatest of their generation, inquired into the origin of men,
each one into their ancestry…(347-61)

Noah traveled new oceans, a glory-fast prince with his three sons,
the deepest drench-floods which ever happened in this worldly realm.
He kept a holy troth in his breast, therefore he was led out
over the sea-streams, the greatest of treasure-hoards, as I have heard.
For the world’s life-saving that wise sea-farer held
the long-lasting survivors of every earthly kindred,
of each originary generation, the father and the mother
of all child-producing stock, more diversity reckoned by count
than men know today. Also these warriors carried every seed
in the bosom of the ship which these heroes used under the heavens. (362-76)

So these things wise men wordfully have said that
ninth from Noah, the father of Abraham in the people’s count.
This is the Abraham for whom the God of Angels fashioned a new name.
Also near and far he commended the holy bands into his keeping,
the wielding of human tribes. He lived in exile. (377-83)

Afterwards he conducted the dearest of lives by holy behest.
They mounted the highlands, peaceable kinsmen, the slopes of Zion.
Thee they found the covenant and witnessed its glory,
the holy high-troth, as men have observed. There also the wise son of David,
the glory-fast king with wise teaching built up the temple of God,
the holy fane, worked with his own hands, the wisest of the earth-kings
in this worldly realm, the most lofty and holiest,
most famous among men, the greatest and the most renowned
of all the sons of men, all the humans across the world. (384-96)

Unto that place of meeting Abraham led his son Isaac.
The pyre-flames were kindled. The first soul-killer was no more
death-doomed for that. He did not want to give his heir to the flame,
the best of men into blazing fire his own son as a victory-sacrifice,
his only heritage upon the earth, the comfort of his life.
Then he experienced such lengthy joy from that moment,
a legacy to men. It was revealed to him, when he had seized
that boy, fast with his hands and drew his widely renowned
old heirloom—its blade resounded—he considered the life-days
of his son no more precious to him than obeying the Heaven-King.
Up then arose Abraham. The earl wished to slay his own heir
ungrown, his son with his sword’s red blade, if the Measurer allowed him.
Nor did the Bright Father want for him to kill the child,
the holy sacrifice, but grabbed him with his hands.
Then came a voice restraining him from heaven,
a glorious sound, speaking these words after: (397-418)

“Do not strike your own child, Abraham, your son with your sword!
The truth is revealed, now the King of All Creatures has tested you,
that you would hold your pledge with your Sovereign, your fixed troth,
that goodwill for you must be honored the longest in your life-days,
ever loyal forever. How could the son of man need a greater pledge?
Nor could heaven and earth cover over his glorious word—
it is wider and broader than the corners of the earth can enfold,
the circuit of the world and the heavens above,
the vastness of the spear-waves and the sorrowing breeze. (419-31)

“He swears an oath, the Prince of Angels, the Wielder of the World’s Way,
and the God of Hosts, soothfast in victories, through his own life,
that men upon the earth shall not know the count of your kindred
and descendants, these shield-warriors, for all their craft to speak
in truthful words, unless anyone of the wise become in their mind
so that he alone could count all the stones of the earth, the stars
in the heavens, the sand in the sea-cliffs, the salt in the waves.
Yet they, your people, shall occupy between the two seas
up to the dwellers of Egypt, the land of Canaan,
the free children of the father, the best of people.” (432-46)

Exodus, part XLVI

Despite not working on this translation, parts keep falling out left and right. :)

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The war-caller then leapt forward for the warriors,
a bold battle-proclaimer, heaving up his shield,
ordering that folk-general then to still his army
while the many could hear the speech of the prideful.
The warden of the realm wished to speak
across the chosen troop in a holy voice,
the wiseman of the host worth-minded spoke: (252-58)

“Do not become more frightened for this, though Pharaoh
has brought a broad army of sword-warriors,
uncountable earls. The Mighty Lord wishes to bestow
upon all of them through my hand upon this day
reward for their deeds, so that they while living will not
be allowed to enslave with miseries the kindred of Israel
for long! Nor will you dread this slaughtered host,
their fated spirit-boxes! Their time is at an end,
their loaned lives! The teaching of God shall be yours,
unsheathed from your breast! So that you might worthy
the Lord of Glory in a better way, I ask for you the grace
of the Lord of Life for the success of victory wherever
you might voyage. This is the Eternal God of Abraham,
the Founder of First-Creation, who protects this host,
mindful and eager for power, with his mighty hand!” (259-75)

Then Moses lifted his loud voice for his army, the living
people when he spoke to them: “Listen! Now look upon this,
dearest of peoples, with your eyes, a certain fearful miracle,
how I myself shall smite the deeps of the spear-waves
with the green token in my strong right hand.
The surges pile high, working the waters with haste
into a rampart. The waves are dry, the silver army-street,
the sea is opened, the old foundations, which I have never
before heard men across middle-earth could traverse,
the mottled fields which the waves will cover forth from here
into eternal seasons, given to the ocean’s floor.
The south wind seizes the blast of the bath-ways,
the salt water is stretched back, the sea-tow spews sand.
I know truly and very well that Mighty God has revealed
his mercy to you all, earls happy as in days of old.
Haste is the best, that you get into the deeps away from your foes
now that the Owner has reared up the red streams into
sheltering shields! These fore-walls have been beautifully built,
a pleasant wave-passage up to the roof of the sky!” (276-98)

After these words the entire army stood up, the might of the mindful.
The sea waited quietly. The chosen of war heaved up white shields,
their standards upon the sand. The sea-wall mounted overhead,
it stood upright against the Israelites the space of one day.
The company of earls was of one resolve, keeping their covenant
in the fixed depths. Not at all did they question the teaching
of holy Moses—afterwards a harmony of beloved intonation
was heard nearer as the voices subsided and the cacophony of songs. (299-309)

Then the fourth tribe went first, wading across the wave-stream,
warriors in a group over the green ground, a Jewish troop
hastening upon the unfamiliar paths before their kinsmen.
So Mighty God paid a profound price for his day-works,
after he granted them the glory of victory-deeds,
so that they must possess authority over the kingdoms
to come, the first-fruits of their kinsmen. (310-18)

More Exodus

Here is more of the Exodus translation in progress.

Then one became the keeper of the patrimony for his people,
for the men after their treasures, so that he received so much.
The kindred of Egypt forgot all of this after they became cruel
without hesitation. So then they made murder upon his kin-friends,
brought about crimes, devouring their compacts.
There were battle-waves banded about their hearts,
the strong-minded men. With evil troth they wished to repay
life’s reward with wickedness, so that they would purchase
their day’s work with blood, with the people of Moses,
wherever Mighty God had given them success on that fatal journey. (142-53)

Then the heart of the earls became distrusting of them
after they had seen the horde of Pharaoh moving forth
from the south-ways, carrying boar-spears, their cavalry shining—
their pikes arrayed, approaching battle, the cover of their shields
shining, their trumpets singing—their standards were raised,
treading the borders of their tribe up to the whale[-road ...] (154-61)

The battle-birds screamed out, greedy for carnage, dewy-feathered
over the fallen soldiers, the dark ravens. Wolves sang
a terrible evening-song, hopeful for food, the reckless beasts,
awaiting scavenger-brave the fall of the people’s power
on that hateful trail. The border-guards screamed out in the middle
of the night, their fated spirit flew: the people were troubled. (162-69)

Sometimes from that army proud thanes cross the mile-paths
upon the backs of their horses. There in front of the border-army
the banner-king, the prince of men rode against the banners.
The battle-warden of men fastened his grim helmet,
the king clasped his chin-guard, his standard shining,
in the hopes for war, rattling his slaughter-links,
and ordering his vanguard to eagerly hold his troopers fast.
His allies witnessed with hateful eyes the coming of the land-men.
About Pharaoh warriors unafraid moved, grey killing-wolves
seeking warfare, thirsty for violence and the lord-faithful. (170-82)

He had chosen from the multitude of people two thousand
of the glory-blessed for himself, so that there were kings
and their kinsmen, in the customs of that common wealth,
dear to the noblemen. Therefore each led out all of his male
warriors of which he could find in that space of time. (183-89)

There were native warriors all together, kings in a collection.
The familiar horn in a band often commanded which way
the young warriors, the war-troop of men, should bear their arms.
So there the dark army, leading their reinforcements,
hateful man after hateful man, a plurality of the people’s power,
were hurrying to that place by their thousands.
They had resolved, in their strengthened bands
at the dawning of the day, to destroy with swords
the kindred of Israel in repayment for their fallen brothers. (190-99)

Therefore a howl was heaved up in the camps,
a terrible evening-song and terror standing tall,
their slaughter-nets hindered those that the clamor came upon.
The terrible news put them to flight: their enemy was resolute,
the army was war-bright, until a mighty angel
headed the proud off, one who guarded the many,
so that their gathered enemies could not see each other
there for long—their ways were sundered.
The exiles had the space of a night, even though on every side
their enemies lay in wait for them, the hostile forces
and the sea-stream. They had no other way to escape. (200-10)

The Israelites were despairing of their homeland,
they sat upon the mountains in their black garments,
the watchers expecting only woe in their hopes,
that entire kindred host gathered together waiting for
the great force of war, until Moses ordered
his earls with brazen trumpets in the early dawn
to gather up their people and arise with their warriors,
keeping their mail-corselets, thinking on courage,
bearing their bright armor, calling out with beacons
to the forces nearer to the shore. The wardens obeyed
his war-cry quickly, the army was prepared,
moving out over the hills, having heard the trumpets,
the sailors from their tents: the army was in haste. (211-23)

Afterwards they counted themselves against the hated
in the vanguard, twelve bold companies of mindful men—
their forces were aroused. There was in any one of them
fifty squadrons of noble men selected under shields
from the people’s multitude, the count of the tribe,
and each squadron of the familiar army had ten hundred
spear-bearing, war-making, glory-blessed men.
That was a warlike army. That army’s commanders
did not seek after the weak for that cavalcade of warriors,
those who for their youth could not yet defend
with their hands their breast-nets against hostile arrows
under their shields nor those who had endured grievous injuries
over the rims of their shield, the pain of bodily injury,
in the boastful play of spears. Grey-haired old men
were not able to prosper in battle among these war-men,
if their strength in the bold troop had diminished,
yet they were chosen by the fruits of warfare,
how they wished to fare among their people,
their pride amid honors, and how their mighty skill
took up the grip of the spear-shaft. (224-46)

Then was the army of hand-eager men gathered,
ready for the forth-ways. Their standard rode high,
brightest of trees. They all still waited until
the journey-herald near to the sea-streams
broke through the clouds, light over their shields. (247-251)

More Exodus

Still going forward slowly. I'm writing an article on material objects in Beowulf that's been taking most of my free time, so the translation has been dribbling out until the summer brings more free time.

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There in their masses, a fearful message was come,
pursuit from inland. Fright stood tall, slaughter-terror of the army.
The exile expected the hateful pursuer, who had long before
assigned them homeless oppression, woe affixed in torments.
They reckoned not the pledges, although before their king of old… (135-141)

XLV

Then one became the keeper of the patrimony for his people,
for the men after their treasures, so that he received so much.
The kindred of Egypt forgot all of this after they became cruel
without hesitation. So then they made murder upon his kin-friends,
brought about crimes, devouring their compacts.
There were battle-waves banded about their hearts,
the strong-minded men. With evil troth they wished to repay
life’s reward with wickedness, so that they would purchase
their day’s work with blood, with the people of Moses,
wherever Mighty God had given them success on that fatal journey. (142-53)

Then the heart of the earls became distrusting of them
after they had seen the horde of Pharaoh moving forth
from the south-ways, carrying boar-spears, their cavalry shining—
their pikes arrayed, approaching battle, the cover of their shields
shining, their trumpets singing—their standards were raised,
treading the borders of their tribe up to the whale[-road ...] (154-61)

The battle-birds screamed out, greedy for carnage, dewy-feathered
over the fallen soldiers, the dark ravens. Wolves sang
a terrible evening-song, hopeful for food, the reckless beasts,
awaiting scavenger-brave the fall of the people’s power
on that hateful trail. The border-guards screamed out in the middle
of the night, their fated spirit flew: the people were troubled. (162-69)

Sometimes from that army proud thanes cross the mile-paths
upon the backs of their horses. There in front of the border-army
the banner-king, the prince of men rode against the banners.
The battle-warden of men fastened his grim helmet,
the king clasped his chin-guard, his standard shining,
in the hopes for war, rattling his slaughter-links,
and ordering his vanguard to eagerly hold his troopers fast.
His allies witnessed with hateful eyes the coming of the land-men.
About Pharaoh warriors unafraid moved, grey killing-wolves
seeking warfare, thirsty for violence and the lord-faithful. (170-82)

He had chosen from the multitude of people two thousand
of the glory-blessed for himself, so that there were kings
and their kinsmen, in the customs of that common wealth,
dear to the noblemen. Therefore each led out all of his male
warriors of which he could find in that space of time. (183-89)