Note on the text: TK.
Ic axie þe, hwæt sprycst þu? Hwæt hæfst þu weorkes? |
I ask you, what do you say? What work do you have? |
Ic eom ȝeanwyrde monuc, 7 sincȝe ælce dæȝ seofon tida mid ȝebroþrum, 7 ic eom bysȝod [missing word] 7 on sanȝe, ac þeahhwæþere ic wolde betwenan leornian sprecan on leden ȝereorde. |
I am a monk, a fluent speaker, and I sing seven times each day with my brothers, and I am occupied in [reading] and in singing, but nevertheless I would like to learn to speak Latin in my spare time. |
Hwæt cunnon þas þine ȝeferan? |
What do these, your companions, know how to do? |
Summe synt yrþlincgas, sume scephyrdas, sume oxanhyrdas, sume eac swylce huntan, sume fisceras, sume fuȝeleras, sume cypmenn, sume scewyrhtan, sealteras, bæceras. |
Some are plowmen, some shepherds, some herdsmen, some also hunters, some fishermen, some fowles, some merchants, some tailors, dealers in salt, bakers. |
Hwæt sæȝest þu yrþlingc? Hu begæst þu weorc þin? |
What do you say, plowman? How do you do your work? |
Eala, leof hlaford, þearle ic deorfe. Ic ȝa ut on dæȝræd þywende oxan to felda, 7 iuȝie hiȝ to syl; nys hit swa stearc winter þæt ic durre lutian æt ham for eȝe hlafordes mines, ac ȝeiukodan oxan, 7 ȝefæstnodon sceare 7 cultre mid þære syl, ælce dæȝ ic sceal erian fulne æcer oþþe mare. |
Alas, dear lord, I work hard. I go out at daybreak, driving the oxen to the field, and yoke them to the plow; it is not so rough winter that I dare remain at home for fear of my lord, but yoked oxen, and fastened the plowshare and the coulter with the plow; each day I must plow a whole acre or more. |