Thursday, March 12, 2009

school work

In case any of you were wondering what old English looked like, here it is, along with a literal word for word translation, and a modern day meaning translation. A good rule of thumb to go by with translations is that they are a lot like wives: if they are faithful, they certainly aren't beautiful, and if they are beautiful, they certainly aren't faithful. I don't have the proper symbols for a lot of it, so all the p's stand for a letter that looks like a p, but isn't a p and sounds much more like a th. Not everything is perfect, but hey, I got an A, so here it is. Each line is immediately followed with its translation.


Translating Abraham and Isaac from OE

God wolde pa fandian Abrahames gehiersumnesse, and clipode his
God wanted then test Abraham’s obedience, and called his
God wanted to test Abraham’s obedience, and called his

naman, and cwæp him pus to: “Nim pinne ancennedan sunu Isaac, pe pu
name and said him thus to: Take thy only begotten son Isaac whom you
name and said to him, “Take thy only begotten son Isaac, whom you

lufast, and far to pam lande Visiones hrape, and geoffra hine pær uppan anre
love and travel to the land Visiones quickly and sacrifice him there upon a
love, and quickly travel to the land Visiones to sacrifice him there on the

dune.” Abraham pa aras on pære ilcan nihte, and ferde mid twam cnapum to
mountain. Abraham then arose on that same night, and went with two servants to
mountain. That same night, Abraham arose with two servants, and with Isaac

pam fierlenan lande, and Isaac samod, on assum ridende. Da on pam priddan dæge,
that distant land and Isaac with on ass ride. Then on the third day
riding on an ass, they travelled to that distant land. On the third day,

pa hie pa dune gesawon pær pær hie to scolden to ofsleanne Isaac, pa cwæp
when they that mountain look where they to should to sacrifice Isaac, then said
while looking at the mountain for a place to sacrifice Isaac,

Abraham to pam twam cnapum pus: “Anbidiap eow her mid pam assum sume
Abraham to the two servants thus: Wait you all here with the as some
Abraham said to the two servants: “Wait here with the ass a

hwile. Ic and pæt cild gap unc to gebiddenne , and we sippan cumap sona
time. I and the child go us two to pray, and we afterwards come then
while. The child and I are going to pray, and afterwards we will come back

eft to eow.” Abraham pa het Isaac beran pone wudu to pære stowe, and
again to you. Abraham then ordered Isaac carry the wood to the place, and
to you.” Abraham then ordered Isaac to carry the wood to the place

he self baer his sweord and fyr. Isaac pa ascode Abraham his fæder: “Fæder
he self carry his sword and fire. Isaac then asked Abraham his father: Father
while he carried his sword and the fire. Isaac then asked Abraham: “My Father,

min, ic ascie hwær seo offrung sie; her is wudu and fyr,” Him andwyrde se fæder,
my, I ask where the offering is; here is wood and fire, Him answered the father,
where is the offering? We have wood and fire.” Abraham answered,

“God forescæwap, min sunu, him self pa offrunge.” Hie comon pa to pære stowe
God will provide, my son, him self the offering. They came then to the place
“God will provide for Himself the offering my son.” They then came to the place

pe him gesweotolode God, and he pære weofod arærde on pa ealdan wisan, and
that him revealed God, and he there altar erected in the old manner, and
God revealed, and there erected an altar as was customary.

pone wudu gelogode swa swa he hit wolde habban to his suna bærnette sippan
the wood arranged just as he it wanted to have for his son burning afterwards
He arranged the wood for burning his son just as he wanted it to be after the

he ofslægen wurde. He geband pa his sunu, and his sweord ateah, paet he
he slayed happen. He bound then his son, and his sword drew forth, so that he
slaying. He then bound his son, and drew forth his sword to

hine geoffrode on pa ealdan wisan. Mid pam pe he wolde pæt weorc beginnan, pa
him sacrificed in the old manner. When he wanted the task to begin, then
sacrifice him the old way. When he was about to start,

clipode Godes engel arodlice of heofonum, “Abraham!” He andwyrde sona.
called God’s angel quickly from heaven, Abraham! He answered immediately.
God’s angel called quickly from heaven, “Abraham!” He answered immediately.

Se engel him cwæp pa to: “Ne acwele pu pæt cild, ne pine hand ne astrece
The angel him said then to: Not kill you the child, nor your hand nor stretch out
The angel said to him: “Do not kill the child, nor stretch out your hand

ofer his sweoran! Nu ic oncneow soplice pæt pu swipe ondraetst God, nu pu
over his neck! Now that I recognize truly that you greatly fear God, now you
over his neck! I recognize now that you truly and greatly fear God, and would slay

pinne ancennedan sunu ofslean woldest for him.”
your only begotten son to slay would for him.
your only begotten son for Him.”

Da beseah Abraham sona underbæc and gaseah pær anne ramm
Then looked Abraham immediately behind and saw there a ram
Abraham immediately looked behind him and saw a ram

betweox pam bremelum be pam hornum gehæft, and he ahefde pone ramm to
among the briers by the horns caught, and he lifted up the ram to
caught by the horns in the brier, and he lifted the ram up to

pære offrunge and hine pær ofsnap Gode to lace for his sunu Isaac. He
the offering and him there slaughtered God to sacrifice for his son Isaac. He
the offering and slaughtered him there as a sacrifice to God for his son Isaac. He

het pa pa stowe Dominus videt, pæt is “God gesiehp,” and giet is gesægd
named then the place Dominus videt, that is “God sees,” and still is said
then named the place Dominus videt, that is “God sees” and is still called,

swa, In Monte Dominus videbit, pæt is “God gesiehp on dune.” Eft clipode se
thus, In Monte Dominus videbit, that is “God sees on mountain.” Again called the
In Monte Dominus videbit, that is “God sees on the mountain.” The angel

engel Abraham and cwæp, “Ic swerie purh me selfne, sægde se Ælmihtiga, nu pu
angel Abraham and said, “I swear through me self, said the Almighty, now you
called Abraham again and said, “I swear, said the Almighty, since you

noldest arian pinum ancennedan suna, ac pe wæs min ege mare ponne his lif, ic
would not spare your only begotten son, but you was my fear more than his life, I
would not spare your only begotten son, but feared me more than his life, I

pe nu bletsie and pinne ofspring gemanigfealde swa swa steorran on heofonum
you now bless and your offspring multiply just as stars in heavens
now bless you, and your offspring shall multiply just as the stars in the heavens

and swa swa sandceosol on sæ. Din offspring sceal agan hira feonda gatu,
and just as grains of sand in sea. Your offspring shall own their enemies gates,
and just as the grains of sand in the sea. Your offspring shall rule their enemies,

and on pinum sæde beop ealle peoda gebletsode for pam pe pu gehiersumodest
and in your seed will be all people blessed because you obeyed
and because you obeyed my command, all people will be blessed through your

minre hæse pus.”
my command in this way.”
seed.

Abraham pa gecierde sona to his cnapum and ferdon him ham
Abraham then returned immediately to his servants and travelled them home
Abraham then returned immediately to his servants and they travelled home

swa mid heofonlicre bletsunge.
so with heavenly blessing.
with a heavenly blessing.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

i scrolled to the end after the first two lines of translation.... i do not envy you at all. but really proud that you got an A. good job Shaun!