Bede's Death Song facts for kids
Bede's Death Song is the editorial name given to a five-line Old English poem, supposedly the final words of the Venerable Bede. It is, by far, the Old English poem that survives in the largest number of manuscripts — 35 or 45 (mostly later medieval manuscripts copied on the Continent). It is found in both Northumbrian and West Saxon dialects.
Contents
Text
Recorded in both Northumbrian and West Saxon, as edited in the Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records series (with ‖ representing a medial caesura) the poem reads:
Northumbrian version
Fore thaem neidfaerae ‖ naenig uuiurthit
thoncsnotturra, ‖ than him tharf sie
to ymbhycggannae ‖ aer his hiniongae
huaet his gastae ‖ godaes aeththa yflaes
aefter deothdaege ‖ doemid uueorthae.
West Saxon version
For þam nedfere ‖ næni wyrþeþ
þances snotera, ‖ þonne him þearf sy
to gehicgenne ‖ ær his heonengange
hwæt his gaste ‖ godes oþþe yfeles
æfter deaþe heonon ‖ demed weorþe.
Modern English translation
Literally: Before the necessary journey, no-one will be wiser in thought than he needs to be, to think, before he goes from here, about what of his spirit, of good or of evil, will be judged after his death-day.
In a literal translation by Leo Shirley-Price, the text reads as:
Before setting forth on that inevitable journey, none is wiser than the man who considers—before his soul departs hence—what good or evil he has done, and what judgement his soul will receive after its passing.
Modern Northumbrian translation
A translation into the modern Northumbrian dialect by Richard Oliver Heslop.
Afore thor need-fare ‖ yen is nivvor mair
wise in thowt ‖ than he owt
think what he can ‖ on his way to gan
what tiv his ghaist ‖ o good or ill maist
after his deeth day ‖ doom then may say.
