The version used here is Elaine Treharne's translation in the Old and Middle English Anthology. |
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1 | Listen, I will tell the best of visions, | ||||||
what came to me in the middle of the night, | |||||||
when voice-bearers dwelled in rest. | |||||||
It seemed to me that I saw a more wonderful tree | |||||||
5 | lifted in the air, wound round with light, | ||||||
the brightest of beams. That beacon was entirely | |||||||
cased in gold; beautiful gems stood | |||||||
at the corners of the earth, likewise there were five | |||||||
upon the cross-beam. All those fair through creation | |||||||
10 | gazed
on the angel of the Lord there. There was certainly no gallows of the wicked; |
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but the holy spirits beheld it there, | |||||||
men over the earth and all this glorious creation. | |||||||
Wondrous was the victory-tree, and I stained with sins, | |||||||
wounded with guilts. I saw the tree of glory, | |||||||
15 | honoured with garments, shining with joys, | ||||||
covered with gold; gems had | |||||||
covered magnificently the tree of the forest. | |||||||
Nevertheless, I was able to perceive through that gold | |||||||
the ancient hostility of wretches, so that it first began | |||||||
20 | to bleed on the right side. I was all drenched with sorrows. | ||||||
I
was frightened by the beautiful vision; I saw that urgent beacon |
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change
its covering and colours: sometimes it was soaked with wetness, |
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stained
with the coursing of blood; sometimes adorned with treasure. |
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Yet as I lay there a long while | |||||||
25 | I beheld sorrowful the tree of the Saviour, | ||||||
until I heard it utter a sound; | |||||||
it began to speak words, the best of wood: | |||||||
"That was very long ago, I remember it still, | |||||||
that I was cut down from the edge of the wood, | |||||||
30 | ripped up by my roots. They seized me there, strong enemies, | ||||||
made
me a spectacle for themselves there, commanded me to raise up their criminals. |
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Men
carried me there on their shoulders, until they set me on a hill, |
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enemies
enough fastened me there. I saw then the Saviour of mankind |
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hasten with great zeal, as if he wanted to climb up on me. | |||||||
35 | There I did not dare, against the word of the Lord, | ||||||
bow or break, when I saw the | |||||||
corners of the earth tremble. I might have | |||||||
felled all the enemies; even so, I stood fast. | |||||||
He stripped himself then, young hero - that was God almighty - | |||||||
40 | strong and resolute; he ascended on the high gallows, | ||||||
brave
in the sight of many, when he wanted to ransom mankind. |
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I
trembled when the warrior embraced me; even then I did not dare to bow to earth, |
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fall to the corners of the earth, but I had to stand fast. | |||||||
I was reared a cross. I raised up the powerful King, | |||||||
45 | the Lord of heaven; I did not dare to bend. | ||||||
They pierced me with dark nails; on me are the wounds visible, | |||||||
the open wounds of malice; I did not dare to injure any of them. | |||||||
They mocked us both together. I was all drenched with blood | |||||||
poured out from that man's side after he had sent forth his spirit. | |||||||
50 | I have experienced on that hillside many | ||||||