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Here’s my translation and performance (with my wife at the end) of the great Palästinalied, this time in Old English. I’ve tried to use cognates of the original Middle High German text, not only because the words are beautiful but also to illustrate just how close German and English were once upon a time. I’ve also mixed up the style a bit here, going for a faster rhythm and higher tone than my other iterations of the song. I hope you like it. Please leave a comment and like the video if you did! You could also help the channel by donating here: Cheers! Follow me on Spotify (The Skaldic Bard): If you'd like to support my work, you can do so here: Thank you for your kindness. Lyrics: Æt frumcyrre mæġ iċ mē weorðian þæs mīn synlīċe ēage siehþ þæt hēore land and ēac þā eorðan þe man swā fela āre ġiefþ. Mē becōm þæt þe iċ ā bæd Iċ eom cumen on þæt ānæd þǣr God mennisċlīċe træd. Sċȳnu land, rīċu and hēoru swā iċ elcor hæbb’ ġesewen. And ār ealra heora bist þū. Becōm wundor forecweðen Þæt ān mæġden ċild ġebær, Drihten engla sið and ǣr, Næs þæt nān wundor wǣr? Hēr onfēng sē clǣna fulwiht Þæt fīras clǣne sīen. Þǣr ofġeaf Hē His frēoriht, Þæt synne ūs ne þīwen. Elcor wǣre man forloren! Wes hāl, spere, rōd and þorn! Wā þē, hǣþen, þæt is þē torn! Forþām þe Hē ūs miltsian wolde hēr swealt Hē þām grimman dēaþe. Sē rīċa ūs þeorfan holde nereþ fram hellesēaþe. Þæt þis þone Hǣlend ne þrēat, Þæt is wundor ealles tō grēat, Ealra wundra mǣst ēad! Þanon rād sē Sunu tō helle of þām græfe þær Hē læġ. Þæs wæs þæs Fæder handġesella, and þæs Gāstes, þe nān mæġ sundor ġedǣlan, biþ eall ān, rihtra þonne reċen flān swā Hē Abrahame āsċān. Þā Hē þone deofol þær niþerode, swā nān cāsere bet ne wāh, aġēncom Hē tō His lēode, Þā ongann Iūdēa wā Þæt Hē, Drihten, heora heord bræc And þæt man on līfe Hine seah, Þone heora hand slōh and wræc. Crīsten, Iūdēas and þā hǣþnan wēnaþ þæt þis heora īerfe sī, God sċeal hit rihte ġesċeādan þurh His hālġan naman þrī. Eall sēo weoruld ċīdeþ hēr, Reðe bēnan sindon wē, Riht is þæt ūs ġēateþ Hē! Please do not redistribute my work without permission. Feel free to email me with any inquiries!
