Hwæt! Ic swefna cyst secgan wylle, Lo! I will tell of the best of dreams, hwæt me gemætte to midre nihte, what I dreamed in the middle of the night, syðþan reordberend reste wunedon! after the speech-bearers were in bed. Þuhte me þæt ic gesawe syllicre treow It seemed to me that I saw a very wondrous tree on lyft lædan, leohte bewunden, lifted into the air, enveloped by light, beama beorhtost. Eall þæt beacen wæs the brightest of trees. That beacon was all begoten mid golde. Gimmas stodon covered with gold. Gems stood fægere æt foldan sceatum, swylce þær fife wæron beautiful at the surface of the earth, there were five also uppe on þam eaxlegespanne. Beheoldon þær engel dryhtnes ealle, up on the central joint of the cross. All those fair through eternal decree gazed fægere þurh forðgesceaft. Ne wæs ðær huru fracodes gealga, [on] the angel of the Lord. [It] was certainly not a wicked person’s gallows there, ac hine þær beheoldon halige gastas, but holy spirits, men over the earth, men ofer moldan, ond eall þeos mære gesceaft. and all this famous creation gazed on him. Syllic wæs se sigebeam, ond ic synnum fah, Wondrous was that tree of victory, and I stained with sins forwunded mid wommum. Geseah ic wuldres treow, wounded sorely with defects, I saw the tree of glory, wædum geweorðode, wynnum scinan, honoured with garments, shining joyously, gegyred mid golde; gimmas hæfdon adorned with gold. Gems had bewrigene weorðlice wealdendes treow. splendidly covered the Lord’s tree. Hwæðre ic þurh þæt gold ongytan meahte I was able, however, to perceive through the gold, earmra ærgewin, þæt hit ærest ongan the ancient hostility of wretched ones, [that] it first began swætan on þa swiðran healfe. Eall ic wæs mid sorgum gedrefed, to bleed on the right side. I was all troubled with grief, forht ic wæs for þære fægran gesyhðe. Geseah ic þæt fuse beacen I was afraid in the presence of that beautiful sight. I saw that noble beacon wendan wædum ond bleom; hwilum hit wæs mid wætan bestemed, change its coverings and colour; sometimes it was drenched with moisture, beswyled mid swates gange, hwilum mid since gegyrwed. soaked with the flow of blood, sometimes adorned with treasure. Hwæðre ic þær licgende lange hwile Nevertheless, I, lying a long time there, beheold hreowcearig hælendes treow, gazed troubled at the Saviour’s tree, oððæt ic gehyrde þæt hit hleoðrode. until I heard it speak. Ongan þa word sprecan wudu selesta: The most excellent tree then began to speak the words: "Þæt wæs geara iu, (ic þæt gyta geman), It was years ago (that, I still remember), þæt ic wæs aheawen holtes on ende, that I was cut down from the edge of the forest, astyred of stefne minum. Genaman me ðær strange feondas, removed from my foundation. Strong enemies seized me there, geworhton him þær to wæfersyne, heton me heora wergas hebban. they made me into a spectacle for themselves, commanded me to lift up their criminals. Bæron me ðær beornas on eaxlum, oð ðæt hie me on beorg asetton, Men carried me there on their shoulders, until they set me on a hill, gefæstnodon me þær feondas genoge. Geseah ic þa frean mancynnes many enemies secured me there. Then I saw mankind’s Lord efstan elne mycle þæt he me wolde on gestigan. hasten with great zeal, that he wished to climb upon me. Þær ic þa ne dorste ofer dryhtnes word There, I did not dare break to pieces or bow down bugan oððe berstan, þa ic bifian geseah against the Lord’s words, when I saw the surface eorðan sceatas. Ealle ic mihte of the earth tremble. I was able to destroy feondas gefyllan, hwæðre ic fæste stod. all the enemies, nevertheless, I stood firmly. Ongyrede hine þa geong hæleð, (þæt wæs god ælmihtig), The young hero stripped himself then (that was God Almighty), strang ond stiðmod. Gestah he on gealgan heanne, strong and resolute. He ascended onto the high gallows, modig on manigra gesyhðe, þa he wolde mancyn lysan. brave in the sight of many, there, [since] he wished to release mankind. Bifode ic þa me se beorn ymbclypte. Ne dorste ic hwæðre bugan to eorðan, I trembled when the man embraced me. However, I dared not bow down to the earth, feallan to foldan sceatum, ac ic sceolde fæste standan. fall to the surface of the earth, but I had to stand fast. Rod wæs ic aræred. Ahof ic ricne cyning, I was raised [as a] cross. I lifted up the mighty king, heofona hlaford, hyldan me ne dorste. the lord of the heavens; I dared not bend down. Þurhdrifan hi me mid deorcan næglum. On me syndon þa dolg gesiene, They pierced me with dark nails. On me, the scars are visible, opene inwidhlemmas. Ne dorste ic hira nænigum sceððan. open malicious wounds. I did not dare injure any of them. Bysmeredon hie unc butu ætgædere. Eall ic wæs mid blode bestemed, They mocked both of us, together. I was all drenched with blood, begoten of þæs guman sidan, siððan he hæfde his gast onsended. covered from the man’s side, after he had sent forth his spirit. Feala ic on þam beorge gebiden hæbbe I endured many cruel events wraðra wyrda. Geseah ic weruda god on that hill. I saw the Lord of Hosts þearle þenian. Þystro hæfdon severely stretched out. Darkness bewrigen mid wolcnum wealdendes hræw, had covered the bright radiance scirne sciman, sceadu foro ēode, of the Lord’s corpse with clouds, a shadow went forth, wann under wolcnum. Weop eal gesceaft, dark under the sky. All of creation wept, cwiðdon cyninges fyll. Crist wæs on rode. they lamented the king’s death. Christ was on the cross. Hwæðere þær fuse feorran cwoman Nevertheless, eager ones came there from afar to þam æðelinge. Ic þæt eall beheold. to the prince. I beheld all that. Sare ic wæs mid sorgum gedrefed, hnag ic hwæðre þam secgum to handa Grievously I was afflicted with sorrow, yet I bowed to the hands of the men, eaðmod, elne mycle. Genamon hie þær ælmihtigne god, humble, with great zeal. There they took God Almighty, ahofon hine of ðam hefian wite. Forleton me þa hilderincas they lifted him up out of the oppressive torment. The warriors abandoned me standan steame bedrifenne; eall ic wæs mid strælum forwundod. to stand, covered with moisture; I was wounded very badly with arrows. Aledon hie ðær limwerigne, gestodon him æt his lices heafdum, They laid him down there, weary-limbed; they positioned themselves at his body’s head, beheoldon hie ðær heofenes dryhten, ond he hine ðær hwile reste, there they gazed at the Lord of heaven, and he, rested himself there for a while, meðe æfter ðam miclan gewinne. Ongunnon him þa moldern wyrcan weary after the great battle. The men began to make a sepulcher for him beornas on banan gesyhðe; curfon hie ðæt of beorhtan stane, in the sight of his slayer; they carved it out of bright stone; gesetton hie ðæron sigora wealdend. Ongunnon him þa sorhleoð galan they put him, the Lord of Victories, therein. The wretched began to sing him a song of sorrow earme on þa æfentide, þa hie woldon eft siðian, in the evening-time, then they wanted to go again, meðe fram þam mæran þeodne, reste he ðær mæte weorode. wearily from the glorious prince. He rested there with little company. Hwæðere we ðær greotende gode hwile Nevertheless, we stood in a fixed position, stodon on staðole, syððan stefn up gewat weeping for a good while, after the voice of the warriors hilderinca. Hræw colode, went up. The corpse cooled, fæger feorgbold. Þa us man fyllan ongan beautiful dwelling of the soul. Then they began to cut us all ealle to eorðan. Þæt wæs egeslic wyrd! down to the earth. That was a dreadful event! Bedealf us man on deopan seaþe. Hwæðre me þær dryhtnes þegnas, We were buried in a deep pit. However, the Lord’s disciples, freondas gefrunon, friends, discovered me there, ond gyredon me golde ond seolfre. and adorned me [with] gold and silver. Nu ðu miht gehyran, hæleð min se leofa, Now you can hear, my beloved hero, þæt ic bealuwara weorc g ebiden hæbbe, what work of the evildoers that I have experienced, sarra sorga. Is nu sæl cumen the painful grief. The time is now come þæt me weorðiað wide ond side that men over the earth and all this illustrious creation menn ofer moldan, ond eall þeos mære gesceaft, far and wide honour me, gebiddaþ him to þyssum beacne. On me bearn godes they pray to this sign. On me, God’s son þrowode hwile. Forþan ic þrymfæst nu suffered a time. Therefore, now I rise up hlifige under heofenum, ond ic hælan mæg glorious under the heavens, and I am able to heal æghwylcne anra, þara þe him bið egesa to me. each one of those who hold me in awe. Iu ic wæs geworden wita heardost, Formerly, I was the most fierce of torments, leodum laðost, ær þan ic him lifes weg most hateful to people, before I opened the right rihtne gerymde, reordberendum. path of life to them, the speech-bearers. Hwæt, me þa geweorðode wuldres ealdor Lo, the prince of glory, the guardian of the kingdom of the heavens, ofer holmwudu, heofonrices weard! honoured me over all the trees of the forest! Swylce swa he his modor eac, Marian sylfe, Just as he, Almighty God, before all men, ælmihtig god for ealle menn honoured his mother also, Mary herself, geweorðode ofer eall wifa cynn. over all womankind. Nu ic þe hate, hæleð min se leofa, Now I command you, my beloved warrior, þæt ðu þas gesyhðe secge mannum, that you tell this vision to men, onwreoh wordum þæt hit is wuldres beam, reveal in words that it is the tree of glory, se ðe ælmihtig god on þrowode on which Almighty God suffered for mancynnes manegum synnum for mankind’s many sins ond Adomes ealdgewyrhtum. and Adam’s deeds of old, Deað he þær byrigde, hwæðere eft dryhten aras He tasted death there. However, the Lord arose again mid his miclan mihte mannum to helpe. to help men with his great power. He ða on heofenas astag. Hider eft fundaþ Then he ascended into the heavens. Hither again, the Lord, Himself, on þysne middangeard mancynn secan will set out into this world on domdæge dryhten sylfa, to seek mankind on the day of judgement, ælmihtig god, ond his englas mid, Almighty God and His angels with Him, þæt he þonne wile deman, se ah domes geweald, since He who has power of judgement, He then will sentence anra gehwylcum swa he him ærur her each one, just as he shall have earned on þyssum lænum life geearnaþ. for himself here in this temporary life. Ne mæg þær ænig unforht wesan Nor can there be any unafraid there for þam worde þe se wealdend cwyð. because of the words which the Lord shall say: Frineð he for þære mænige hwær se man sie, He shall ask before the multitude, where the man might be, se ðe for dryhtnes naman deaðes wolde who for the name of the Lord would taste biteres onbyrigan, swa he ær on am beame dyde. bitter death, as He did before on the cross. Ac hie þonne forhtiað, ond fea þencaþ But then they fear, and few think of hwæt hie to Criste cweðan onginnen. what to begin to say to Christ. Ne þearf ðær þonne ænig anforht wesan None needs to be afraid [of] þe him ær in breostum bereð beacna selest, of [he] who already bears on his breast the best of signs, ac ðurh ða rode sceal rice gesecan but through the cross, each soul must seek of eorðwege æghwylc sawl, the kingdom from the earthly way, seo þe mid wealdende wunian þenceð.” those who intend to dwell with the Lord. Gebæd ic me þa to þan beame bliðe mode, Then I prayed to the cross with friendly spirit, elne mycle, þær ic ana wæs with great zeal, where I was alone mæte werede. Wæs modsefa with little company. My mind was afysed on forðwege, feala ealra gebad impelled on the way hence, it experienced very many langunghwila. Is me nu lifes hyht times of longing. Now this is my life’s joyous expectation þæt ic þone sigebeam secan mote that I may seek the tree of victory ana oftor þonne ealle men, and honour [it] well well weorþian. Me is willa to ðam most often of all men. The desire for that is mycel on mode, ond min mundbyrd is great in my heart, and my patronage is geriht to þære rode. Nah ic ricra feala directed to the cross. I do not have many freonda on foldan, ac hie forð heonon powerful friends on earth, since they departed away hence gewiton of worulde dreamum, sohton him wuldres cyning, from the joys of the world, they sought the King of Glory; lifiaþ nu on heofenum mid heahfædere, now they live in the heavens with God the Father. wuniaþ on wuldre, ond ic wene me They dwell in glory, and each day daga gehwylce hwænne me dryhtnes rod, I look forward to the time when the cross of the Lord þe ic her on eorðan ær sceawode, that I previously saw here on the earth, on þysson lænan life gefetige in this temporary life, will fetch me, ond me þonne gebringe þær is blis mycel, and will then bring me to where great bliss is, drēam on heofonum, þær is dryhtnes folc joy in the heavens, where the Lord’s people are geseted to symble, þær is singal blis, seated at the feast, where perpetual joy is; ond me þonne asette þær ic syþþan mot then it may set me, where afterwards I might wunian on wuldre, well mid þam halgum dwell in glory, with the saints dreames rucan. Si me dryhten freond, to enjoy bliss well. May the Lord be a friend to me, se ðe her on eorþan ær þrowode who suffered here on earth before on þam gealgtreowe for guman synnum. on the gallows-tree for men’s sins; He us onlysde ond us lif forgeaf, he redeemed us and gave us life, heofonlicne ham. Hiht wæs geniwad a heavenly home. Joy was restored mid bledum ond mid blisse þam þe þær bryne þolodan. with blessings and with bliss, for those who endured the fire there. Se sunu wæs sigorfæst on þam siðfate, The Son was triumphant on that expedition, mihtig ond spedig, þa he mid manigeo com, mighty and successful, when he came with the multitude, gasta weorode, on godes rice, the host of souls, into God’s kingdom, anwealda ælmihtig, englum to blisse the Lord Almighty, to the delight of the angels, ond eallum ðam halgum þam þe on heofonum ær and of all the saints, who in the heavens before wunedon on wuldre, þa heora wealdend cwom, dwelled in glory, when their Ruler, the Almighty ælmihtig god, þær his eðel wæs. God came, where his homeland was.