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Anonymous. "Das Ludwigslied." Global Medieval Sourcebook.Transcription by Hannah Frakes (from edition) .
Das Ludwigslied | The Lay of Ludwig
Source Information
Das Ludwigslied | The Lay of Ludwig
by Anonymous
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- Transcription by Hannah Frakes (from edition)
- Translation by Hannah Frakes
- Encoded in TEI P5 XML by Hannah Frakes
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Introduction to Text
Introduction to Text
Das Ludwigslied The Lay of Ludwig
Einan kuning uueiz ih. Heizsit her hluduig. I know a king, Ludwig is his name
Ther gerno gode thionot. Ih uueiz her Imos lonot. Who gladly serves god. I know it was worthwhile for him.
Kind uuarth her faterlos. Thes uuarth Imo sar buoz As a child he was fatherless. There was a replacement for him
Holoda Inan truhtin. Magaczogo uuarth her sin. The lord himself helped him and was his guardian.
5
Gab her imo dugidi. Fronisc gi-thigini. He gave Ludwig companions, a kingly entourage, Stuol hier In urankon. So bruche her es lango The throne of the Franks, For a long time he rejoiced in these gifts!
Thaz gi-deilder thanne. Sar mit karlemanne. The Lordship was shared with Karlmann,
Bruoder sinemo. Thia czala uuunniono. his brother, the sum of the pleasures.
So thaz uuarth al gendiot. Koron uuolda sin god. After this was accomplished. God would test him [to see if]
10
Ob her arbeidi. So Iung tholon mahti. if he could endure hardship while so young Lietz her heidine man. Ober seo lidan. He let heathens come over the sea,
Thiot urancono. Manon sun-diono. so the Franks would pay for their sins.
Sume sar uer-lorane. Uuurdun sum erkorane . Some would be lost immediately, others would be chosen for eternal salvation
Haranskara tholota. Ther er misselebeta . Severe punishments must be suffered by those who have lived in sin.
15
Ther ther thanne thiob uuas. Ind er thanana ginas. Those who had been thieves began to fast, Nam sina uaston. Sidh uuarth her guot man. in this way they saved themselves and became good people.
Sum uuas luginari. Sum skachari . Another was a liar, another a robber
Sum fol loses. Ind er gi-buozta sih thes. a third lived without any control.
Kuning uuas er-uirrit. Thaz richi al girrit.
20
Uuas er-bolgan krist. Leidhor thes Ingald iz. The holy Christ was full of wrath. The kingdom must atone for this! Thoh er-barmedes got. Uuuisser alla thia not. But God was also full of mercy. He knew how dangerous it was
Hiez her hluduigan. Tharot sar ritan. so he commanded Ludwig,
Hluduig kuning min. Hilph · minan liutin. “Ludwig my king, help my people!
Heigun sa north-man. Harto bi-duuungan. They are so oppressed by the Northmen!”
n
Note:
north-man can be translated as normans or northmen, but in this case it is a reference to the vikings (who came from the north)
25
Thanne sprah hluduig. Herro so duon ih. Ludwig replied “Lord, Dot ni rette mir iz. Al thaz . thu gibiudist. if death does not hinder me, I will do all that you command”
Tho nam her godes urlub. Huob her gundfanon uf. he obeyed his God, he raised the war banner
Reit her thara In urankon. Ingagan north-mannon. and rode against the northmen in the land of the Franks.
Gode thancodun. The sin bei-dodun. God was thankful, having awaited him.
Quadhun al fro min. So lango bei-don uuir thin. All said: “Lord, we have waited so long for you!”
30
Thanne sprah luto. Hluduig ther guoto. But with a louder voice Ludwig said Trostet hiu gi-selleon. Mine not-stallon. “Congratulations to you, my companions in arms and my friends,
Hera santa mih god. Ioh mir selbo gibod God sent me and commanded me himself
Ob hiu rat thuhti. Thaz ih hier ge-uuhti. to fight here if it would help you
35
Mih selbon ni sparoti. Un-c ih hiu gi-neriti . and not to spare me till I have saved you. Nu uuill ih thaz mir uolgon. Alle godes holdon. Now it is my wish that all of you who stand in god’s grace will follow me.
Gi-skerit ist thiu hier-uuist. So lango so uuili krist. Our earthly being is measured according to the will of holy Christ.
Uuili her unsa hina-uarth. Thero habet her giuualt. If he wants our death, he has that power.
So uuer so hier In ellian. Gi-duot godes uuillion. I shall reward whoever bravely accomplishes god’s will,
40
Quimit he gi-sund uz. Ih gi-lonon Imoz. Should they survive the battle. If he falls in battle, Bilibit her thar Inne. Sinemo kunnie. I shall give the reward to his relatives
Tho nam her skild Indi sper. Ellianlicho reit her. At this he took a shield and a spear.
Uuolder uuar er-rah-chon. Sina uuidar-sah-chon. He rode bravely ahead. He wanted to speak clearly with his enemy.
Tho ni uuas iz buro-lang. Fand her thia north-man After a short time he came across the northmen.
45
Gode lob sageda. Her sihit thes her gereda. He praised God, now he shall see what he desires! Ther kuning reit kuono. Sang lioth frano. The King burst forth, a sacred song on his lips,
Ioh alle saman sungun. Kirrie-leison. and his men all together sang “Kyrie Eleison”.
Sang uuas gi-sungan. Uuig uuas bi-gunnan. The song was sung, the battle was begun.
Bluot skein In uuangon. Spilodun ther urankon. The blood shone in their cheeks, and the Franks joyfully chased [the enemy].
50
Thar uaht thegeno gelih. Nichein soso hluduig. Every warrior fought, but non like Ludwig, Snel Indi kuoni. Thaz uuas Imo gekunni so brave and so bold? He was born for it.
Suman thuruh-skluog her. Suman thuruh-stah her. He pierced one, he stabbed another.
Her skancta ce hanton. Sinan fianton Without rest he poured out his enemy’s
Bitteres lides. So uue hin hio thes libes. bitter drink. Woe to their lives!
55
Gilobot si thiu godes kraft. Hluduig uuarth sigihaft 55 God's omnipotence was praised: Ludwig became a victor. [I]oh allen heiligon thanc. Sin uuarth ther sigi-kamf Thanks also to all saints! His victory was won.
[U]uolar abur hluduig. Kuning u[n]s[er] fralig. . But to you, Ludwig, salvation, you our king, in battle, full of happiness!
[S]o garo so-s er hio uuas. So uuar so-s es thurft uuas. He was always there, where his help was needed.
Gi-halde inan thruhtin. Bi sinan ergrehtin. God the Lord always keep him in his grace!
Das Ludwigslied The Lay of Ludwig
Einan kuning uueiz ih. Heizsit her hluduig. I know a king, Ludwig is his name
Ther gerno gode thionot. Ih uueiz her Imos lonot. Who gladly serves god. I know it was worthwhile for him.
Kind uuarth her faterlos. Thes uuarth Imo sar buoz As a child he was fatherless. There was a replacement for him
Holoda Inan truhtin. Magaczogo uuarth her sin. The lord himself helped him and was his guardian.
5
Gab her imo dugidi. Fronisc gi-thigini. He gave Ludwig companions, a kingly entourage, Stuol hier In urankon. So bruche her es lango The throne of the Franks, For a long time he rejoiced in these gifts!
Thaz gi-deilder thanne. Sar mit karlemanne. The Lordship was shared with Karlmann,
Bruoder sinemo. Thia czala uuunniono. his brother, the sum of the pleasures.
So thaz uuarth al gendiot. Koron uuolda sin god. After this was accomplished. God would test him [to see if]
10
Ob her arbeidi. So Iung tholon mahti. if he could endure hardship while so young Lietz her heidine man. Ober seo lidan. He let heathens come over the sea,
Thiot urancono. Manon sun-diono. so the Franks would pay for their sins.
Sume sar uer-lorane. Uuurdun sum erkorane . Some would be lost immediately, others would be chosen for eternal salvation
Haranskara tholota. Ther er misselebeta . Severe punishments must be suffered by those who have lived in sin.
15
Ther ther thanne thiob uuas. Ind er thanana ginas. Those who had been thieves began to fast, Nam sina uaston. Sidh uuarth her guot man. in this way they saved themselves and became good people.
Sum uuas luginari. Sum skachari . Another was a liar, another a robber
Sum fol loses. Ind er gi-buozta sih thes. a third lived without any control.
Kuning uuas er-uirrit. Thaz richi al girrit.
20
Uuas er-bolgan krist. Leidhor thes Ingald iz. The holy Christ was full of wrath. The kingdom must atone for this! Thoh er-barmedes got. Uuuisser alla thia not. But God was also full of mercy. He knew how dangerous it was
Hiez her hluduigan. Tharot sar ritan. so he commanded Ludwig,
Hluduig kuning min. Hilph · minan liutin. “Ludwig my king, help my people!
Heigun sa north-man. Harto bi-duuungan. They are so oppressed by the Northmen!”
n
Note:
north-man can be translated as normans or northmen, but in this case it is a reference to the vikings (who came from the north)
25
Thanne sprah hluduig. Herro so duon ih. Ludwig replied “Lord, Dot ni rette mir iz. Al thaz . thu gibiudist. if death does not hinder me, I will do all that you command”
Tho nam her godes urlub. Huob her gundfanon uf. he obeyed his God, he raised the war banner
Reit her thara In urankon. Ingagan north-mannon. and rode against the northmen in the land of the Franks.
Gode thancodun. The sin bei-dodun. God was thankful, having awaited him.
Quadhun al fro min. So lango bei-don uuir thin. All said: “Lord, we have waited so long for you!”
30
Thanne sprah luto. Hluduig ther guoto. But with a louder voice Ludwig said Trostet hiu gi-selleon. Mine not-stallon. “Congratulations to you, my companions in arms and my friends,
Hera santa mih god. Ioh mir selbo gibod God sent me and commanded me himself
Ob hiu rat thuhti. Thaz ih hier ge-uuhti. to fight here if it would help you
35
Mih selbon ni sparoti. Un-c ih hiu gi-neriti . and not to spare me till I have saved you. Nu uuill ih thaz mir uolgon. Alle godes holdon. Now it is my wish that all of you who stand in god’s grace will follow me.
Gi-skerit ist thiu hier-uuist. So lango so uuili krist. Our earthly being is measured according to the will of holy Christ.
Uuili her unsa hina-uarth. Thero habet her giuualt. If he wants our death, he has that power.
So uuer so hier In ellian. Gi-duot godes uuillion. I shall reward whoever bravely accomplishes god’s will,
40
Quimit he gi-sund uz. Ih gi-lonon Imoz. Should they survive the battle. If he falls in battle, Bilibit her thar Inne. Sinemo kunnie. I shall give the reward to his relatives
Tho nam her skild Indi sper. Ellianlicho reit her. At this he took a shield and a spear.
Uuolder uuar er-rah-chon. Sina uuidar-sah-chon. He rode bravely ahead. He wanted to speak clearly with his enemy.
Tho ni uuas iz buro-lang. Fand her thia north-man After a short time he came across the northmen.
45
Gode lob sageda. Her sihit thes her gereda. He praised God, now he shall see what he desires! Ther kuning reit kuono. Sang lioth frano. The King burst forth, a sacred song on his lips,
Ioh alle saman sungun. Kirrie-leison. and his men all together sang “Kyrie Eleison”.
Sang uuas gi-sungan. Uuig uuas bi-gunnan. The song was sung, the battle was begun.
Bluot skein In uuangon. Spilodun ther urankon. The blood shone in their cheeks, and the Franks joyfully chased [the enemy].
50
Thar uaht thegeno gelih. Nichein soso hluduig. Every warrior fought, but non like Ludwig, Snel Indi kuoni. Thaz uuas Imo gekunni so brave and so bold? He was born for it.
Suman thuruh-skluog her. Suman thuruh-stah her. He pierced one, he stabbed another.
Her skancta ce hanton. Sinan fianton Without rest he poured out his enemy’s
Bitteres lides. So uue hin hio thes libes. bitter drink. Woe to their lives!
55
Gilobot si thiu godes kraft. Hluduig uuarth sigihaft 55 God's omnipotence was praised: Ludwig became a victor. [I]oh allen heiligon thanc. Sin uuarth ther sigi-kamf Thanks also to all saints! His victory was won.
[U]uolar abur hluduig. Kuning u[n]s[er] fralig. . But to you, Ludwig, salvation, you our king, in battle, full of happiness!
[S]o garo so-s er hio uuas. So uuar so-s es thurft uuas. He was always there, where his help was needed.
Gi-halde inan thruhtin. Bi sinan ergrehtin. God the Lord always keep him in his grace!
Critical Notes
Translation
Line number 24
Note: north-man can be translated as normans or northmen, but in this case it is a reference to the vikings (who came from the north)
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