éarendlesléoþ
ingwine húnfriþ
éarendel nówend þú mid alorum gebide·
scéope þú scipu siþþan scéade béamas
beorca seolfrenra for sǽgengena wicgum
tú ⁊ hundseofontig for getrume gearwod·
mid fægerum seglum ⁊ seolfrenum léohtfatum
wæs swancéol tungles torhte gebytled
stíerde wada wélandes fæder
fífela hyrde of fámetena stóle
on windláce farende fámes blóstman·
under mónan gewite merehwearfe feor·
under steorrena léoht on stréamum benorðan
áswife lagustrǽta lange þráge·
éalá éarendel ielfa beorhtost
ofer middangeard mannum sended
⁊ sóþfæsta sunnan léoma
torht ofer tunglu þú tída gehwane
of selfum þé simle inlíhtest :~
Éarendel’s Song
Mariner Éarendel, amidst the alders¹ you waited,
you shaped ships after splitting beams
of silver birches² for seafarers’ steeds,
two and seventy, readied for the host.³
With fair sails⁴ and silver lanterns⁵
the star’s swanship⁶ was brightly built.
Under Móna you went far from the sea-wharf,
Wada steered, Wéland’s father,
the fífels’ warder, away from the foam-ettins’ throne,
traveling on Windlác, the foam’s flower.⁷
Under light of stars in northerly waters⁸
you wandered sea-streets for a long season.
Hail Éarendel, brightest of elves,
and the true radiance of Sunne,
sent to men over middle-earth,
splendid beyond the stars; each season you,
from your own self, ever illuminate.⁹
notes
¹ cf. Song of Eärendil 2 · Arvernien, potentially inspired by the Gallic Arverni tribe, wherein the element verni may relate to *wernā ‘alder’ (cf. the modern French reflex Auvergne :: vergne ‘alder’)
² cf. Song of Eärendil 4 · Nimbrethil ‘white (nim) silver birch (brethil)’
³ cf. Orendel 234 · zwên und sibenzig kiele
⁴ cf. Song of Eärendil 5 · her sails he wove of silver fair
⁵ cf. Song of Eärendil 6 · of silver were her lanterns made
⁶ cf. Song of Eärendil 7 · her prow was fashioned like a swan
⁷ Windlác ‘wind-gift, wind-play’; cf. Quenya Vingilótë ‘foam-flower,’ Thomas Speght’s Guingelot, Walter William Skeat’s Wingelock; Metres of Boethius 26 on fífelstréam fámigbordon “on the fífel-stream with foamy banks”; Elene 237 ofer fífelwǽg fámige “over the foamy fífel-wave”
⁸ cf. Song of Eärendil 21-22 · Beneath the Moon and under star / he wandered far from northern strands
⁹ cf. Crist 104-108 · engla → ielfa