Ageless Words Friday: Bede’s Death Song

A well-known author and scholar, Bede (c. 672 A.D.. – 26 May 735 A.D.) is most famous for his work Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (The Ecclesiastical History of the English People). Bede (also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede) was a monk at the Northumbrian monasteries of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth[1] and Saint Paul in Jarrow. He was also a skilled translator and linguist, and wrote many works of a scientific, historical and theological nature. On his deathbed he is said to have composed the following five lines of verse, known as Bede’s Death Song.

[2]For þam nedfere    næni wyrþeþ

þances snotera,        þonne him þearf sy

to gehicgenne                       ær his heonengange

hwæt his gaste                     godes oþþe yfeles

æfter deaþe heonon            demed weorþe.

English Translation:

Bede’s Dying Words – Translation by Anthony Cronin

Before the inevitable hour looms

When, however unwilling,

You must face the final court

You cannot give enough thought

To the state of your account,

Its balance of good and evil,

For when that hour arrives

It will be too late

To add or subtract,

Regret or amend.

For more information about Bede, his works or the time he lived in, visit the Labyrinth; a wonderful assemblage of links and resources by Georgetown University, or visit the Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Wikipedia also has an article about his life and works, including various links.

I'll be back on Monday with some more fiction and the next instalment of VfH. Enjoy your weekend!

Bede

---

[1] Today part of Sunderland.

[2] Anglo-Saxon text and translation by Anthony Cronin taken from The Word Exchange, published by W.W. Norton in 2011.