Song of Alba

Modern English

Here begins the tale, | and tells of a voice

Who’s natural roots lie | in Angulus land

The Anglii people, | whose kin of England

Their fortune tells of | the great migration

Middle English

    Few accompt this tale, | little bilæuens.

     Few ah-ccohmpt this tahle | leh-ttle beh-lau-ens (remain)

Many sung the deeds | a dead kings art heroes.

Mahny suhng the deeds | Ah dead kings art huh-roes (of) (and)

Over the whale’s river | into Alba’s island

Oh-veh the hwals rivier | Eeen-toh Ahl-bahs Eeens-laaahnd

Anglii poure on shor, | waves halt art listeth.

Ahn-gleee pour-en ohn shore | waaah-vehs halt art list-eth

Old English

Níehst Saxons fléote, | Anglii ond Alba ábídan

Kneest Sax-ons fleo-eh | Ahn-gleee ond Ahl-bahs ah-beed-an

Gewisse se sum, | se heóþbremel temes.

Guh-wiss-eh seh soom | seh heoth-bruhm-el tuhm-ehs

Grete Bryten sang na wallerwente | má sum ædsceaft merse,

Greet Bryt-ehn sahng nah Wahller-went-eh | mah soom ahds-ceh-ahft mehre-seh

Na heóþbremel nymðe brim. | sum ælemidde reord bewód

Nah heoth-bruhm-el nymth-eh breem | soom aluhm-idd-eh reh-ord buh-wohd

Song of Alba " Old English

(Next the Saxon’s sail | Anglii and Alba await)

(Gewisse the certain | the wild rose of river thames)

(Great Britain sang not Celtic | rather a new tune)

(Not a wild rose nor a flood | the middle tongue emerges)