This is a translation of Caedmon's Song from Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum. The OE West Saxon version and its Modern English translation are given below. All comments welcome.
Si mauya men laita Maitaro melehte,
Ortir Araniéva, ar Indómeya,
Alcataro carme, an ilye elmendín,
Oira Héru, acárie yesse.
Cáres minyasse Cemeno firyain
Armenel i untúpa, Aina Maitar;
Ta Endamar, atanion varno,
Aina Artaher, epetai cáre,
Cén cuinaron, Cundo meletya.
OE:
Nu we sculon herigean heofonrices weard,
meotodes meahte ond his modgeþanc,
weorc wuldorfæder, swa he wundra gehwæs,
ece drihten, or onstealde.
He ærest sceop eorðan bearnum
heofon to hrofe, halig scyppend;
þa middangeard moncynnes weard,
ece drihten, æfter teode
firum foldan, frea ælmihtig.
ME:
Now we must praise the Protector of the heavenly kingdom,
the might of the Measurer and His mind's purpose,
the work of the Father of Glory, as He for each of the wonders,
the eternal Lord, established a beginning.
He shaped first for the sons of the Earth
heaven as a roof, the Holy Maker;
then the Middle-World, mankind's Guardian,
the eternal Lord, made afterwards,
solid ground for men, the almighty Lord.
Jeremiah Burns Jun 21, 2013 (10:21)
With regards to the mode: in alliterative verse, are you meant to ignore the fact that there are separate lines, just as if you're reading a narrative? For example, I know there's a "pause" in the middle of each line. Fine. But at the end of the fifth line, there is no comma or full-stop. Do I pause, or carry on smoothly into the next line?
My instinct is to not pause.