Svartsot — Æthelred song lyrics and translation
The page contains the lyrics and English translation of the song "Æthelred" by Svartsot.
Lyrics
Som Ælfthryth sønnen barsled',
Da såedes skæbnens sæd,
En halv snes år var han, da Englands højsæde rømmet stod.
Dog kun den yngst' kongsemne,
Hans moder kunn' ej dy,
Hos rådmænd råd hun søgte,
Den ældst' mått' ryddes af vej.
Ædel-råd var det, han hed,
Af væsen ej helt sandt,
På hans skatte og hans arv,
Ville andre gøre krav.
Vikinger våged' agtsomt,
Havde set hans verden før,
Iagttog med ivrigt øje,
Indkaldt' mænd og sejled' did.
Ti tusinde pund rent sølver,
For at trække os fra hans kyst,
Næste gang vi rider bølgen,
Skal vi have tyve tusinde mere.
Ej på slagmark vandt han sejr,
Selv om han prøved' længe,
Hans bravest' og hans bedste,
Blev sorte ravnes rov.
Men riget reddes skulle,
Og gode råd var dyre,
Hans råd tilråded' gælden,
At dæmpe danskens rasen.
Og dansken kom til kongen,
Med fordringer til kamp,
(Men) med skibe fyldt med skatte,
Loved' de at sejle bort.
Ti tusinde pund han gav dem,
Af skærest' sølvertøj,
Da dansken atter landed',
Fik de tyve tusinde mere.
Ti tusinde pund rent sølver,
For at trække os fra hans kyst,
Næste gang vi rider bølgen,
Skal vi have tyve tusinde mere.
Indfries én gang gælden,
Sagde rådets mænd så tit,
Indfries danegælden,
Bli’r vi aldrig dansken kvit.
Ti tusinde pund rent sølver,
For at trække os fra hans kyst,
Næste gang vi rider bølgen,
Skal vi have tyve tusinde mere.
Lyrics translation
As Ælfthryth son barsled',
Then the seed of fate was sown,
A dozen years he was when England's seat was vacated.
However, only the ynst ' kongsemne,
His mother could not dy,
At aldermen council she sought,
The oldest " mat " is cleared away.
Noble advice was his name,
Of being not entirely true,
On his treasures and his legacy,
Would others make claims.
Vikings watched carefully,
Had seen his world before,
Watched with keen eye,
Summoned 'men and sailed' did.
Ten thousand pounds of pure silver,
To pull us off his Coast,
Next time we ride the wave,
We need twenty thousand more.
Ej on battlefield he won victory,
Although he tried ' long,
His bravest and his best,
Became the prey of black ravens.
But the kingdom was to be saved,
And good advice was expensive,
His advice advised ' the debt,
To subdue the fury of the Danes.
And the Danish came to the King,
With claims to battle,
(But) with ships filled with treasures,
They Loved to sail away.
Ten thousand pounds he gave them,
Of cut silverware,
When the Dane again landed',
They got twenty thousand more.
Ten thousand pounds of pure silver,
To pull us off his Coast,
Next time we ride the wave,
We need twenty thousand more.
Repay the debt once,
Did the council's men say so often,
Is the Danegeld redeemed,
We'll never get even.
Ten thousand pounds of pure silver,
To pull us off his Coast,
Next time we ride the wave,
We need twenty thousand more.