Ludwigslied
9. Jahrhundert rheinfränkisch

Einan kuning uueiz ih,         Heizsit her Hluduig,
Ther gerno gode thionot:         Ih uueiz her imos lonot.
Kind uuarth her faterlos.         Thes uuarth imo sar buoz:
Holoda inan truhtin,         Magaczogo uuarth her sin.


5

Gab her imo dugidi,         Fronisc githigini,
Stuol hier in Vrankon.         So bruche her es lango!
Thaz gideilder thanne         Sar mit Karlemanne,
Bruoder sinemo,         Thia czala uuunniono.
So thaz uuarth al gendiot,         Koron uuolda sin god,


10

Ob her arbeidi         So iung tholon mahti.
Lietz her heidine man         Obar seo lidan,
Thiot Vrancono         Manon sundiono.
Uuurdun sum erkorane,         Sume sar verlorane.
Haranskara tholota         Ther er misselebeta.


15

Ther ther thanne thiob uuas,         Ind er thanana ginas,
Nam sina vaston:         Sidh uuarth her guot man.
Sum uuas luginari,         Sum skachari,
Sum fol loses,         Ind er gibuozta sih thes.
Kuning uuas ervirrit,         Thaz richi al girrit,


20

Uuas erbolgan Krist:         Leidhor, thes ingald iz.
Thoh erbarmedes got,         Uuisser alla thia not:
Hiez her Hluduigan         Tharot sar ritan:
'Hluduig, kuning min,         Hilph minan liutin!
Heigun sa Northman         Harto biduuungan';


25

Thanne sprah Hluduig:         'Herro, so duon ih,
Dot ni rette mir iz,         Al thaz thu gibiudist'.
Tho nam her godes urlub,         Huob her gundfanon uf,
Reit her thara in Vrankon         Ingagan Northmannon.
Gode thancodun         The sin beidodun,


30

Quadhun al 'fro min,         So lango beidon uuir thin'.
Thanne sprah luto         Hluduig ther guoto:
'Trostet hiu, gisellion,         Mine notstallon.
Hera santa mih god         Ioh mir selbo gibod,
Ob hiu rat thuhti,         Thaz ih hier gevuhti,


35

Mih selbon ni sparoti,         Uncih hiu gineriti.
Nu uuillih thaz mir volgon         Alle godes holdon.
Giskerit ist thiu hieruuist         So lango so uuili Krist:
Uuili her unsa hinavarth,         Thero habet her giuualt.
So uuer so hier in ellian         Giduot godes uuillion,


40

Quimit he gisund uz,         Ih gilonon imoz,
Bilibit her thar inne,         Sinemo kunnie'.
Tho nam her skild indi sper.         Ellianlicho reit her:
Uuolder uuar errahchon         Sinan uuidarsahchon.
Tho ni uuas iz burolang,         Fand her thia Northman:


45

Gode lob sageda,         Her sihit thes her gereda.
Ther kuning reit kuono,         Sang lioth frano,
Ioh alle saman sungun         'Kyrrieleison'.
Sang uuas gisungan,         Uuig uuas bigunnan,
Bluot skein in uuangon:         Spilodun ther Vrankon.


50

Thar vaht thegeno gelih,         Nichein soso Hluduig:
Snel indi kuoni,         Thaz uuas imo gekunni.
Suman thuruhskluog her,         Suman thuruhstah her.
Her skancta cehanton         Sinan fianton
Bitteres lides.         So uue hin hio thes libes!


55

Gilobot si thiu godes kraft:         Hluduig uuarth sigihaft;
Ioh allen heiligon thanc!         Sin uuarth ther sigikamf.
Uuolar abur Hluduig,         Kuning uilo salig!
So garo soser hio uuas,         So uuar soses thurft uuas.
Gihalde inan truhtin         Bi sinan ergrehtin.

Aus: Niemeyer Verlag Althochdeutsches Lesebuch
Handschrift: Bibliothek Valenciennes Cod.150 S.141b-143a