woful adj.

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TR4.1135 Thĕ wófŭl téerĭs thát thĕy létĕn fállĕ
TR4.1136 Ăs bíttrĕ wérĕn, óut ŏf térĭs kýndĕ,
TR4.1137 Fŏr péyne, ăs ís lĭgne álŏés ŏr gállĕ --
TR4.1138 Sŏ bíttrĕ téerĭs wéep nŏught, ás Ĭ fýndĕ,
TR4.1139 Thĕ wófŭl Mírră thŏrúgh thĕ bárk ănd rýndĕ --
TR4.1140 Thăt ín thĭs wórld thĕr nýs sŏ hárd ăn hértĕ
TR4.1141 Thăt nólde hăn réwĕd ón hĭre péynĕs smértĕ.

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translations (Windeatt: 1998): Because of the pain, those sorrowful tears that they let fall were as bitter (quite beyond the nature of tears) as lign-aloes or gall — the woeful Myrrha did not weep forth such bitter tears through the bark, as I discover. There is not so hard a heart in this world that would not have pitied their keen sufferings!
  • Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): 彼らが流す悲しい涙は、苦痛のあまり、本来の涙と違って、アロエの木か胆汁と同じように、苦かった。私が本で見出す如く、これほどの苦い涙を悲しむミュラーさえミルラの樹皮から流さなかった。そのため彼らの激しい苦痛を気の毒に思わないような無情なひどい心の持ち主はこの世にいないだろう。
  • Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 他们流着心酸的泪,苦得不像是泪,简直和芦荟脂或胆汁一般。我没有尝过这样的苦味,除非是没药树的树皮里流出的苦液;世上任般铁石的心肠也不能不为他俩伤感。

Word Information

  • Etymology: From wo, n.
  • Addresser: Narrator
  • Addressee: N/A
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A (but see 4.115-6)
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: supernatural beings (Myrrha)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: Not quoted
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003): N/A
  • Fisher (1989): N/A
  • Benson (1987): N/A
  • Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
  • Donaldson (1975): N/A
  • Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

sad, sorrowful

Comments from the Editor

See my comment of ‘bitter’ (adj., Tr4.1136).