woful adj.

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TR5.1366 "Ǎnd íf yǒw líkěth knówěn óf thě fárě
TR5.1367 Ǒf mé, whǒs wó thěr máy nǒ wít dǐscrývě,
TR5.1368 Ǐ kán nǎmóre hǔt, chíste ǒf évery̌ cárě,
TR5.1369 Ǎt wrýty̌ng óf thǐs léttre Ǐ wás ǒn-lývě,
TR5.1370 Ǎl rédy̌ óut my̌ wófǔl góst tǒ drývě,
TR5.1371 Whǐch Í děláye, ǎnd hólde hy̌m yét ǐn hóndě,
TR5.1372 Ǔpón thě síghte ǒf mátěre óf yǒure sóndě.

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translations (Windeatt: 1998):  ‘And if you care to hear what state I am in—receptacle of every sorrow! —whose misery no wit can describe, I cannot say any more than that at the time of writing this letter I was alive, all prepared to drive out my unhappy spirit, which I am holding back and delaying until I see the content of your message.
  • Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): もしも貴女は小生がどうしているか知りたいと思われれば、しかし小生の悲しみをどんな賢人も言い表せないでしょうが、すべての悲しみの入れ物たる小生は、こうとしか申せません。この手紙を書いている時は生きていたと言うだけです。小生は悲嘆に暮れる魂をすでに離脱させる準備ができていて、貴女の言伝の内容を見るまで、ためらい、まだそれを難脱させることを延ばしているのです。
  • Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 你若仍可垂顾我这不可言喻的苦境,我只能说在写这信的一刻我还呼吸着,不过我这柔弱的愁魂早欲消逝;但我暂时仍在勉强拼凑,不使其完全失散,静待你的来音以定去止。

Word Information

  • Etymology: From wo, n.
  • Addresser: Troilus (in his letter)
  • Addressee: Criseyde
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): 4.36
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: soul (Troilus’ soul), or human beings (male: Troilus)
  • 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 ‘cler’ (adj. Tr5.1338).