lef adj. & adv.

2023-06-22 Uncategorized

TR3. 456 Bǔt ít wǎs spókěn ín sǒ shórt ǎ wísě,
TR3. 457 Ǐn swích ǎwáit ǎlwéy, ǎnd ín swǐch féerě,
TR3. 458 Lěst ány̌ wíght děvýněn ór děvýsě
TR3. 459 Wǒlde óf hěm twó, ǒr tó ǐt láye ǎn érě,
TR3. 460 Thǎt ál thǐs wórld sǒ léef tǒ hém ně wérě
TR3. 461 Ǎs thát Cǔpídě wólde hěm grácě séndě
TR3. 462 Tǒ mákěn óf hǐre spéche ǎríght ǎn éndě.

Line Information

Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
English translations (Windeatt: 1998): But everything was spoken so briefly, and always in such watchfulness and in such fear, in case anyone should be suspicious or conjecture about the two of them, or overhear anything, that this whole world was less precious to them than Cupid’s sending them the grace to carry their conversation to a conclusion.
Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): しかし誰かが二人のことを疑ったり推測したり、また立ち開きするといけないから、話し合いは、いつも大変手短に、大変警戒して、大変びくびくして行なわれた、だからクピードがたっぷり最後まで二人に話をさせてくれる恵みをくださることほど彼らにはこの世でありがたいことはなかった。
Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 两人谈话时很是慌忙，怕被人察觉，所以切望可必德开恩，让他俩好谈个痛快。

Word Information

Etymology: OE
Addresser: Narrator
Addressee: N/A
Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
Noun(s) (NPs) modified: the world
Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

Information in Previous Studies

OED: Not quoted
MED: Not quoted

Commented in other previous works:
Windeatt (2003: 141): leef: dear
Fisher (1989: 455): lef: dear
Benson (1987): N/A
Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
Donaldson (1975: 827): lief: dear
Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

dear, precious, pleasing; attractive

Comments from the Editor

See my comment of ‘dere’ (adj., Tr3.494).