Verse Indeterminate Saxon Oft him anhaga are gebideð, metudes miltse, þeah þe he modcearig geond lagulade longe sceolde hreran mid hondum hrimcealde sæ, 5 wadan wræclastas. Wyrd bið ful aræd! Swa cwæð eardstapa, earfeþa gemyndig, wraþra wælsleahta, winemæga hryre: "Oft ic sceolde ana uhtna gehwylce mine ceare cwiþan. Nis nu cwicra nan 10 þe ic him modsefan minne durre sweotule asecgan. Ic to soþe wat þæt biþ in eorle indryhten þeaw, þæt he his ferðlocan fæste binde, healde his hordcofan, hycge swa he wille. 15 Ne mæg werig mod wyrde wiðstondan, ne se hreo hyge helpe gefremman. Forðon domgeorne dreorigne oft in hyra breostcofan bindað fæste; swa ic modsefan minne sceolde, 20 oft earmcearig, eðle bidæled, freomægum feor feterum sælan, siþþan geara iu goldwine minne hrusan heolstre biwrah, ond ic hean þonan wod wintercearig ofer waþema gebind, 25 sohte sele dreorig sinces bryttan, hwær ic feor oþþe neah findan meahte þone þe in meoduhealle min mine wisse, oþþe mec freondleasne frefran wolde, weman mid wynnum. Wat se þe cunnað, 30 hu sliþen bið sorg to geferan, þam þe him lyt hafað leofra geholena. Warað hine wræclast, nales wunden gold, ferðloca freorig, nalæs foldan blæd. Gemon he selesecgas ond sincþege, 35 hu hine on geoguðe his goldwine wenede to wiste. Wyn eal gedreas! Forþon wat se þe sceal his winedryhtnes leofes larcwidum longe forþolian, ðonne sorg ond slæp somod ætgædre 40 earmne anhogan oft gebindað. þinceð him on mode þæt he his mondryhten clyppe ond cysse, ond on cneo lecge honda ond heafod, swa he hwilum ær in geardagum giefstolas breac. 45 ðonne onwæcneð eft wineleas guma, gesihð him biforan fealwe wegas, baþian brimfuglas, brædan feþra, hreosan hrim ond snaw, hagle gemenged. þonne beoð þy hefigran heortan benne, 50 sare æfter swæsne. Sorg bið geniwad, þonne maga gemynd mod geondhweorfeð; greteð gliwstafum, georne geondsceawað secga geseldan. Swimmað eft on weg! Fleotendra ferð no þær fela bringeð 55 cuðra cwidegiedda. Cearo bið geniwad þam þe sendan sceal swiþe geneahhe ofer waþema gebind werigne sefan. Forþon ic geþencan ne mæg geond þas woruld for hwan modsefa min ne gesweorce, 60 þonne ic eorla lif eal geondþence, hu hi færlice flet ofgeafon, modge maguþegnas. Swa þes middangeard ealra dogra gehwam dreoseð ond fealleþ, forþon ne mæg weorþan wis wer, ær he age 65 wintra dæl in woruldrice. Wita sceal geþyldig, ne sceal no to hatheort ne to hrædwyrde, ne to wac wiga ne to wanhydig, ne to forht ne to fægen, ne to feohgifre ne næfre gielpes to georn, ær he geare cunne. 70 Beorn sceal gebidan, þonne he beot spriceð, oþþæt collenferð cunne gearwe hwider hreþra gehygd hweorfan wille. Ongietan sceal gleaw hæle hu gæstlic bið, þonne ealre þisse worulde wela weste stondeð, 75 swa nu missenlice geond þisne middangeard winde biwaune weallas stondaþ, hrime bihrorene, hryðge þa ederas. Woriað þa winsalo, waldend licgað dreame bidrorene, duguþ eal gecrong, 80 wlonc bi wealle. Sume wig fornom, ferede in forðwege, sumne fugel oþbær ofer heanne holm, sumne se hara wulf deaðe gedælde, sumne dreorighleor in eorðscræfe eorl gehydde. 85 Yþde swa þisne eardgeard ælda scyppend oþþæt burgwara breahtma lease eald enta geweorc idlu stodon. Se þonne þisne wealsteal wise geþohte ond þis deorce lif deope geondþenceð, 90 frod in ferðe, feor oft gemon wælsleahta worn, ond þas word acwið: "Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago? Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa? Hwær cwom symbla gesetu? Hwær sindon seledreamas? Eala beorht bune! Eala byrnwiga! 95

• published: 10 Sep 2010
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