On swegl faran;
Sigores Agend

Wile up heónan

150 Eard gestigan,
Athelinga Ord,

Mid thas engla gedryhte,
Ealra folca Fruma,
Faeder ethel-stól.”

IX. HYMN ON THE ASCENSION, AND THE HARROWING OF HELL.

IN CONTINUATION OF THE FOREGOING.

617

"We mid thyslice

Threate willath,

Ofer heofona gehlidu,

Hláford fergan

Tó thaere beorhtan byrıg,

Mid thás blithan gedryhte.

Ealra sige-bearna

Thaet seleste

And aetheleste,

10 The ge hér onstáriath,

And in frófre geseóth

Fraetwum blican,

Wile eft swá-theáh

Eorthan maegtha

Sylfa gesecan,

Síde herge,

And thónne gedéman

Daeda gchwylce

Thára the gefremmedon 20 Folc under roderum."

Thá waes wuldres Weard
Wolcnum befangen,
Heáh-engla Cyning,

Ofer hrófas upp,
Háligra Helm ;

Hýht waes geniwad,
Blis in burgum,

Thurh thaes Beornes cyme.

Gesaet sige-hrémig 30 On thá swithran hand

Ece Eád-fruma

Agnum Faeder.

Gewiton him thá gangan
Tó Hierúsalem

Haeleth hyge-rófe,

In thá hálgan burh,
Geomor-móde,

Thónan hý God nyhst
Up-stigendne

40 Eágum segon,

Hyra Will-gifan.

Thaer waes wópes hring

Torne bitolden;

Waes seó treówe lufu

Hat aet heortan;

Hrether innan weoll,

Beorn breost-sefa.

Bidon ealle thaer
Thegnas thrymfulle

50 Theódnes geháta,

In thaere torhtan byrig,
Tyn niht thá-gen,

Swá him-sylf bebeád,
Swegles Agend.

Aer-thón up-stige
Ealles Waldend
On heofona gehyld,
Hwíte cómon

Eorla Eád-gifan,

60 Englas tógeanes.
Thaet is wel cweden
Swá Gewritu secgath,
Thaet him al-beorhte
Englas tógeanes,

In thá hálgan tid,
Heápum cómon

Sígan on swegle.

Thá waes symbla maest
Geworden in wuldre.

70 Wel thaet gedafenath,
Thaet to thaere blisse,
Beorhte gewerede,

In thaes Theódnes burh,

Thegnas cómon,

Weorud wlite-scýne;
Gesegon Will-cuman
On heáh-setle,
Heofones Waldend,
Folca Feorh-gifan,

80 Fraetwum ealles Waldend

Middan-geardes,

And maegen-thrymmes.

Hafath nú se Hálga

Helle bereáfod

Ealles thaes gafoles,
The heó gear-dagum,

In thaet orlege

Unrihte swealg.

Nú sind fore-cumene, 90 And in cwic-susle

Gehynde and gehaefte,
In helle grund,
Duguthum bedaelede,
Deofla cempan.

Ne meahton wither-brogan

Wige spówan,
Waepna wyrpum,

Siththan wuldres Cyning,
Heofon-ríces Helm,

100 Hilde gefremmede

With his eald-feóndum

Anes meahtum,

Thaer he of haefte ahlód

Hutha maeste,

Of feónda byrig,

Folces unrím,

Thisne ilcan threat

The ge hér onstáriath.

Wile nú gesecan 110 Sawla Nergend. Gaesta gif-stól,

Godes ágen Bearn,
Aefter guth-plegan.
Nú ge geare cunnon
Hwaet se hláford is,
Se thisne here laedeth;
Nú ge frómlice
Freóndum tógeanes
Gangath glaed-móde,

120 Geátu ontynath;

Wyle intó eow
Ealles Waldend,

Cyning, on ceastre,
Corthre ne lytle,
Fyrn-weorca Fruma,
Folc gelaedan

In dreáma dream,

The he on deoflum genam Thurh his-sylfes sigor. 130 Sib sceal gemaene Englum and aeldum A forth heónan Wesan wide-ferh. Waer is aetsomne Godes and manna, Gaest-hálig treów Lufe, lifes hýht,

And ealles leohtes gefeán. Hwaet! we nú gehýrdon, 140 Hú thaet Haelu-bearn, Thurh his hyder-cyme, Hals-haeft forgeáf, Gefreóde and gefreothade Folc under wolcnum, Maera Meotudes Sunu;

Thaet nú manna gehwyle
Cwic thendan hér wunath
Geceósan mót

Swá helle hynthu,

150 Swá heofones maerthu ;

Swá thaet leohte leoht,

Swá thá láthan niht;
Swá thrymmes thraece,
Swá thystra wraece;
Swá mid Dryhtne dream,
Swá mid deoflum hreám;
Swá wíte mid wrathum,