Mód-snoterra

Folc-raedenne

Forth gehycgan,
Thaer witena bíth
Worn aetsomne.

Sum maeg wraetlice
Weorc ahycgan
Heáh-timbra gehwaes;
90 Hand bith gelaered,
Wis and gewealden,
Swá bíth wyrhtan riht,
Séle asettan ;

Can he sídne raeced

Faeste gefegan

With faer-dryrum.

Sum mid handum maeg

Hearpan grétan,

Ah he gleó-beámes

100 Geáro-brygda list.

Sum bith rynig.

Sum riht scýtta.
Sum leotha gleáw.

Sum on lande snell,

Féthe spédig.

Sum fealone waeg
Stefnan steóreth.

Streám-ráde can,

Weorudes wísa

110 Ofer wídne holm,

Thónne sae-rófe

Goldes and gimma,

Thónne him gumena weard
Háteth, him tó maerthum,

120 Máthm renian.

Sum maeg waepen-thraege,
Wige tó nýtte,
Mód-craeftig smith,
Manige gefremman,
Thónne he gewyrceth
Tó wera hilde

Helm oththe hup-seax,
Oththe heathu-byrnan,
Scírne méce,

130 Oththe scýldes rond

140

150

Faeste gefegeth,

With flýge gáres.

Sum bíth árfaest,

And aelmes georn,
Theawum gethýded.

Sum bith thegn gehweorf
On meódu-healle.

Sum bíth meáres gleáw,
Wicg-craefta wís.

Sum gewealden-mód
Thafath in gethylde
Thaet he thonne sceal.

Sum dómas can,

Thaer dryht-guman

Raed eáhtiath.

Sum bíth hraed taefle.

Sum bith gewitig

Aet win-thege,

Beór-hyrde gód.

Sum bíth bylda til
Hám tó hebbanne.

160

Sum bith here-toga,

Fyrd-wísa fróm.

Sum bith folc-wita.
Sum bith, aet thearfe
Thrist-hydigra.

Thegn mid his theódne.
Sum gethyld hafath,
Faest-gongel feorh.
Sum bíth fugel-bóna,
Hafoces craeftig

Sum bith tó horse hwat.

Sum bith swith-snell,
Hafath searolic

Gámen gleó-daeda,

Gife for gum-thegnum,
Leoht and leothu-wác.

Sum bith leofwende,

Hafath mód and word 170 Mannum gethwaere. Sum hér geornlice Gaestes thearfe

Móde bewindeth,

And him Metudes aest,

Ofer eorth-wélan

Ealne, geceóseth.

Sum bíth deór-mód

Deofles gewinnes;

Bíth á with firenum

180 In gefeóht geáro.
Sum craeft hafath
Circ-nýtta fela;

Maeg, on lóf-sangum,
Lifes Waldend

Hlúde hérgan;

Hafath heálice

190

Beorhte stefne.

Sum bíth bóca gleáw,

Lárum leóthu-faest.

Sum bíth list-hendig

Tó awrítanne

Word-gerynu.

Nis nú ofer eorthan

Aenig manna

Móde thaes craeftig,
Ne thaes maegen-eácen,

Thaet hí aefre ánum
Ealle weorthon

Gegeárwade,

200 Thý-laes him gilp scéthe, Oththe, for thaere maerthe,

Mód astige,

Gif he hafath ána,

Ofer ealle menn,

Wlite and wisdóm,
And weorca blaed;
Ac He missenlíce

Manna cynne
Gylpes stýreth,

210 And his gyfe brýttath:

Sumum on cystum;

Sumum on craeftum ;

Sumum on wlite;

Sumum on wíge;

Sumum he syleth manna

Milde heortan,

Theawfaestne gethóht.

Sum bíth theódne hold.
Swá weorthlice

220 Wide tó-sáweth

Dryhten his duguthe.

A thaes dóm áge,
Leoht-baere lóf,

Se us this lif gyfeth,
And his milde mód
Mannum cytheth!

XVI. POEM ON THE VARIOUS FORTUNES OF MEN.

Ful oft thaet gegangeth

Mid Godes meahtum,

Thaette wer and wif

In woruld cennath

Bearn mid gebyrdum,
And mid bleóm gyrwath,
Témiath and taecath,

Oth-thaet seó tíd cymeth,
Gegaeth, gear-rímum,

10 Thaet thá geongan leomu,

Líffaestan leothu,

Gelodne weorthath.

Fergath swá and féthath

Faeder and modor,

Gyfath and gyrwath;

God ána wát

Hwaet him weaxendum

Winter bringath.

Sumum thaet gegangeth,

20 On geoguth-feore,