XVII. A FATHER'S INSTRUCTION TO HIS

SON.

Thus fród faeder
Freó-bearn laerde,
Mód-snottor guma,
Maega cystum eald,
Wordum wisfaestum,
Thaet he wel thunge:
"Dó á thaette duge;
Deág thin Gewyrhta,
Gód thé bíth symle,
10 Góda gehwylces
Freá and fultum,
Feónd thám othrum.
Wyrsan gewyrhta,
Wéne thee thý betran.
Efn elne this,

A thendan thú lifge :

Faeder and modor

Freó thú mid heortan,

Mága gehwylcne,

20 Gif him sý Meotud on lufan;

Wes thủ thínum yldrum
Arfaest symle,

Faeger worde;

And thé in ferhthe laet

Thine láreowas

Leófe, in móde,

Thá thec geornast
Tó góde trymmon."

Faeder eft his sunu,

30 Fród, gegrette

Othre sithe:

"Heald elne this:

Naefre ne feónde,

Ne naefre freónde,

Ne thínum maege,
Mán ne gethafa,

Thý-laes theo Meotud on-cunne,
Thaet thú sý wommes gewita;
He thé mid wíte gyldeth,
40 Swylce thám othrum

Mid eád-wélan."

Thriddan sithe,
Thane-snottor guma,
Breost-gehygdum,

His bearn laerde:

"Ne gewuna wyrsan, Widon feore,

Aengum eáhta;

Ac thú thé ánne genim 50 Tó gesprecan symle Spella and lára

Raed-hycgendne,

Sý ymb ríce swá hit maege.”

Feórthan sithe,

Faeder eft laerde

Mód-leófne magan,

Thaet he gemunde this:

“Ne aswic sundor-wine,

Ac á symle geheald

60 Rihtum gerisnum ;

Raefn elne this,

Thaet thú naefre faecne weorth
Freónde thinum."

Fiftan sithe,

Faeder eft ongan,
Breost-gethancum,

His bearn laeran :
"Druncen beorg thé

And dollig-word,

70 Mán on móde,

And in muthe lyge,

Yrre and aefeste,

And idese lufan;

Forthón sceal aewisc-mód

Oft sithian

Se-the gewiteth

In wifes lufan,
Fremdre meowlan;

Thaer bíth á firena wén,

80 Láthlicre sceáme,

Lang nith with God,
Geótende gylp.

Wes thú á gydda wís,

Waer, with willan,
Worda hyrde."

Syxtan sithe,

Swaes eft ongan,

Thurh blithne gethóht,
His bearn laeran:

90

66

Ongyt georne

Hwaet sý gód oththe yfel,

And to-sceád simle,

Scearpe móde,

In sefan thínum,

And thé á thaet selre geceós;

A thé bíth gedaeled.

Gif the deáh hyge,

Wunath wisdóm in,

And thú wást geare

100 Andgit yfles,

Heald thé elne with;
Feorma thú symle

In thínum ferhthe gód."

Seofethan sithe

His sunu laerde

Faeder, fród guma,

Saegde fela geongum:

"Seldon snottor guma

Sorgleás blissath,

110 Swylce dol seldon
Drýmeth sorgfull

Ymb his forth-gesceafte.
Nemne he faehthe wíte,
Wer word sceal,

Wisfaest haele,

Breostum hycgan,

Nálles breahtme hlúd."

Eahtothan sithe

Eald faeder ongan

120 His mago monian,

130

Mildum wordum :

66

Leorna láre,

Laer gedefe,

Wéne thec in wísdóm,

Weoruda Scyppend

Hafa thé tó hýhte,

Háligra gemynd,
And á sóthe tó-sýh,

Thónne thú secge hwaet.”

Nigethan sithe

Naegde se gomola,

Eald uth-wita

Saegde eaforan worn:

"Nis nú fela folca,

Thaette fyrn-gewritu
Healdan wille,

Ac him hyge brosnath,

Ellen cólath,

Idlath theódscype,

140 Ne habbath wiht for thaet,

Theáh hí wom dón

Ofer Meotudes bebod;
Manig sceal ongyldan
Sawel-susles.

Ac laet thinne sefan healdan

Fyrn-forth-gewritu,

And Freán dómas,

Thá-the hér on maegtha gehwaere

Menn forlaetath

150 Swithor asígan

Thonne him sý sylfum riht."

Teothan sithe,

Torn-sorgna full,
Eald eft ongan
Eaforan laeran :

"Snyttra bruceth,
The, for sawle lufan,
Warnath him wommas

Worda and daeda,

160 On sefan symle,

And sóth fremmeth;

Bíth him geofena gehwylc
Gode ge-ýced,
Meahtum spédig,

Thónne he mán flýhth.

Yrre ne laet thé

Aefre gewealdan,

Heáhne in hrethre,