Krapp and Dobbie, 1936 147-9; Krapp, G.P. and Dobbie, E.V.K., The Exeter Book, ASPR 3 (New York).
Hwæt, me frod wita
on fyrndagum
sægde, snottor ar,
sundorwundra fela.
Wordhord
onwreah[?] witgan larum
beorn boca gleaw,
bodan ærcwide,
5
þæt ic soðlice
siþþan meahte
ongitan bi þam gealdre
godes agen bearn,
wilgest on wicum,
ond þone wacran swa some,
scyldum bescyredne,
on gescead
witan[?].
þæt mæg æghwylc mon
eaþe geþencan,
10
se þe hine
ne[?] læteð
on þas lænan tid
amyrran his gemyndum
modes gælsan
ond on his dægrime
druncen[?] to rice,
þonne monige beoð
mæþelhegendra[?],
wlonce wigsmiþas
winburgum in,
15
sittaþ æt symble,
soðgied wrecað,
wordum wrixlað,
witan fundiaþ
hwylc æscstede
inne in ræcede
mid werum wunige,
þonne win hweteð
beornes breostsefan.
Breahtem stigeð,
20
cirm on corþre,
cwide scralletaþ
missenlice.
Swa beoþ modsefan
dalum gedæled,
sindon dryhtguman
ungelice.
Sum on oferhygdo
þrymme
þringeð[?],
þrinteð him in innan
25
ungemedemad mod;
sindan to monige þæt!
Bið þæt æfþonca
eal gefylled
feondes fligepilum,
facensearwum;
breodað he ond bælceð,
boð his sylfes
swiþor micle
þonne se sella mon,
30
þenceð þæt his wise
welhwam þince
eal unforcuþ.
Biþ þæs oþer swice,
þonne he þæs facnes
fintan sceawað.
Wrenceþ he ond blenceþ,
worn geþenceþ
hinderhoca,
hygegar leteð,
35
scurum sceoteþ.
He þa scylde ne wat
fæhþe gefremede,
feoþ[?] his betran
eorl fore æfstum,
læteð inwitflan
brecan þone burgweal,
þe him bebead meotud
þæt he þæt wigsteal
wergan
sceolde[?],
40
siteþ symbelwlonc,
searwum læteð
wine gewæged
word ut faran,
þræfte þringan
þrymme gebyrmed,
æfæstum onæled,
oferhygda ful,
niþum nearowrencum.
Nu þu cunnan meaht,
45
gif þu þyslicne
þegn gemittest
wunian in wicum,
wite þe be þissum
feawum forðspellum
þæt þæt biþ feondes bearn
flæsce bifongen,
hafað fræte lif,
grundfusne gæst
gode orfeormne,
50
wuldorcyninge.
þæt se witga song,
gearowyrdig guma,
ond þæt gyd awræc:
"Se þe hine sylfne
in þa sliþnan tid
þurh oferhygda
up ahlæneð,
ahefeð heahmodne,
se sceal hean wesan
55
æfter neosiþum
niþer gebiged,
wunian witum fæst,
wyrmum beþrungen.
þæt wæs geara iu
in godes rice
þætte mid englum
oferhygd astag,
widmære gewin.
Wroht ahofan,
60
heardne heresiþ,
heofon
widledan[?],
forsawan hyra sellan,
þa hi to swice þohton
ond þrymcyning
þeodenstoles
ricne beryfan,
swa hit ryht ne wæs,
ond þonne gesettan
on hyra sylfra dom
65
wuldres wynlond.
þæt him wige forstod
fæder frumsceafta;
wearð him seo feohte to grim.
ðonne bið þam oþrum
ungelice
se þe her on eorþan
eaðmod leofað,
ond wiþ gesibbra gehwone
simle healdeð
70
freode on folce
ond his
feond[?] lufað,
þeah þe he him abylgnesse
oft gefremede
willum in þisse worulde.
Se mot wuldres dream
in haligra hyht
heonan astigan
on engla eard.
Ne biþ þam oþrum swa,
75
se þe on ofermedum
eargum dædum
leofaþ in leahtrum,
ne beoð þa lean gelic
mid wuldorcyning."
Wite þe be þissum,
gif þu eaðmodne
eorl gemete,
þegn on þeode,
þam bið simle
80
gæst gegæderad
godes agen bearn
wilsum in worlde,
gif me se witega ne leag.
Forþon we sculon a hycgende
hælo rædes
gemunan in mode
mæla gehwylcum
þone selestan
sigora waldend.