The Fortunes of Men

Krapp and Dobbie, 1936 154-6; Krapp, G.P. and Dobbie, E.V.K., The Exeter Book, ASPR 3 (New York).
 
Ful oft þæt gegongeð,      mid godes meahtum,
 
þætte wer ond wif      in woruld cennað
 
bearn mid gebyrdum      ond mid bleom gyrwað,
 
tennaþ ond tætaþ,      oþþæt seo tid cymeð,
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gegæð gearrimum,      þæt þa geongan leomu,
 
liffæstan leoþu,      geloden weorþað.
 
Fergað swa ond feþað      fæder ond modor,
 
giefað ond gierwaþ.      God ana wat
 
hwæt him weaxendum      winter bringað!
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Sumum þæt gegongeð      on geoguðfeore
 
þæt se endestæf      earfeðmæcgum
 
wealic weorþeð.      Sceal hine wulf etan,
 
har hæðstapa;      hinsiþ þonne
 
modor bimurneð.      Ne bið swylc monnes geweald!
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Sumne sceal hungor ahiþan,      sumne sceal hreoh fordrifan,
 
sumne sceal gar agetan,      sumne guð abreotan.
 
Sum sceal leomena leas      lifes neotan,
 
folmum ætfeohtan,      sum on feðe lef,
 
seonobennum seoc,      sar cwanian,
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murnan meotudgesceaft      mode gebysgad.
 
Sum sceal on holte      of hean beame[?]
 
fiþerleas feallan;      bið on flihte seþeah,
 
laceð on lyfte,      oþþæt lengre ne bið
 
westem wudubeames.      þonne he on wyrtruman
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sigeð sworcenferð,      sawle bireafod,
 
fealleþ on foldan,      feorð biþ on siþe.
 
Sum sceal on feþe      on feorwegas
 
nyde gongan      ond his nest beran,
 
tredan uriglast      elþeodigra,
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frecne foldan;      ah he feormendra
 
lyt lifgendra,      lað biþ æghwær
 
fore his wonsceaftum      wineleas hæle.
 
Sum sceal on geapum      galgan ridan,
 
seomian æt swylte,      oþþæt sawlhord,
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bancofa blodig,      abrocen weorþeð.
 
þær him hrefn nimeþ      heafodsyne,
 
sliteð salwigpad      sawelleasne;
 
noþer he þy facne mæg      folmum biwergan,
 
laþum lyftsceaþan,      biþ his lif scæcen,
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ond he feleleas,      feores orwena,
 
blac on beame      bideð wyrde,
 
bewegen wælmiste.      Bið him werig noma!
 
Sumne[?] on bæle sceal      brond aswencan[?],
 
fretan frecne lig[?]      fægne monnan;
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þær him lifgedal      lungre weorðeð,
 
read reþe gled;      reoteð meowle,
 
seo hyre bearn gesihð      brondas þeccan.
 
Sumum meces ecg      on meodubence
 
yrrum ealowosan      ealdor oþþringeð,
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were winsadum;      bið ær his worda to hræd.
 
Sum sceal on beore      þurh byreles hond
 
meodugal mæcga;      þonne he gemet ne con
 
gemearcian his muþe      mode sine,
 
ac sceal ful earmlice      ealdre linnan,
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dreogan dryhtenbealo      dreamum biscyred,
 
ond hine to sylfcwale      secgas nemnað,
 
mænað mid muþe      meodugales gedrinc.
 
Sum sceal on geoguþe      mid godes meahtum
 
his earfoðsiþ      ealne forspildan,
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ond on yldo eft      eadig weorþan,
 
wunian wyndagum      ond welan þicgan,
 
maþmas ond meoduful      mægburge on,
 
þæs þe ænig fira mæge      forð[?] gehealdan.
 
Swa missenlice      meahtig dryhten
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geond eorþan sceat      eallum dæleð,
 
scyreþ ond scrifeð      ond gesceapo healdeð,
 
sumum eadwelan,      sumum earfeþa dæl,
 
sumum geogoþe glæd,      sumum guþe blæd,
 
gewealdenne wigplegan,      sumum wyrp oþþe scyte,
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torhtlicne tiir,      sumum tæfle cræft,
 
bleobordes gebregd.      Sume boceras
 
weorþað wisfæste.      Sumum wundorgiefe
 
þurh goldsmiþe      gearwad weorþað[?];
 
ful oft he gehyrdeð      ond gehyrsteð wel,
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brytencyninges beorn,      ond he him brad syleð
 
lond to leane.      He hit on lust þigeð.
 
Sum sceal on heape      hæleþum cweman,
 
blissian æt beore      bencsittendum;
 
þær biþ drincendra      dream se micla.
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Sum sceal mid hearpan      æt his hlafordes
 
fotum sittan,      feoh þicgan,
 
ond a snellice      snere wræstan,
 
lætan scralletan      sceacol[?], se þe hleapeð,
 
nægl neomegende[?];      biþ him neod micel.
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Sum sceal wildne fugel      wloncne atemian,
 
heafoc on honda,      oþþæt seo heoroswealwe
 
wynsum weorþeð;      deþ he wyrplas on,
 
fedeþ swa on feterum      fiþrum dealne,
 
lepeþ lyftswiftne      lytlum gieflum,
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oþþæt se wælisca      wædum ond dædum
 
his ætgiefan      eaðmod weorþeð
 
ond to hagostealdes      honda gelæred.
 
Swa wrætlice      weoroda nergend[?]
 
geond middangeard      monna cræftas
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sceop ond scyrede      ond gesceapo ferede
 
æghwylcum on eorþan      eormencynnes.
 
Forþon him nu ealles þonc      æghwa secge,
 
þæs þe he fore his miltsum      monnum scrifeð.