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,
5
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!
10
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!
15
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,
20
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
25
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,
30
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,
35
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,
40
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;
45
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,
50
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,
55
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,
60
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
65
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,
70
torhtlicne tiir,
sumum tæfle cræft,
bleobordes gebregd.
Sume boceras
weorþað wisfæste.
Sumum wundorgiefe
þurh goldsmiþe
gearwad
weorþað[?];
ful oft he gehyrdeð
ond gehyrsteð wel,
75
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.
80
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.
85
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,
90
oþþæt se wælisca
wædum ond dædum
his ætgiefan
eaðmod weorþeð
ond to hagostealdes
honda gelæred.
Swa wrætlice
weoroda
nergend[?]
geond middangeard
monna cræftas
95
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.