Krapp and Dobbie, 1936 163-6; Krapp, G.P. and Dobbie, E.V.K., The Exeter Book, ASPR 3 (New York).
Wilt þu, fus hæle,
fremdne monnan,
wisne woðboran
wordum gretan,
fricgan felageongne
ymb forðgesceaft,
biddan þe gesecge
sidra gesceafta
5
cræftas cyndelice
cwichrerende,
þa þe
dogra[?] gehwam
þurh dom godes
bringe wundra fela
wera cneorissum!
Is þara anra gehwam
orgeate tacen,
þam þurh wisdom
woruld ealle con
10
behabban on hreþre,
hycgende mon,
þæt geara iu,
gliwes cræfte,
mid gieddingum
guman oft wrecan,
rincas rædfæste;
cuþon ryht sprecan,
þæt a fricgende
fira cynnes
15
ond secgende
searoruna gespon
a gemyndge mæst
monna wiston.
Forþon scyle ascian,
se þe on elne leofað,
deophydig mon,
dygelra gesceafta,
bewritan[?] in gewitte
wordhordes cræft,
20
fæstnian ferðsefan,
þencan forð teala;
ne sceal þæs aþreotan
þegn modigne,
þæt he wislice
woruld fulgonge.
Leorna þas lare.
Ic þe lungre sceal
meotudes mægensped
maran gesecgan,
25
þonne þu hygecræftig
in hreþre mæge
mode gegripan.
Is
sin[?] meaht forswiþ.
Nis þæt monnes gemet
moldhrerendra,
þæt he mæge in hreþre
his heah geweorc
furþor
aspyrgan[?] þonne him frea sylle
30
to ongietanne
godes agen bibod;
ac we sculon þoncian
þeodne mærum
awa to ealdre,
þæs þe us se eca cyning
on gæste wlite
forgiefan wille
þæt we eaðe magon
upcund rice
35
forð gestigan,
gif us on ferðe geneah
ond we willað healdan
heofoncyninges bibod.
Gehyr nu þis herespel
ond þinne hyge gefæstna.
Hwæt,
on[?] frymþe gescop
fæder ælmihtig,
heah hordes weard,
heofon ond eorðan,
40
sæs sidne grund,
sweotule gesceafte,
þa nu in þam þream
þurh þeodnes hond
heaþ ond hebbaþ
þone
halgan[?] blæd.
Forþon eal swa teofanade,
se þe teala cuþe,
æghwylc wiþ oþrum;
sceoldon eal beran
45
stiþe stefnbyrd,
swa him se steora bibead
missenlice gemetu
þurh þa miclan
gecynd[?].
Swa hi to worulde
wlite forþ berað
dryhtnes duguþe
ond his dæda þrym,
lixende lof
in þa longan tid,
50
fremmaþ fæstlice
frean ece word
in þam frumstole
þe him frea sette,
hluttor heofones weard,
healdað georne
mere gemære;
meaht forð tihð
heofoncondelle
ond holmas mid,
55
laþað ond lædeþ
lifes agend
in his anes fæþm
ealle gesceafta.
Swa him wideferh
wuldor stondeþ,
ealra demena
þam gedefestan,
þe us þis lif gescop,
ond þis leohte beorht
60
cymeð morgna gehwam
ofer misthleoþu
wadan ofer wægas
wundrum gegierwed,
ond mid ærdæge
eastan snoweð
wlitig ond wynsum
wera cneorissum;
lifgendra gehwam
leoht forð biereð
65
bronda beorhtost,
ond his brucan mot
æghwylc on eorþan,
þe him eagna gesihð
sigora soðcyning
syllan wolde.
Gewiteð þonne mid þy wuldre
on westrodor
forðmære tungol
faran on heape,
70
oþþæt on æfenne
ut garsecges
grundas pæþeð,
glom oþer cigð;
niht æfter cymeð,
healdeð nydbibod
halgan dryhtnes.
Heofontorht swegl
scir gescyndeð
in gesceaft godes
75
under foldan fæþm,
farende tungol.
Forþon nænig fira
þæs frod leofað
þæt his mæge æspringe
þurh his ægne sped
witan[?],
hu geond grund færeð
goldtorht sunne
in þæt wonne genip
under wætra geþring,
80
oþþe hwa þęs leohtes
londbuende
brucan mote,
siþþan heo ofer brim hweorfeð.
Forþon swa teofenede,
se þe teala cuþe,
dæg wiþ nihte,
deop wið hean,
lyft wið lagustream,
lond wiþ wæge,
85
flod wið flode,
fisc wið yþum.
Ne waciað þas geweorc,
ac he
hi[?] wel healdeð;
stondað[?] stiðlice
bestryþed fæste
miclum meahtlocum
in þam mægenþrymme
mid þam sy ahefed
heofon ond eorþe.
90
Beoð þonne eadge
þa þær in wuniað,
hyhtlic is þæt
heorðwerud[?].
þæt is herga mæst,
eadigra unrim,
engla þreatas.
Hy geseoð symle
hyra sylfra cyning,
eagum on wlitað,
habbað æghwæs genoh.
95
Nis him wihte won,
þam þe wuldres cyning
geseoþ in swegle;
him is symbel ond dream
ece unhwylen
eadgum to frofre.
Forþon scyle mon gehycgan
þæt he meotude hyre;
æghwylc ælda bearna
forlæte idle lustas,
100
læne lifes wynne,
fundige him to lissa blisse,
forlæte heteniþa
gehwone sigan
mid synna fyrnum,
fere him to þam sellan rice.