Krapp and Dobbie, 1936 134-7; Krapp, G.P. and Dobbie, E.V.K., The Exeter Book, ASPR 3 (New York).
Oft him anhaga
are gebideð,
metudes miltse,
þeah þe he modcearig
geond lagulade
longe sceolde
hreran mid hondum
hrimcealde sæ,
5
wadan wræclastas.
Wyrd bið ful aręd!
Swa cwæð eardstapa,
earfeþa gemyndig,
wraþra wælsleahta,
winemæga hryre:
"Oft ic sceolde ana
uhtna gehwylce
mine ceare cwiþan.
Nis nu cwicra nan
10
þe ic him modsefan
minne durre
sweotule asecgan.
Ic to soþe wat
þæt biþ in eorle
indryhten þeaw,
þæt he his ferðlocan
fæste binde,
healde[?] his hordcofan,
hycge swa he wille.
15
Ne mæg werig mod
wyrde wiðstondan,
ne se hreo hyge
helpe gefremman.
Forðon domgeorne
dreorigne oft
in hyra breostcofan
bindað fæste;
swa ic modsefan
minne sceolde,
20
oft earmcearig,
eðle bidæled,
freomægum feor
feterum sælan,
siþþan geara iu
goldwine
minne[?]
hrusan heolstre biwrah,
ond ic hean þonan
wod wintercearig
ofer
waþema[?] gebind,
25
sohte sele dreorig
sinces bryttan,
hwær ic feor oþþe neah
findan meahte
þone þe in meoduhealle
min[?] mine wisse,
oþþe mec
freondleasne[?] frefran wolde,
weman mid wynnum.
Wat se þe cunnað,
30
hu sliþen bið
sorg to geferan,
þam þe him lyt hafað
leofra geholena.
Warað hine wræclast,
nales wunden gold,
ferðloca freorig,
nalæs foldan blæd.
Gemon he selesecgas
ond sincþege,
35
hu hine on geoguðe
his goldwine
wenede to wiste.
Wyn eal gedreas!
Forþon wat se þe sceal
his winedryhtnes
leofes larcwidum
longe forþolian,
ðonne sorg ond slæp
somod ætgædre
40
earmne anhogan
oft gebindað.
þinceð him on mode
þæt he his mondryhten
clyppe ond cysse,
ond on cneo lecge
honda ond heafod,
swa he hwilum ær
in geardagum
giefstolas breac.
45
ðonne onwæcneð eft
wineleas guma,
gesihð him biforan
fealwe wegas,
baþian brimfuglas,
brædan feþra,
hreosan hrim ond snaw,
hagle gemenged.
þonne beoð þy hefigran
heortan benne,
50
sare æfter swæsne.
Sorg bið geniwad,
þonne maga gemynd
mod geondhweorfeð;
greteð gliwstafum,
georne geondsceawað
secga geseldan.
Swimmað
eft[?] on weg!
Fleotendra ferð
no þær fela bringeð
55
cuðra cwidegiedda.
Cearo bið geniwad
þam þe sendan sceal
swiþe geneahhe
ofer waþema gebind
werigne sefan.
Forþon ic geþencan ne mæg
geond þas woruld
for hwan
modsefa[?] min ne gesweorce,
60
þonne ic eorla lif
eal geondþence,
hu hi færlice
flet ofgeafon,
modge maguþegnas.
Swa þes middangeard
ealra dogra gehwam
dreoseð ond fealleþ,
forþon ne mæg
weorþan[?] wis
wer, ær he age
65
wintra dæl in woruldrice.
Wita sceal geþyldig,
ne sceal no to hatheort
ne to hrædwyrde,
ne to wac wiga
ne to wanhydig,
ne to forht ne to fægen,
ne to feohgifre
ne næfre gielpes to georn,
ær he geare cunne.
70
Beorn sceal gebidan,
þonne he beot spriceð,
oþþæt collenferð
cunne gearwe
hwider hreþra gehygd
hweorfan wille.
Ongietan sceal gleaw hæle
hu gæstlic bið,
þonne
ealre[?] þisse worulde wela
weste stondeð,
75
swa nu missenlice
geond þisne middangeard
winde biwaune
weallas stondaþ,
hrime bihrorene,
hryðge þa ederas.
Woriað þa winsalo,
waldend licgað
dreame bidrorene,
duguþ eal gecrong,
80
wlonc bi wealle.
Sume wig fornom,
ferede in forðwege,
sumne fugel oþbær
ofer heanne holm,
sumne se hara wulf
deaðe gedælde,
sumne dreorighleor
in eorðscræfe
eorl gehydde.
85
Yþde swa þisne eardgeard
ælda scyppend
oþþæt burgwara
breahtma lease
eald enta geweorc
idlu stodon.
Se þonne þisne wealsteal
wise geþohte
ond þis
deorce[?] lif
deope geondþenceð,
90
frod in ferðe,
feor oft gemon
wælsleahta worn,
ond þas word acwið:
"Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago?
Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa?
Hwær cwom symbla gesetu?
Hwær sindon seledreamas?
Eala beorht bune!
Eala byrnwiga!
95
Eala þeodnes þrym!
Hu seo þrag gewat,
genap under nihthelm,
swa heo no wære.
Stondeð nu on laste
leofre duguþe
weal wundrum heah,
wyrmlicum fah.
Eorlas fornoman
asca þryþe,
100
wæpen wælgifru,
wyrd seo mære,
ond þas stanhleoþu
stormas cnyssað,
hrið hreosende
hrusan[?] bindeð,
wintres woma,
þonne won cymeð,
nipeð nihtscua,
norþan onsendeð
105
hreo hæglfare
hæleþum on andan.
Eall is earfoðlic
eorþan rice,
onwendeð wyrda gesceaft
weoruld under heofonum.
Her bið feoh læne,
her bið freond læne,
her bið mon læne,
her bið mæg læne,
110
eal þis eorþan gesteal
idel weorþeð!"
Swa cwæð snottor on mode,
gesæt him sundor æt rune.
Til biþ se þe his treowe gehealdeþ,
ne sceal næfre his torn to rycene
beorn of his breostum acyþan,
nemþe he ær þa bote cunne,
eorl mid elne gefremman.
Wel bið þam þe him are seceð,
115
frofre to fæder on heofonum,
þær us eal seo fæstnung stondeð.