The Exeter Book (Jebson)/Precepts

Precepts Verse Indeterminate Saxon    ðus frod fæder          freobearn lærde, modsnottor mon,          maga cystum eald, wordum wisfæstum,          þæt he wel þunge: "Do a þætte duge,          deag þin gewyrhtu;   5  god þe biþ symle           goda gehwylces  frea ond fultum,           feond þam oþrum  wyrsan gewyrhta.           Wene þec þy betran,  efn elne þis           a þenden þu lifge.  Fæder ond modor           freo þu mid heortan,   10  maga gehwylcne,           gif him sy meotud on lufan.  Wes þu þinum yldrum           arfæst symle,  fægerwyrde,           ond þe in ferðe læt  þine lareowas           leofe in mode,  þa þec geornast           to gode trymmen."  15  Fæder eft his sunu          frod gegrette oþre siþe:          "Heald elne þis!  Ne freme firene,           ne næfre freonde þinum,  mæge man ne geþafa,           þy læs þec meotud oncunne,  þæt þu sy wommes gewita.           He þe mid wite gieldeð,  </dd> <dt>20</dt> <dd> swylce þam oþrum           mid eadwelan." ðriddan syþe          þoncsnottor guma breostgehygdum          his bearn lærde: "Ne gewuna wyrsa,          widan feore,  ængum eahta,           ac þu þe anne genim  </dd> <dt>25</dt> <dd> to gesprecan symle           spella ond lara  rædhycgende.           Sy ymb rice swa hit mæge." Feorþan siðe          fæder eft lærde modleofne magan,          þæt he gemunde þis: "Ne aswic sundorwine,          ac a symle geheald  </dd> <dt>30</dt> <dd> ryhtum gerisnum.           Ræfn elne þis,  þæt þu næfre fæcne weorðe           freonde þinum." Fiftan siþe          fæder eft ongon breostgeþoncum          his bearn læran: "Druncen beorg þe          ond dollic word,  </dd> <dt>35</dt> <dd> man on mode           ond in muþe lyge,  yrre ond æfeste           ond idese lufan.  Forðon sceal æwiscmod           oft siþian,  se þe gewiteð           in wifes lufan,  fremdre meowlan.           þær bið a firena wen,  </dd> <dt>40</dt> <dd> laðlicre scome,           long nið wið god,  geotende gielp.           Wes þu a giedda wis,  wær wið willan,           worda hyrde." Siextan siþe          swæs eft ongon þurh bliðne geþoht          his bearn læran: </dd> <dt>45</dt> <dd> "Ongiet georne          hwæt sy god oþþe yfel,  ond toscead simle           scearpe mode  in sefan þinum           ond þe a þæt selle geceos.  A þe bið gedæled;           gif þe deah hyge,  wunað wisdom in,           ond þu wast geare  </dd> <dt>50</dt> <dd> ondgit yfles,           heald þe elne wið,  feorma þu symle           in þinum ferðe god." Seofeþan siþe          his sunu lærde fæder, frod guma,          sægde fela geongum: "Seldan snottor guma          sorgleas blissað,  </dd> <dt>55</dt> <dd> swylce dol seldon           drymeð sorgful  ymb his forðgesceaft,           nefne he fæhþe wite.  Wærwyrde sceal           wisfæst hæle  breostum hycgan,           nales breahtme hlud." Eahtoþan siþe          eald fæder ongon </dd> <dt>60</dt> <dd> his mago monian          mildum wordum: "Leorna lare          lærgedefe,  wene þec in wisdom,           weoruda scyppend  hafa þe to hyhte,           haligra gemynd,  ond a soð to syge,           þonne þu secge hwæt." </dd> <dt>65</dt> <dd> Nigeþan siþe          nægde se gomola, eald uðwita          sægde eaforan worn: "Nis nu fela folca          þætte fyrngewritu  healdan wille,           ac him hyge brosnað,  ellen colað,           idlað þeodscype;  </dd> <dt>70</dt> <dd> ne habbað wiht for þæt,           þeah hi wom don  ofer meotudes bibod.           Monig sceal ongieldan  sawelsusles.           Ac læt þinne sefan healdan  forð fyrngewritu           ond frean domas,  þa þe her on mægðe gehwære           men forlætaþ  </dd> <dt>75</dt> <dd> swiþor asigan,           þonne him sy sylfum ryht." Teoþan siþe          tornsorgna ful, eald eft ongon          eaforan læran: "Snyttra bruceþ          þe fore sawle lufan  warnað him wommas           worda ond dæda  </dd> <dt>80</dt> <dd> on sefan symle           ond soþ fremeð;  bið him geofona gehwylc           gode geyced,  meahtum spedig,           þonne he mon flyhð.  Yrre ne læt þe           æfre gewealdan,  heah in hreþre,           heoroworda grund  </dd> <dt>85</dt> <dd> wylme bismitan,           ac him warnað þæt  on geheortum hyge.           Hæle sceal wisfæst  ond gemetlice,           modes snottor,  gleaw in gehygdum,           georn wisdomes,  swa he wið ælda mæg           eades hleotan.  </dd> <dt>90</dt> <dd> Ne beo þu no to tælende,           ne to tweospræce,  ne þe on mode læt           men to fracoþe,  ac beo leofwende,           leoht on gehygdum  ber breostcofan.           Swa þu, min bearn, gemyne  frode fæder lare           ond þec a wið firenum geheald." </dd> </dl>