The Exeter Book (Jebson)/The Fortunes of Men

The Fortunes of Men Verse Indeterminate Saxon    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, </dd> <dt>20</dt> <dd> 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 </dd> <dt>25</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>30</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>35</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>40</dt> <dd> 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; </dd> <dt>45</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>50</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>55</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>60</dt> <dd> 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 </dd> <dt>65</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>70</dt> <dd> torhtlicne tiir,          sumum tæfle cræft, bleobordes gebregd. Sume boceras weorþað wisfæste. Sumum wundorgiefe þurh goldsmiþe          gearwad weorþað; ful oft he gehyrdeð          ond gehyrsteð wel, </dd> <dt>75</dt> <dd> 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. </dd> <dt>80</dt> <dd> 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. </dd> <dt>85</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>90</dt> <dd> oþþæt se wælisca          wædum ond dædum his ætgiefan          eaðmod weorþeð ond to hagostealdes          honda gelæred. Swa wrætlice          weoroda nergend geond middangeard          monna cræftas </dd> <dt>95</dt> <dd> 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. </dd> </dl>