The Exeter Book (Jebson)/The Order of the World

The Order of the World Verse Indeterminate Saxon    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, </dd> <dt>20</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>25</dt> <dd> 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 </dd> <dt>30</dt> <dd> 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 </dd> <dt>35</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>40</dt> <dd> 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 </dd> <dt>45</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>50</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>55</dt> <dd> 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 </dd> <dt>60</dt> <dd> 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 </dd> <dt>65</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>70</dt> <dd> oþþæt on æfenne          ut garsecges grundas pæþeð,          glom oþer cigð; niht æfter cymeð,          healdeð nydbibod halgan dryhtnes. Heofontorht swegl scir gescyndeð          in gesceaft godes </dd> <dt>75</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>80</dt> <dd> oþþe hwa þ æ s 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, </dd> <dt>85</dt> <dd> 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. </dd> <dt>90</dt> <dd> 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. </dd> <dt>95</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>100</dt> <dd> læne lifes wynne,          fundige him to lissa blisse, forlæte heteniþa          gehwone sigan mid synna fyrnum,          fere him to þam sellan rice. </dd> </dl>