The Exeter Book (Jebson)/The Wanderer

The Wanderer Verse Indeterminate Saxon    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 ar æ d! 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,  </dd> <dt>20</dt> <dd> 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,  </dd> <dt>25</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>30</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>35</dt> <dd> 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 </dd> <dt>40</dt> <dd> 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. </dd> <dt>45</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>50</dt> <dd> 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 </dd> <dt>55</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>60</dt> <dd> 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 </dd> <dt>65</dt> <dd> 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. </dd> <dt>70</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>75</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>80</dt> <dd> 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. </dd> <dt>85</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>90</dt> <dd> 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!  </dd> <dt>95</dt> <dd> 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,  </dd> <dt>100</dt> <dd> wæpen wælgifru,           wyrd seo mære,  ond þas stanhleoþu           stormas cnyssað,  hrið hreosende           hrusan bindeð,  wintres woma,           þonne won cymeð,  nipeð nihtscua,           norþan onsendeð  </dd> <dt>105</dt> <dd> 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, </dd> <dt>110</dt> <dd> 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,  </dd> <dt>115</dt> <dd> frofre to fæder on heofonum,           þær us eal seo fæstnung stondeð.  </dd> </dl>