The Exeter Book (Jebson)/Vainglory

Vainglory Verse Indeterminate Saxon    Hwæt, me frod wita          on fyrndagum sægde, snottor ar,          sundorwundra fela. Wordhord onwreah          witgan larum beorn boca gleaw,          bodan ærcwide,  5  þæt ic soðlice          siþþan meahte ongitan bi þam gealdre          godes agen bearn, wilgest on wicum,          ond þone wacran swa some, scyldum bescyredne,          on gescead witan. þæt mæg æghwylc mon          eaþe geþencan,  10  se þe hine ne læteð          on þas lænan tid amyrran his gemyndum          modes gælsan ond on his dægrime          druncen to rice, þonne monige beoð          mæþelhegendra, wlonce wigsmiþas          winburgum in,  15  sittaþ æt symble,          soðgied wrecað, wordum wrixlað,          witan fundiaþ hwylc æscstede          inne in ræcede mid werum wunige,          þonne win hweteð beornes breostsefan. Breahtem stigeð, </dd> <dt>20</dt> <dd> cirm on corþre,          cwide scralletaþ missenlice. Swa beoþ modsefan dalum gedæled,          sindon dryhtguman ungelice. Sum on oferhygdo þrymme þringeð,          þrinteð him in innan </dd> <dt>25</dt> <dd> ungemedemad mod;          sindan to monige þæt! Bið þæt æfþonca          eal gefylled feondes fligepilum,          facensearwum; breodað he ond bælceð,          boð his sylfes swiþor micle          þonne se sella mon, </dd> <dt>30</dt> <dd> þenceð þæt his wise          welhwam þince eal unforcuþ. Biþ þæs oþer swice, þonne he þæs facnes          fintan sceawað. Wrenceþ he ond blenceþ,          worn geþenceþ hinderhoca,          hygegar leteð, </dd> <dt>35</dt> <dd> scurum sceoteþ. He þa scylde ne wat fæhþe gefremede,          feoþ his betran eorl fore æfstum,          læteð inwitflan brecan þone burgweal,          þe him bebead meotud þæt he þæt wigsteal          wergan sceolde, </dd> <dt>40</dt> <dd> siteþ symbelwlonc,          searwum læteð wine gewæged          word ut faran, þræfte þringan          þrymme gebyrmed, æfæstum onæled,          oferhygda ful, niþum nearowrencum. Nu þu cunnan meaht, </dd> <dt>45</dt> <dd> gif þu þyslicne          þegn gemittest wunian in wicum,          wite þe be þissum feawum forðspellum          þæt þæt biþ feondes bearn flæsce bifongen,          hafað fræte lif, grundfusne gæst          gode orfeormne, </dd> <dt>50</dt> <dd> wuldorcyninge. þæt se witga song, gearowyrdig guma,          ond þæt gyd awræc: "Se þe hine sylfne          in þa sliþnan tid  þurh oferhygda           up ahlæneð,  ahefeð heahmodne,           se sceal hean wesan  </dd> <dt>55</dt> <dd> æfter neosiþum           niþer gebiged,  wunian witum fæst,           wyrmum beþrungen.  þæt wæs geara iu           in godes rice  þætte mid englum           oferhygd astag,  widmære gewin.           Wroht ahofan,  </dd> <dt>60</dt> <dd> heardne heresiþ,           heofon widledan,  forsawan hyra sellan,           þa hi to swice þohton  ond þrymcyning           þeodenstoles  ricne beryfan,           swa hit ryht ne wæs,  ond þonne gesettan           on hyra sylfra dom  </dd> <dt>65</dt> <dd> wuldres wynlond.           þæt him wige forstod  fæder frumsceafta;           wearð him seo feohte to grim.  ðonne bið þam oþrum           ungelice  se þe her on eorþan           eaðmod leofað,  ond wiþ gesibbra gehwone           simle healdeð </dd> <dt>70</dt> <dd> freode on folce          ond his feond lufað, þeah þe he him abylgnesse          oft gefremede willum in þisse worulde. Se mot wuldres dream in haligra hyht          heonan astigan on engla eard. Ne biþ þam oþrum swa, </dd> <dt>75</dt> <dd> se þe on ofermedum          eargum dædum leofaþ in leahtrum,          ne beoð þa lean gelic mid wuldorcyning."          Wite þe be þissum,  gif þu eaðmodne           eorl gemete,  þegn on þeode,           þam bið simle  </dd> <dt>80</dt> <dd> gæst gegæderad           godes agen bearn  wilsum in worlde,           gif me se witega ne leag.  Forþon we sculon a hycgende           hælo rædes  gemunan in mode           mæla gehwylcum  þone selestan           sigora waldend.  </dd> <dt>85</dt> <dd> Amen.  </dd> </dl>