Anglo-Saxon Riddles of the Exeter Book/Annotated/83

83 (k-d 41)

The riddle which precedes this in the manuscript, 11 Creation (k-d 40), is left at the bottom of fol. 111b with an incomplete line, and the one which follows begins at the top of the next folio also with an incomplete line. It is obvious that a leaf was missing, or was overlooked by the copyist. Thus we have only the last eight lines of the original.

renewed That is mother     of many kindreds, of the best,     of the darkest, of the dearest     that the children of men throughout the bosom of earth     own with joy. We here on earth     cannot live at all unless we enjoy     what those children do. This is something for all mortals     to reflect on, all learned men,     what this thing is.

. . . . .     edniwu · þæt is moddor     monigra cynna þæs selestan     þæs sweartestan · þæs deorestan ·     þæs þe dryhta bearn ofer foldan sceat     to gefean agen · Ne magon we her in eorþan     owiht lifgan nymðe we brucen     þæs þa bearn doð ꝥ is to geþencanne ·     þeoda gehwylcum wisfæstū werum     hwæt seo wiht sy