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,

20

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

25

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,

30

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,

35

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,

40

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;

45

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,

50

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,

55

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,

60

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

65

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,

70

torhtlicne tiir,         sumum tæfle cræft,
bleobordes gebregd.         Sume boceras
weorþað wisfæste.         Sumum wundorgiefe
þurh goldsmiþe         gearwad weorþað;
ful oft he gehyrdeð         ond gehyrsteð wel,

75

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.

80

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.

85

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,

90

oþþæt se wælisca         wædum ond dædum
his ætgiefan         eaðmod weorþeð
ond to hagostealdes         honda gelæred.
Swa wrætlice         weoroda nergend
geond middangeard         monna cræftas

95

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.