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,

20

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,

25

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

30

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

35

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,

40

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

45

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,

50

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,

55

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

60

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

65

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,

70

oþþæt on æfenne         ut garsecges
grundas pæþeð,         glom oþer cigð;
niht æfter cymeð,         healdeð nydbibod
halgan dryhtnes.         Heofontorht swegl
scir gescyndeð         in gesceaft godes

75

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,

80

oþþe hwa þæs 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,

85

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.

90

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.

95

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,

100

læne lifes wynne,         fundige him to lissa blisse,
forlæte heteniþa         gehwone sigan
mid synna fyrnum,         fere him to þam sellan rice.