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,

20

cirm on corþre,         cwide scralletaþ
missenlice.         Swa beoþ modsefan
dalum gedæled,         sindon dryhtguman
ungelice.         Sum on oferhygdo
þrymme þringeð,         þrinteð him in innan

25

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,

30

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,

35

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,

40

siteþ symbelwlonc,         searwum læteð
wine gewæged         word ut faran,
þræfte þringan         þrymme gebyrmed,
æfæstum onæled,         oferhygda ful,
niþum nearowrencum.         Nu þu cunnan meaht,

45

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,

50

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

55

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,

60

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

65

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

70

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,

75

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

80

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.

85

Amen.