File:The Wanderer (in old English) Anglo-Saxon

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Oft him anhaga        are gebideð, metudes miltse,        þeah þe he modcearig geond lagulade        longe sceolde hreran mid hondum        hrimcealde sæ, 5 wadan wræclastas. Wyrd bið ful aræd! Swa cwæð eardstapa,        earfeþa gemyndig, wraþra wælsleahta,        winemæga hryre: "Oft ic sceolde ana        uhtna gehwylce mine ceare cwiþan.         Nis nu cwicra nan 10 þe ic him modsefan         minne durre sweotule asecgan.         Ic to soþe wat þæt biþ in eorle         indryhten þeaw, þæt he his ferðlocan         fæste binde, healde his hordcofan,         hycge swa he wille. 15 Ne mæg werig mod         wyrde wiðstondan, ne se hreo hyge         helpe gefremman. Forðon domgeorne         dreorigne oft in hyra breostcofan         bindað fæste; swa ic modsefan         minne sceolde, 20 oft earmcearig,         eðle bidæled, freomægum feor         feterum sælan, siþþan geara iu         goldwine minne hrusan heolstre biwrah,         ond ic hean þonan wod wintercearig         ofer waþema gebind, 25 sohte sele dreorig         sinces bryttan, hwær ic feor oþþe neah         findan meahte þone þe in meoduhealle         min mine wisse, oþþe mec freondleasne         frefran wolde, weman mid wynnum. Wat se þe cunnað, 30 hu sliþen bið        sorg to geferan, þam þe him lyt hafað        leofra geholena. Warað hine wræclast,        nales wunden gold, ferðloca freorig,        nalæs foldan blæd. Gemon he selesecgas        ond sincþege, 35 hu hine on geoguðe        his goldwine wenede to wiste. Wyn eal gedreas! Forþon wat se þe sceal        his winedryhtnes leofes larcwidum        longe forþolian, ðonne sorg ond slæp        somod ætgædre 40 earmne anhogan        oft gebindað. þinceð him on mode        þæt he his mondryhten clyppe ond cysse,        ond on cneo lecge honda ond heafod,        swa he hwilum ær in geardagum        giefstolas breac. 45 ðonne onwæcneð eft        wineleas guma, gesihð him biforan        fealwe wegas, baþian brimfuglas,        brædan feþra, hreosan hrim ond snaw,        hagle gemenged. þonne beoð þy hefigran        heortan benne, 50 sare æfter swæsne. Sorg bið geniwad, þonne maga gemynd        mod geondhweorfeð; greteð gliwstafum,        georne geondsceawað secga geseldan. Swimmað eft on weg! Fleotendra ferð        no þær fela bringeð 55 cuðra cwidegiedda. Cearo bið geniwad þam þe sendan sceal        swiþe geneahhe ofer waþema gebind        werigne sefan. Forþon ic geþencan ne mæg        geond þas woruld for hwan modsefa        min ne gesweorce, 60 þonne ic eorla lif        eal geondþence, hu hi færlice        flet ofgeafon, modge maguþegnas. Swa þes middangeard ealra dogra gehwam        dreoseð ond fealleþ, forþon ne mæg weorþan wis        wer, ær he age 65 wintra dæl in woruldrice. Wita sceal geþyldig, ne sceal no to hatheort        ne to hrædwyrde, ne to wac wiga        ne to wanhydig, ne to forht ne to fægen,        ne to feohgifre ne næfre gielpes to georn,        ær he geare cunne. 70 Beorn sceal gebidan,        þonne he beot spriceð, oþþæt collenferð        cunne gearwe hwider hreþra gehygd        hweorfan wille. Ongietan sceal gleaw hæle        hu gæstlic bið, þonne ealre þisse worulde wela        weste stondeð, 75 swa nu missenlice        geond þisne middangeard winde biwaune        weallas stondaþ, hrime bihrorene,        hryðge þa ederas. Woriað þa winsalo,        waldend licgað dreame bidrorene,        duguþ eal gecrong, 80 wlonc bi wealle. Sume wig fornom, ferede in forðwege,        sumne fugel oþbær ofer heanne holm,        sumne se hara wulf deaðe gedælde,        sumne dreorighleor in eorðscræfe        eorl gehydde. 85 Yþde swa þisne eardgeard        ælda scyppend oþþæt burgwara        breahtma lease eald enta geweorc        idlu stodon. Se þonne þisne wealsteal        wise geþohte ond þis deorce lif        deope geondþenceð, 90 frod in ferðe,        feor oft gemon wælsleahta worn,        ond þas word acwið: "Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago?        Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa? Hwær cwom symbla gesetu?         Hwær sindon seledreamas? Eala beorht bune!         Eala byrnwiga! 95