A Mother's Fears ("The Fortunes of Men")

Ed. Murray McGillivray. Online Corpus of Old English Poetry (OCOEP). Edition in progress. This file last updated 17/12/08.

Ful oft þæt gegongeð,     mid godes meahtum,
þætte wer ond wif     in woruld cennað
bearn mid gebyrdum     ond mid bleom gyrwað,
temiaþ ond tæcaþ,†     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.
Sum on bæle sceal     brondas þeccan,
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 weorþeð;
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.