The Wanderer

Reprinted with permission from the Labyrinth Library.

Converted to EPUB/Kindle by Ben Crowder.

http://bencrowder.net/books/old-english/the-wanderer

Version 1.0

Table of Contents

- The Wanderer

The Wanderer

Indeterminate Saxon.

Oft him anhaga       are gebideð,

metudes miltse,       þeah þe he modcearig

geond lagulade       longe sceolde

hreran mid hondum       hrimcealde sæ,

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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

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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.

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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,

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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,

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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,

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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,

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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

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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.

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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,

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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

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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,

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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

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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.

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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,

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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,

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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.

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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,

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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!

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Eala þeodnes þrym!       Hu seo þrag gewat,

genap under nihthelm,       swa heo no wære.

Stondeð nu on laste       leofre duguþe

weal wundrum heah,       wyrmlicum fah.

Eorlas fornoman       asca þryþe,

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wæpen wælgifru,       wyrd seo mære,

ond þas stanhleoþu       stormas cnyssað,

hrið hreosende       hrusan bindeð,

wintres woma,       þonne won cymeð,

nipeð nihtscua,       norþan onsendeð

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hreo hæglfare       hæleþum on andan.

Eall is earfoðlic       eorþan rice,

onwendeð wyrda gesceaft       weoruld under heofonum.

Her bið feoh læne,       her bið freond læne,

her bið mon læne,       her bið mæg læne,

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eal þis eorþan gesteal       idel weorþeð!”

Swa cwæð snottor on mode,       gesæt him sundor æt rune.

Til biþ se þe his treowe gehealdeþ,       ne sceal næfre his torn to rycene

beorn of his breostum acyþan,       nemþe he ær þa bote cunne,

eorl mid elne gefremman.       Wel bið þam þe him are seceð,

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frofre to fæder on heofonum,       þær us eal seo fæstnung stondeð.