The Exeter Book (Jebson)/The Wanderer

For other versions of this work, see The Wanderer (Exeter Book).

The Wanderer

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

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,

100

wæpen wælgifru,         wyrd seo mære,
ond þas stanhleoþu         stormas cnyssað,
hrið hreosende         hrusan bindeð,
wintres woma,         þonne won cymeð,
nipeð nihtscua,         norþan onsendeð

105

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,

110

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,

115

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