Christ A, B, C

Wære him þonne betre þæt hy bealodæde,

ælces unryhtes, ær gescomeden

fore anum men, eargra weorca,

godes bodan sægdon þæt hi to gyrne wiston

firendæda on him. Ne mæg þurh þæt flæsc se scrift

geseon on þære sawle, hwæþer him mon soð þe lyge

sagað on hine sylfne, þonne he þa synne bigæð.

Mæg mon swa þeah gelacnigan leahtra gehwylcne,

yfel unclæne, gif he hit anum gesegð,

ond nænig bihelan mæg on þam heardan dæge

wom unbeted, ðær hit þa weorud geseoð.

Eala, þær we nu magon wraþe firene

geseon on ussum sawlum, synna wunde,

mid lichoman leahtra gehygdu,

eagum unclæne ingeþoncas!

Ne þæt ænig mæg oþrum gesecgan

mid hu micle elne æghwylc wille

þurh ealle list lifes tiligan,

feores forhtlice, forð aðolian,

synrust þwean ond hine sylfne þrean,

ond þæt wom ærran wunde hælan,

þone lytlan fyrst þe her lifes sy,

þæt he mæge fore eagum eorðbuendra

unscomiende eðles mid monnum

brucan bysmerleas, þendan bu somod

lic ond sawle lifgan mote.

Nu we sceolon georne gleawlice þurhseon

usse hreþercofan heortan eagum,

innan uncyste. We mid þam oðrum ne magun,

heafodgimmum, hygeþonces ferð

eagum þurhwlitan ænge þinga,

hwæþer him yfel þe god under wunige,

þæt he on þa grimman tid gode licie,

þonne he ofer weoruda gehwylc wuldre scineð

of his heahsetle hlutran lege.

þær he fore englum ond fore elþeodum

to þam eadgestum ærest mæðleð,

ond him swæslice sibbe gehateð,

heofona heahcyning; halgan reorde

frefreð he fægre ond him friþ beodeð,

hateð hy gesunde ond gesenade

on eþel faran engla dreames,

ond þæs to widan feore willum neotan:

"Onfoð nu mid freondum mines fæder rice

þæt eow wæs ær woruldum wynlice gearo,

blæd mid blissum, beorht eðles wlite,

hwonne ge þa lifwelan mid þam leofstum,

swase swegldreamas, geseon mosten.

Ge þæs earnedon þa ge earme men,

woruldþearfende, willum onfengun

on mildum sefan. ðonne hy him þurh minne noman

eaðmode to eow arna bædun,

þonne ge hyra hulpon ond him hleoð gefon,

hingrendum hlaf ond hrægl nacedum;

ond þa þe on sare seoce lagun,

æfdon unsofte, adle gebundne,

to þam ge holdlice hyge staþeladon

mid modes myne. Eall ge þæt me dydon,

ðonne ge hy mid sibbum sohtun, ond hyra sefan trymedon

forð on frofre. þæs ge fægre sceolon

lean mid leofum lange brucan."

Onginneð þonne to þam yflum ungelice

wordum mæðlan þe him bið on þa wynstran hond,

þurh egsan þrea, alwalda god.

Ne þurfon hi þonne to meotude miltse gewenan,

lifes ne lissa, ac þær lean cumað

werum bi gewyrhtum worda ond dæda,

reordberendum; sceolon þone ryhtan dom

anne geæfnan, egsan fulne.

Bið þær seo miccle milts afyrred

þeodbuendum, on þam dæge,

þæs ælmihtigan, þonne he yrringa

on þæt fræte folc firene stæleð

laþum wordum, hateð hyra lifes riht

ondweard ywan þæt he him ær forgeaf

syngum to sælum. Onginneð sylf cweðan,

swa he to anum sprece, ond hwæþre ealle mæneð,

firensynnig folc, frea ælmihtig:

"Hwæt, ic þec mon minum hondum

ærest geworhte, ond þe ondgiet sealde.

Of lame ic þe leoþo gesette, geaf ic ðe lifgendne gæst,

arode þe ofer ealle gesceafte, gedyde ic þæt þu onsyn hæfdest,

mægwlite me gelicne. Geaf ic þe eac meahta sped,

welan ofer widlonda gehwylc, nysses þu wean ænigne dæl,

ðystra þæt þu þolian sceolde. þu þæs þonc ne wisses.

þa ic ðe swa scienne gesceapen hæfde,

wynlicne geworht, ond þe welan forgyfen

þæt ðu mostes wealdan worulde gesceaftum,

ða ic þe on þa fægran foldan gesette

to neotenne neorxnawonges

beorhtne blædwelan, bleom scinende,

ða þu lifes word læstan noldes,

ac min bibod bræce be þines bonan worde.

Fæcnum feonde furþor hyrdes,

sceþþendum scaþan, þonne þinum scyppende.

Nu ic ða ealdan race anforlæte,

hu þu æt ærestan yfle gehogdes,

firenweorcum forlure þæt ic ðe to fremum sealde.

þa ic þe goda swa fela forgiefen hæfde

ond þe on þam eallum eades to lyt