Exodus

Old English · Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records · 590 sections

100
modigra mægen, swa him Moyses bebead,
101
mære magoræswa, metodes folce,
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fus fyrdgetrum. Forð gesawon
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lifes latþeow lifweg metan;
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swegl siðe weold, sæmen æfter
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foron flodwege. Folc wæs on salum,
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hlud herges cyrm. Heofonbeacen astah
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æfena gehwam, oðer wundor,
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syllic æfter sunnan setlrade beheold,
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ofer leodwerum lige scinan,
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byrnende beam. Blace stodon
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ofer sceotendum scire leoman;
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scinon scyldhreoðan, sceado swiðredon,
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neowle nihtscuwan neah ne mihton
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heolstor ahydan; heofoncandel barn.
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Niwe nihtweard nyde sceolde
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wician ofer weredum, þy læs him westengryre,
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har hæðbroga, holmegum wederum
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on ferclamme ferhð getwæfde.
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Hæfde foregenga fyrene loccas,
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blace beamas; bellegsan hweop
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in þam hereþreate, hatan lige,
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þæt he on westenne werod forbærnde,
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nymðe hie modhwate Moyses hyrde.
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Scean scir werod, scyldas lixton,
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gesawon randwigan rihte stræte,
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segn ofer sweoton, oðþæt sæfæsten
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landes æt ende leodmægne forstod,
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fus on forðweg. Fyrdwic aras;
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wyrpton hie werige, wiste genægdon
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modige meteþegnas, hyra mægen beton.
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Bræddon æfter beorgum, siððan byme sang,
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flotan feldhusum. þa wæs feorðe wic,
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randwigena ræst, be þan readan sæ.
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ðær on fyrd hyra færspell becwom,
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oht inlende. Egsan stodan,
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wælgryre weroda; wræcmon gebad
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laðne lastweard, se ðe him lange ær
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eðelleasum onnied gescraf,
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wean witum fæst. Wære ne gymdon,
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ðeah þe se yldra cyning ær ge...
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þa wearð yrfeweard ingefolca,
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manna æfter maðmum, þæt he swa miceles geðah.
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Ealles þæs forgeton siððan grame wurdon
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Egypta cyn ymbe antwig;
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ða heo his mægwinum morðor fremedon,
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wroht berenedon, wære fræton.
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Wæron heaðowylmas heortan getenge,
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mihtmod wera; manum treowum
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woldon hie þæt feorhlean facne gyldan,
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þætte hie þæt dægweorc dreore gebohte,
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Moyses leode, þær him mihtig god
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on ðam spildsiðe spede forgefe.
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þa him eorla mod ortrywe wearð
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siððan hie gesawon of suðwegum
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fyrd Faraonis forð ongangan,
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oferholt wegan, eored lixan,
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(garas trymedon, guð hwearfode,
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blicon bordhreoðan, byman sungon),
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þufas þunian, þeod mearc tredan,
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on hwæl
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Hreopon herefugolas, hilde grædige,
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deawigfeðere ofer drihtneum,
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wonn wælceasega. Wulfas sungon
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atol æfenleoð ætes on wenan,
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carleasan deor, cwyldrof beodan
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on laðra last leodmægnes fyl.
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Hreopon mearcweardas middum nihtum,
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fleah fæge gast, folc wæs gehæged.
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Hwilum of þam werode wlance þegnas
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mæton milpaðas meara bogum.
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Him þær segncyning wið þone segn foran,
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manna þengel, mearcþreate rad;
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guðweard gumena grimhelm gespeon,
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cyning cinberge, (cumbol lixton),
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wiges on wenum, wælhlencan sceoc,
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het his hereciste healdan georne
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fæst fyrdgetrum. Freond onsegon
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laðum eagan landmanna cyme.
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Ymb hine wægon wigend unforhte,
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hare heorowulfas hilde gretton,
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þurstige þræcwiges, þeodenholde.
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Hæfde him alesen leoda dugeðe
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tireadigra twa þusendo,
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þæt wæron cyningas and cneowmagas,
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on þæt eade riht, æðelum deore.
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Forðon anra gehwilc ut alædde
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wæpnedcynnes, wigan æghwilcne
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þara þe he on ðam fyrste findan mihte.
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Wæron ingemen ealle ætgædere,
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cyningas on corðre. Cuð oft gebad
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horn on heape to hwæs hægstealdmen,
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guðþreat gumena, gearwe bæron.
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Swa þær eorp werod, ecan læddon,
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lað æfter laðum, leodmægnes worn,
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þusendmælum; þider wæron fuse.
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Hæfdon hie gemynted to þam mægenheapum
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to þam ærdæge Israhela cynn
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billum abreotan on hyra broðorgyld.
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Forþon wæs in wicum wop up ahafen,

The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records, transcribed by sacred-texts.com (sacred-texts.com/neu/ascp/), via CLTK's old_english_text_sacred_texts mirror; released into the public domain. Licence: Public domain (Unlicense). Source.