Genesis A, B

Old English · Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records · 2,936 sections

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Us is riht micel ðæt we rodera weard,
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wereda wuldorcining, wordum herigen,
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modum lufien! He is mægna sped,
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heafod ealra heahgesceafta,
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frea ælmihtig. Næs him fruma æfre,
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or geworden, ne nu ende cymþ
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ecean drihtnes, ac he bið a rice
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ofer heofenstolas. Heagum þrymmum
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soðfæst and swiðfeorm sweglbosmas heold,
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þa wæron gesette wide and side
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þurh geweald godes wuldres bearnum,
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gasta weardum. Hæfdon gleam and dream,
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and heora ordfruman, engla þreatas,
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beorhte blisse. Wæs heora blæd micel!
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þegnas þrymfæste þeoden heredon,
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sægdon lustum lof, heora liffrean
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demdon, drihtenes dugeþum wæron
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swiðe gesælige. Synna ne cuþon,
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firena fremman, ac hie on friðe lifdon,
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ece mid heora aldor. Elles ne ongunnon
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ræran on roderum nymþe riht and soþ,
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ærðon engla weard for oferhygde
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dwæl on gedwilde. Noldan dreogan leng
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heora selfra ræd, ac hie of siblufan
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godes ahwurfon. Hæfdon gielp micel
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þæt hie wið drihtne dælan meahton
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wuldorfæstan wic werodes þrymme,
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sid and swegltorht. Him þær sar gelamp,
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æfst and oferhygd, and þæs engles mod
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þe þone unræd ongan ærest fremman,
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wefan and weccean, þa he worde cwæð,
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niþes ofþyrsted, þæt he on norðdæle
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ham and heahsetl heofena rices
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agan wolde. þa wearð yrre god
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and þam werode wrað þe he ær wurðode
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wlite and wuldre. Sceop þam werlogan
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wræclicne ham weorce to leane,
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helleheafas, hearde niðas.
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Heht þæt witehus wræcna bidan,
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deop, dreama leas, drihten ure,
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gasta weardas, þa he hit geare wiste,
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synnihte beseald, susle geinnod,
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geondfolen fyre and færcyle,
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rece and reade lege. Heht þa geond þæt rædlease hof
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weaxan witebrogan. Hæfdon hie wrohtgeteme
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grimme wið god gesomnod; him þæs grim lean becom!
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Cwædon þæt heo rice, reðemode,
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agan woldan, and swa eaðe meahtan.
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Him seo wen geleah, siððan waldend his,
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heofona heahcining, honda arærde,
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hehste wið þam herge. Ne mihton hygelease,
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mæne wið metode, mægyn bryttigan,
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ac him se mæra mod getwæfde,
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bælc forbigde. þa he gebolgen wearð,
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besloh synsceaþan sigore and gewealde,
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dome and dugeðe, and dreame benam
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his feond, friðo and gefean ealle,
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torhte tire, and his torn gewræc
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on gesacum swiðe selfes mihtum
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strengum stiepe. Hæfde styrne mod,
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gegremed grymme, grap on wraðe
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faum folmum, and him on fæðm gebræc
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yrre on mode; æðele bescyrede
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his wiðerbrecan wuldorgestealdum.
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Sceof þa and scyrede scyppend ure
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oferhidig cyn engla of heofnum,
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wærleas werod. Waldend sende
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laðwendne here on langne sið,
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geomre gastas; wæs him gylp forod,
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beot forborsten, and forbiged þrym,
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wlite gewemmed. Heo on wrace syððan
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seomodon swearte, siðe ne þorfton
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hlude hlihhan, ac heo helltregum
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werige wunodon and wean cuðon,
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sar and sorge, susl þrowedon
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þystrum beþeahte, þearl æfterlean
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þæs þe heo ongunnon wið gode winnan.
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þa wæs soð swa ær sibb on heofnum,
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fægre freoþoþeawas, frea eallum leof,
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þeoden his þegnum; þrymmas weoxon
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duguða mid drihtne, dreamhæbbendra.
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Wæron þa gesome, þa þe swegl buað,
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wuldres eðel. Wroht wæs asprungen,
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oht mid englum and orlegnið,
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siððan herewosan heofon ofgæfon,
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leohte belorene. Him on laste setl,
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wuldorspedum welig, wide stodan
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gifum growende on godes rice,
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beorht and geblædfæst, buendra leas,
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siððan wræcstowe werige gastas
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under hearmlocan heane geforan.
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þa þeahtode þeoden ure
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modgeþonce, hu he þa mæran gesceaft,
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eðelstaðolas eft gesette,
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swegltorhtan seld, selran werode,
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þa hie gielpsceaþan ofgifen hæfdon,
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heah on heofenum. Forþam halig god
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under roderas feng, ricum mihtum,
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wolde þæt him eorðe and uproder
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and sid wæter geseted wurde

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