Genesis A, B

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

100
woruldgesceafte on wraðra gield,
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þara þe forhealdene of hleo sende.
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Ne wæs her þa giet nymþe heolstersceado
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wiht geworden, ac þes wida grund
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stod deop and dim, drihtne fremde,
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idel and unnyt. On þone eagum wlat
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stiðfrihþ cining, and þa stowe beheold,
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dreama lease, geseah deorc gesweorc
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semian sinnihte sweart under roderum,
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wonn and weste, oðþæt þeos woruldgesceaft
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þurh word gewearð wuldorcyninges.
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Her ærest gesceop ece drihten,
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helm eallwihta, heofon and eorðan,
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rodor arærde, and þis rume land
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gestaþelode strangum mihtum,
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frea ælmihtig. Folde wæs þa gyta
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græs ungrene; garsecg þeahte
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sweart synnihte, side and wide,
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wonne wegas. þa wæs wuldortorht
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heofonweardes gast ofer holm boren
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miclum spedum. Metod engla heht,
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lifes brytta, leoht forð cuman
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ofer rumne grund. Raþe wæs gefylled
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heahcininges hæs; him wæs halig leoht
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ofer westenne, swa se wyrhta bebead.
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þa gesundrode sigora waldend
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ofer laguflode leoht wið þeostrum,
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sceade wið sciman. Sceop þa bam naman,
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lifes brytta. Leoht wæs ærest
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þurh drihtnes word dæg genemned,
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wlitebeorhte gesceaft. Wel licode
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frean æt frymðe forþbæro tid,
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dæg æresta; geseah deorc sceado
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sweart swiðrian geond sidne grund.
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þa seo tid gewat ofer timber sceacan
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middangeardes, metod æfter sceaf
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scirum sciman, scippend ure,
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æfen ærest. Him arn on last,
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þrang þystre genip, þam þe se þeoden self
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sceop nihte naman. Nergend ure
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hie gesundrode; siððan æfre
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drugon and dydon drihtnes willan,
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ece ofer eorðan. ða com oðer dæg,
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leoht æfter þeostrum. Heht þa lifes weard
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on mereflode middum weorðan
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hyhtlic heofontimber. Holmas dælde
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waldend ure and geworhte þa
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roderas fæsten; þæt se rica ahof
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up from eorðan þurh his agen word,
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frea ælmihtig. Flod wæs adæled
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under heahrodore halgum mihtum,
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wæter of wætrum, þam þe wuniað gyt
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under fæstenne folca hrofes.
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þa com ofer foldan fus siðian
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mære mergen þridda. Næron metode ða gyta
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widlond ne wegas nytte, ac stod bewrigen fæste
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folde mid flode. Frea engla heht
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þurh his word wesan wæter gemæne,
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þa nu under roderum heora ryne healdað,
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stowe gestefnde. ða stod hraðe
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holm under heofonum, swa se halga bebead,
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sid ætsomne, ða gesundrod wæs
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lago wið lande. Geseah þa lifes weard
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drige stowe, dugoða hyrde,
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wide æteowde, þa se wuldorcyning
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eorðan nemde. Gesette yðum heora
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onrihtne ryne, rumum flode,
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and gefetero...
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Ne þuhte þa gerysne rodora wearde,
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þæt Adam leng ana wære
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neorxnawonges, niwre gesceafte,
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hyrde and healdend. Forþon him heahcyning,
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frea ælmihtig fultum tiode;
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wif aweahte and þa wraðe sealde,
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lifes leohtfruma, leofum rince.
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He þæt andweorc of Adames
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lice aleoðode, and him listum ateah
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rib of sidan. He wæs reste fæst,
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and softe swæf, sar ne wiste,
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earfoða dæl, ne þær ænig com
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blod of benne, ac him brego engla
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of lice ateah liodende ban,
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wer unwundod, of þam worhte god
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freolice fæmnan. Feorh in gedyde,
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ece saula. Heo wæron englum gelice,
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þa wæs Eue, Adames bryd,
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gaste gegearwod. Hie on geogoðe bu
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wlitebeorht wæron on woruld cenned
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meotodes mihtum. Man ne cuðon
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don ne dreogan, ac him drihtnes wæs
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bam on breostum byrnende lufu.
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þa gebletsode bliðheort cyning,
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metod alwihta, monna cynnes
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ða forman twa, fæder and moder,
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wif and wæpned. He þa worde cwæð:
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"Temað nu and wexað, tudre fyllað
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eorðan ælgrene, incre cynne,
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sunum and dohtrum. Inc sceal sealt wæter
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wunian on gewealde and eall worulde gesceaft.
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Brucað blæddaga and brimhlæste

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