Precepts

Old English · Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records · 94 sections

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ðus frod fæder freobearn lærde,
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modsnottor mon, maga cystum eald,
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wordum wisfæstum, þæt he wel þunge:
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"Do a þætte duge, deag þin gewyrhtu;
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god þe biþ symle goda gehwylces
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frea ond fultum, feond þam oþrum
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wyrsan gewyrhta. Wene þec þy betran,
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efn elne þis a þenden þu lifge.
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Fæder ond modor freo þu mid heortan,
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maga gehwylcne, gif him sy meotud on lufan.
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Wes þu þinum yldrum arfæst symle,
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fægerwyrde, ond þe in ferðe læt
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þine lareowas leofe in mode,
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þa þec geornast to gode trymmen."
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Fæder eft his sunu frod gegrette
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oþre siþe: "Heald elne þis!
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Ne freme firene, ne næfre freonde þinum,
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mæge man ne geþafa, þy læs þec meotud oncunne,
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þæt þu sy wommes gewita. He þe mid wite gieldeð,
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swylce þam oþrum mid eadwelan."
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ðriddan syþe þoncsnottor guma
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breostgehygdum his bearn lærde:
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"Ne gewuna wyrsa, widan feore,
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ængum eahta, ac þu þe anne genim
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to gesprecan symle spella ond lara
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rædhycgende. Sy ymb rice swa hit mæge."
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Feorþan siðe fæder eft lærde
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modleofne magan, þæt he gemunde þis:
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"Ne aswic sundorwine, ac a symle geheald
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ryhtum gerisnum. Ræfn elne þis,
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þæt þu næfre fæcne weorðe freonde þinum."
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Fiftan siþe fæder eft ongon
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breostgeþoncum his bearn læran:
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"Druncen beorg þe ond dollic word,
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man on mode ond in muþe lyge,
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yrre ond æfeste ond idese lufan.
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Forðon sceal æwiscmod oft siþian,
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se þe gewiteð in wifes lufan,
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fremdre meowlan. þær bið a firena wen,
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laðlicre scome, long nið wið god,
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geotende gielp. Wes þu a giedda wis,
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wær wið willan, worda hyrde."
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Siextan siþe swæs eft ongon
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þurh bliðne geþoht his bearn læran:
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"Ongiet georne hwæt sy god oþþe yfel,
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ond toscead simle scearpe mode
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in sefan þinum ond þe a þæt selle geceos.
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A þe bið gedæled; gif þe deah hyge,
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wunað wisdom in, ond þu wast geare
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ondgit yfles, heald þe elne wið,
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feorma þu symle in þinum ferðe god."
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Seofeþan siþe his sunu lærde
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fæder, frod guma, sægde fela geongum:
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"Seldan snottor guma sorgleas blissað,
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swylce dol seldon drymeð sorgful
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ymb his forðgesceaft, nefne he fæhþe wite.
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Wærwyrde sceal wisfæst hæle
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breostum hycgan, nales breahtme hlud."
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Eahtoþan siþe eald fæder ongon
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his mago monian mildum wordum:
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"Leorna lare lærgedefe,
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wene þec in wisdom, weoruda scyppend
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hafa þe to hyhte, haligra gemynd,
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ond a soð to syge, þonne þu secge hwæt."
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Nigeþan siþe nægde se gomola,
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eald uðwita sægde eaforan worn:
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"Nis nu fela folca þætte fyrngewritu
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healdan wille, ac him hyge brosnað,
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ellen colað, idlað þeodscype;
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ne habbað wiht for þæt, þeah hi wom don
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ofer meotudes bibod. Monig sceal ongieldan
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sawelsusles. Ac læt þinne sefan healdan
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forð fyrngewritu ond frean domas,
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þa þe her on mægðe gehwære men forlætaþ
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swiþor asigan, þonne him sy sylfum ryht."
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Teoþan siþe tornsorgna ful,
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eald eft ongon eaforan læran:
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"Snyttra bruceþ þe fore sawle lufan
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warnað him wommas worda ond dæda
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on sefan symle ond soþ fremeð;
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bið him geofona gehwylc gode geyced,
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meahtum spedig, þonne he mon flyhð.
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Yrre ne læt þe æfre gewealdan,
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heah in hreþre, heoroworda grund
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wylme bismitan, ac him warnað þæt
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on geheortum hyge. Hæle sceal wisfæst
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ond gemetlice, modes snottor,
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gleaw in gehygdum, georn wisdomes,
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swa he wið ælda mæg eades hleotan.
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Ne beo þu no to tælende, ne to tweospræce,
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ne þe on mode læt men to fracoþe,
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ac beo leofwende, leoht on gehygdum
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ber breostcofan. Swa þu, min bearn, gemyne
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frode fæder lare ond þec a wið firenum geheald."

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