The Order of the World

Old English · Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records · 102 sections

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Wilt þu, fus hæle, fremdne monnan,
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wisne woðboran wordum gretan,
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fricgan felageongne ymb forðgesceaft,
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biddan þe gesecge sidra gesceafta
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cræftas cyndelice cwichrerende,
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þa þe dogra gehwam þurh dom godes
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bringe wundra fela wera cneorissum!
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Is þara anra gehwam orgeate tacen,
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þam þurh wisdom woruld ealle con
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behabban on hreþre, hycgende mon,
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þæt geara iu, gliwes cræfte,
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mid gieddingum guman oft wrecan,
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rincas rædfæste; cuþon ryht sprecan,
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þæt a fricgende fira cynnes
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ond secgende searoruna gespon
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a gemyndge mæst monna wiston.
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Forþon scyle ascian, se þe on elne leofað,
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deophydig mon, dygelra gesceafta,
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bewritan in gewitte wordhordes cræft,
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fæstnian ferðsefan, þencan forð teala;
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ne sceal þæs aþreotan þegn modigne,
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þæt he wislice woruld fulgonge.
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Leorna þas lare. Ic þe lungre sceal
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meotudes mægensped maran gesecgan,
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þonne þu hygecræftig in hreþre mæge
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mode gegripan. Is sin meaht forswiþ.
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Nis þæt monnes gemet moldhrerendra,
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þæt he mæge in hreþre his heah geweorc
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furþor aspyrgan þonne him frea sylle
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to ongietanne godes agen bibod;
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ac we sculon þoncian þeodne mærum
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awa to ealdre, þæs þe us se eca cyning
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on gæste wlite forgiefan wille
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þæt we eaðe magon upcund rice
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forð gestigan, gif us on ferðe geneah
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ond we willað healdan heofoncyninges bibod.
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Gehyr nu þis herespel ond þinne hyge gefæstna.
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Hwæt, on frymþe gescop fæder ælmihtig,
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heah hordes weard, heofon ond eorðan,
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sæs sidne grund, sweotule gesceafte,
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þa nu in þam þream þurh þeodnes hond
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heaþ ond hebbaþ þone halgan blæd.
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Forþon eal swa teofanade, se þe teala cuþe,
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æghwylc wiþ oþrum; sceoldon eal beran
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stiþe stefnbyrd, swa him se steora bibead
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missenlice gemetu þurh þa miclan gecynd.
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Swa hi to worulde wlite forþ berað
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dryhtnes duguþe ond his dæda þrym,
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lixende lof in þa longan tid,
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fremmaþ fæstlice frean ece word
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in þam frumstole þe him frea sette,
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hluttor heofones weard, healdað georne
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mere gemære; meaht forð tihð
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heofoncondelle ond holmas mid,
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laþað ond lædeþ lifes agend
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in his anes fæþm ealle gesceafta.
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Swa him wideferh wuldor stondeþ,
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ealra demena þam gedefestan,
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þe us þis lif gescop, ond þis leohte beorht
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cymeð morgna gehwam ofer misthleoþu
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wadan ofer wægas wundrum gegierwed,
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ond mid ærdæge eastan snoweð
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wlitig ond wynsum wera cneorissum;
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lifgendra gehwam leoht forð biereð
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bronda beorhtost, ond his brucan mot
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æghwylc on eorþan, þe him eagna gesihð
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sigora soðcyning syllan wolde.
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Gewiteð þonne mid þy wuldre on westrodor
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forðmære tungol faran on heape,
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oþþæt on æfenne ut garsecges
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grundas pæþeð, glom oþer cigð;
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niht æfter cymeð, healdeð nydbibod
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halgan dryhtnes. Heofontorht swegl
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scir gescyndeð in gesceaft godes
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under foldan fæþm, farende tungol.
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Forþon nænig fira þæs frod leofað
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þæt his mæge æspringe þurh his ægne sped witan,
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hu geond grund færeð goldtorht sunne
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in þæt wonne genip under wætra geþring,
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oþþe hwa þes leohtes londbuende
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brucan mote, siþþan heo ofer brim hweorfeð.
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Forþon swa teofenede, se þe teala cuþe,
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dæg wiþ nihte, deop wið hean,
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lyft wið lagustream, lond wiþ wæge,
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flod wið flode, fisc wið yþum.
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Ne waciað þas geweorc, ac he hi wel healdeð;
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stondað stiðlice bestryþed fæste
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miclum meahtlocum in þam mægenþrymme
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mid þam sy ahefed heofon ond eorþe.
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Beoð þonne eadge þa þær in wuniað,
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hyhtlic is þæt heorðwerud. þæt is herga mæst,
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eadigra unrim, engla þreatas.
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Hy geseoð symle hyra sylfra cyning,
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eagum on wlitað, habbað æghwæs genoh.
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Nis him wihte won, þam þe wuldres cyning
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geseoþ in swegle; him is symbel ond dream
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ece unhwylen eadgum to frofre.
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Forþon scyle mon gehycgan þæt he meotude hyre;
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æghwylc ælda bearna forlæte idle lustas,
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læne lifes wynne, fundige him to lissa blisse,

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