The Fortunes of Men

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Ful oft þæt gegongeð,      mid godes meahtum,
þætte wer ond wif      in woruld cennað
bearn mid gebyrdum      ond mid bleom gyrwað,
tennaþ ond tætaþ,      oþþæt seo tid cymeð,

5

gegæð gearrimum,      þæt þa geongan leomu,
liffæstan leoþu,      geloden weorþað.
Fergað swa ond feþað      fæder ond modor,
giefað ond gierwaþ.      God ana wat
hwæt him weaxendum      winter bringað!

10

Sumum þæt gegongeð      on geoguðfeore
þæt se endestæf      earfeðmæcgum
wealic weorþeð.      Sceal hine wulf etan,
har hæðstapa;      hinsiþ þonne
modor bimurneð.      Ne bið swylc monnes geweald!

15

Sumne sceal hungor ahiþan,      sumne sceal hreoh fordrifan,
sumne sceal gar agetan,      sumne guð abreotan.
Sum sceal leomena leas      lifes neotan,
folmum ætfeohtan,      sum on feðe lef,
seonobennum seoc,      sar cwanian,

20

murnan meotudgesceaft      mode gebysgad.
Sum sceal on holte      of hean beame
fiþerleas feallan;      bið on flihte seþeah,
laceð on lyfte,      oþþæt lengre ne bið
westem wudubeames.      þonne he on wyrtruman

25

sigeð sworcenferð,      sawle bireafod,
fealleþ on foldan,      feorð biþ on siþe.
Sum sceal on feþe      on feorwegas
nyde gongan      ond his nest beran,
tredan uriglast      elþeodigra,

30

frecne foldan;      ah he feormendra
lyt lifgendra,      lað biþ æghwær
fore his wonsceaftum      wineleas hæle.
Sum sceal on geapum      galgan ridan,
seomian æt swylte,      oþþæt sawlhord,

35

bancofa blodig,      abrocen weorþeð.
þær him hrefn nimeþ      heafodsyne,
sliteð salwigpad      sawelleasne;
noþer he þy facne mæg      folmum biwergan,
laþum lyftsceaþan,      biþ his lif scæcen,

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ond he feleleas,      feores orwena,
blac on beame      bideð wyrde,
bewegen wælmiste.      Bið him werig noma!
Sumne on bæle sceal      brond aswencan,
fretan frecne lig      fægne monnan;

45

þær him lifgedal      lungre weorðeð,
read reþe gled;      reoteð meowle,
seo hyre bearn gesihð      brondas þeccan.
Sumum meces ecg      on meodubence
yrrum ealowosan      ealdor oþþringeð,

50

were winsadum;      bið ær his worda to hræd.
Sum sceal on beore      þurh byreles hond
meodugal mæcga;      þonne he gemet ne con
gemearcian his muþe      mode sine,
ac sceal ful earmlice      ealdre linnan,

55

dreogan dryhtenbealo      dreamum biscyred,
ond hine to sylfcwale      secgas nemnað,
mænað mid muþe      meodugales gedrinc.
Sum sceal on geoguþe      mid godes meahtum
his earfoðsiþ      ealne forspildan,

60

ond on yldo eft      eadig weorþan,
wunian wyndagum      ond welan þicgan,
maþmas ond meoduful      mægburge on,
þæs þe ænig fira mæge      forð gehealdan.
Swa missenlice      meahtig dryhten

65

geond eorþan sceat      eallum dæleð,
scyreþ ond scrifeð      ond gesceapo healdeð,
sumum eadwelan,      sumum earfeþa dæl,
sumum geogoþe glæd,      sumum guþe blæd,
gewealdenne wigplegan,      sumum wyrp oþþe scyte,

70

torhtlicne tiir,      sumum tæfle cræft,
bleobordes gebregd.      Sume boceras
weorþað wisfæste.      Sumum wundorgiefe
þurh goldsmiþe      gearwad weorþað;
ful oft he gehyrdeð      ond gehyrsteð wel,

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brytencyninges beorn,      ond he him brad syleð
lond to leane.      He hit on lust þigeð.
Sum sceal on heape      hæleþum cweman,
blissian æt beore      bencsittendum;
þær biþ drincendra      dream se micla.

80

Sum sceal mid hearpan      æt his hlafordes
fotum sittan,      feoh þicgan,
ond a snellice      snere wræstan,
lætan scralletan      sceacol, se þe hleapeð,
nægl neomegende;      biþ him neod micel.

85

Sum sceal wildne fugel      wloncne atemian,
heafoc on honda,      oþþæt seo heoroswealwe
wynsum weorþeð;      deþ he wyrplas on,
fedeþ swa on feterum      fiþrum dealne,
lepeþ lyftswiftne      lytlum gieflum,

90

oþþæt se wælisca      wædum ond dædum
his ætgiefan      eaðmod weorþeð
ond to hagostealdes      honda gelæred.
Swa wrætlice      weoroda nergend
geond middangeard      monna cræftas

95

sceop ond scyrede      ond gesceapo ferede
æghwylcum on eorþan      eormencynnes.
Forþon him nu ealles þonc      æghwa secge,
þæs þe he fore his miltsum      monnum scrifeð.