The Meters of Boethius: Meter 17

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Hwæt, eorðwaran ealle hæfden,
foldbuende, fruman gelicne;
hi of anum twæm ealle comon,
were and wife, on woruld innan,

5

and hi eac nu get ealle gelice
on woruld cumað, wlance and heane.
Nis þæt nan wundor, forðæm witan ealle
þæt an god is ealra gesceafta,
frea moncynnes, fæder and scippend.

10

Se ðære sunnan leoht seleð of heofonum,
monan and þyssum mærum steorrum.
Se milda metod gesceop men on eorðan,
and gesamnade sawle to lice
æt fruman ærest, folc under wolcnum

15

emnæðele gesceop æghwilcne mon.
Hwy ge þonne æfre ofer oðre men
ofermodigen buton andweorce,
nu ge unæðelne nænigne metað?
Hwy ge eow for æþelum up ahebben,

20

nu on þæm mode bið monna gehwilcum
þa rihtæþelo þe ic ðe recce ymb,
nales on ðæm flæsce foldbuendra?
Ac nu æghwilc mon þe mid ealle bið
his unþeawum underðieded,

25

he forlæt ærest lifes frumsceaft
and his agene æþelo swa selfe,
and eac þone fæder þe hine æt fruman gesceop.
Forðæm hine anæþelað ælmihtig god,
þæt he unæþele a forð þanan

30

wyrð on weorulde, to wuldre ne cymð.