Arts & Sciences
Riddle 84 (Old English)
From The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Records, ed. Krapp and Dobbie, vol. III (1936)
An wiht is on eorþan wundrum acenned,
hreoh ond reþe, hafað ryne strongne,
grimme grymetað ond be grunde fareð.
Modor is monigra mærra wihta.
Fæger ferende fundað æfre;
neol is nearograp. Nænig oþrum mæg
wlite ond wisan wordum gecyþan,
hu mislic biþ mægen þara cynna,
fyrn forðgesceaft; fæder ealle bewat
or ond ende, swylce an sunu,
mære meotudes bearn, þurh ...ed,
ond þæt hyhste mæge... ...es gæ...
dyre cræft...
......
...onne hy aweorp...
...þe ænig þara
...fter ne mæg
oþer cynn eorþan
þon ær wæs
wlitig ond wynsum,
Biþ sio moddor mægene eacen,
wundrum bewreþed, wistum gehladen,
hordum gehroden, hæleþum dyre.
Mægen bið gemiclad, meaht gesweotlad,
wlite biþ geweorþad wuldornyttingum,
wynsum wuldorgimm wloncum getenge,
clængeorn bið ond cystig, cræfte eacen;
hio biþ eadgum leof, earmum getæse,
freolic, sellic; fromast ond swiþost,
gifrost ond grædgost grundbedd trideþ,
þæs þe under lyfte aloden wurde
ond ælda bearn eagum sawe,
swa þæt wuldor wifeð, worldbearna mægen,
þeah þe ferþum gleaw
mon mode snottor mengo wundra.
Hrusan bið heardra, hæleþum frodra,
geofum bið gearora, gimmum deorra;
worulde wlitigað, wæstmum tydreð,
firene dwæsceð,
oft utan beweorpeð anre þecene,
wundrum gewlitegad, geond werþeode,
þæt wafiað weras ofer eorþan,
þæt magon micle ...sceafte.
Biþ stanum bestreþed, stormum
...len ...timbred weall,
þrym... ...ed,
hrusan hrineð, h...
...etenge,
oft searwum biþ
deaðe ne feleð,
þeah þe
...du hreren, hrif wundigen,
...risse.
Hordword onhlid, hæleþum ge...
...wreoh, wordum geopena,
hu mislic sy mægen þara cy....
Codex Note
Old English text as in ASPR; hand-keyed e-text via sacred-texts.com.
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (Old English). “Riddle 84 (Old English).” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-english/166/.
Chicago
Anonymous (Old English). “Riddle 84 (Old English).” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-old-english/166/.
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