Lines 1498–1619

"Geher ðu, marmanstan, meotudes rædum,
fore þæs onsyne ealle gesceafte
forhte geweorðað, þonne hie fæder geseoð
heofonas ond eorðan herigea mæste
on middangeard mancynn secan.
Læt nu of þinum staþole streamas weallan,
ea inflede, nu ðe ælmihtig
hateð, heofona cyning, þæt ðu hrædlice
on þis fræte folc forð onsende
wæter widrynig to wera cwealme,
geofon geotende. Hwæt, ðu golde eart,
sincgife, sylla! On ðe sylf cyning
wrat, wuldres god, wordum cyðde
recene geryno, ond ryhte æ
getacnode on tyn wordum,
meotud mihtum swið. Moyse sealde,
swa hit soðfæste syðþan heoldon,
modige magoþegnas, magas sine,
godfyrhte guman, Iosua ond Tobias.
Nu ðu miht gecnawan þæt þe cyning engla
gefrætwode furður mycle
giofum geardagum þonne eall gimma cynn.
þurh his halige hæs þu scealt hræðe cyðan
gif ðu his ondgitan ænige hæbbe."
Næs þa wordlatu wihte þon mare
þæt se stan togan. Stream ut aweoll,
fleow ofer foldan. Famige walcan
mid ærdæge eorðan þehton,
myclade mereflod. Meoduscerwen wearð
æfter symbeldæge, slæpe tobrugdon
searuhæbbende. Sund grunde onfeng,
deope gedrefed. Duguð wearð afyrhted
þurh þæs flodes fær. Fæge swulton,
geonge on geofene guðræs fornam
þurh sealtne weg. þæt wæs sorgbyrþen,
biter beorþegu. Byrlas ne gældon,
ombehtþegnas. þær wæs ælcum genog
fram dæges orde drync sona gearu.
Weox wæteres þrym. Weras cwanedon,
ealde æscberend. Wæs him ut myne
fleon fealone stream, woldon feore beorgan,
to dunscræfum drohtað secan,
eorðan ondwist. Him þæt engel forstod,
se ða burh oferbrægd blacan lige,
hatan heaðowælme. Hreoh wæs þær inne
beatende brim. Ne mihte beorna hloð
of þam fæstenne fleame spowan.
Wægas weoxon, wadu hlynsodon,
flugon fyrgnastas, flod yðum weoll.
ðær wæs yðfynde innan burgum
geomorgidd wrecen. Gehðo mændan
forhtferð manig, fusleoð golon.
Egeslic æled eagsyne wearð,
heardlic hereteam, hleoðor gryrelic.
þurh lyftgelac leges blæstas
weallas ymbwurpon, wæter mycladon.
þær wæs wop wera wide gehyred,
earmlic ylda gedræg. þa þær an ongann,
feasceaft hæleð, folc gadorigean,
hean, hygegeomor, heofende spræc:
"Nu ge magon sylfe soð gecnawan,
þæt we mid unrihte ellþeodigne
on carcerne clommum belegdon,
witebendum. Us seo wyrd scyðeð,
heard ond hetegrim. þæt is her swa cuð,
is hit mycle selre, þæs þe ic soð talige,
þæt we hine alysan of leoðobendum,
ealle anmode, (ofost is selost),
ond us þone halgan helpe biddan,
geoce ond frofre. Us bið gearu sona
sybb æfter sorge, gif we secaþ to him."
þa þær Andrea orgete wearð
on fyrhðlocan folces gebæro,
þær wæs modigra mægen forbeged,
wigendra þrym. Wæter fæðmedon,
fleow firgendstream, flod wæs on luste,
oþþæt breost oferstag, brim weallende,
eorlum oð exle. þa se æðeling het
streamfare stillan, stormas restan
ymbe stanhleoðu. Stop ut hræðe
cene collenferð, carcern ageaf,
gleawmod, gode leof. Him wæs gearu sona
þurh streamræce stræt gerymed.
Smeolt wæs se sigewang, symble wæs dryge
folde fram flode, swa his fot gestop.
Wurdon burgware bliðe on mode,
ferhðgefeonde. þa wæs forð cumen
geoc æfter gyrne. Geofon swaðrode
þurh haliges hæs, hlyst yst forgeaf,
brimrad gebad. þa se beorg tohlad,
eorðscræf egeslic, ond þær in forlet
flod fæðmian, fealewe wægas,
geotende gegrind grund eall forswealg.
Nalas he þær yðe ane bisencte,
ach þæs weorodes eac ða wyrrestan,
faa folcsceaðan, feowertyne
gewiton mid þy wæge in forwyrd sceacan
under eorþan grund. þa wearð acolmod,
forhtferð manig folces on laste.
Wendan hie wifa ond wera cwealmes,
þearlra geþinga ðrage hnagran,
syððan mane faa, morðorscyldige,
guðgelacan under grund hruron.
Hie ða anmode ealle cwædon:
"Nu is gesyne ðæt þe soð meotud,
cyning eallwihta, cræftum wealdeð,
se ðisne ar hider onsende
þeodum to helpe. Is nu þearf mycel
þæt we gumcystum georne hyran."
þa se halga ongann hæleð blissigean,
wigendra þreat wordum retan:
"Ne beoð ge to forhte, þeh þe fell curen
synnigra cynn. Swylt þrowode,
witu be gewyrhtum. Eow is wuldres leoht
torht ontyned, gif ge teala hycgað."
Sende þa his bene fore bearn godes,
bæd haligne helpe gefremman
gumena geogoðe, þe on geofene ær
þurh flodes fæðm feorh gesealdon,
ðæt þa gastas, gode orfeorme,
in wita forwyrd, wuldre bescyrede,
in feonda geweald gefered ne wurdan.