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Christ II (Old English) · c. 9th century

Lines 683–814

by Cynewulf fl. 9th century


Nyle he ængum anum ealle gesyllan
gæstes snyttru, þy læs him gielp sceþþe
þurh his anes cræft ofer oþre forð.
ðus god meahtig geofum unhneawum,
cyning alwihta, cræftum weorðaþ
eorþan tuddor; swylce eadgum blæd
seleð on swegle, sibbe ræreþ
ece to ealdre engla ond monna;
swa he his weorc weorþað. Bi þon se witga cwæð
þæt ahæfen wæren halge gimmas,
hædre heofontungol, healice upp,
sunne ond mona. Hwæt sindan þa
gimmas swa scyne buton god sylfa?
He is se soðfæsta sunnan leoma,
englum ond eorðwarum æþele scima.
Ofer middangeard mona lixeð,
gæstlic tungol, swa seo godes circe
þurh gesomninga soðes ond ryhtes
beorhte bliceð. Swa hit on bocum cwiþ,
siþþan of grundum godbearn astag,
cyning clænra gehwæs, þa seo circe her
æfyllendra eahtnysse bad
under hæþenra hyrda gewealdum.
þær ða synsceaðan soþes ne giemdon,
gæstes þearfe, ac hi godes tempel
bræcan ond bærndon, blodgyte worhtan,
feodan ond fyldon. Hwæþre forð bicwom
þurh gæstes giefe godes þegna blæd
æfter upstige ecan dryhtnes.
Bi þon Salomon song, sunu Dauiþes,
giedda gearosnottor gæstgerynum,
waldend werþeoda, ond þæt word acwæð:
"Cuð þæt geweorðeð, þætte cyning engla,
meotud meahtum swið, munt gestylleð,
gehleapeð hea dune, hyllas ond cnollas
bewrið mid his wuldre, woruld alyseð,
ealle eorðbuend, þurh þone æþelan styll."
Wæs se forma hlyp þa he on fæmnan astag,
mægeð unmæle, ond þær mennisc hiw
onfeng butan firenum þæt to frofre gewearð
eallum eorðwarum. Wæs se oþer stiell
bearnes gebyrda, þa he in binne wæs
in cildes hiw claþum bewunden,
ealra þrymma þrym. Wæs se þridda hlyp,
rodorcyninges ræs, þa he on rode astag,
fæder, frofre gæst. Wæs se feorða stiell
in byrgenne, þa he þone beam ofgeaf,
foldærne fæst. Wæs se fifta hlyp
þa he hellwarena heap forbygde
in cwicsusle, cyning inne gebond,
feonda foresprecan, fyrnum teagum,
gromhydigne, þær he gen ligeð
in carcerne clommum gefæstnad,
synnum gesæled. Wæs se siexta hlyp,
haliges hyhtplega, þa he to heofonum astag
on his ealdcyððe. þa wæs engla þreat
on þa halgan tid hleahtre bliþe
wynnum geworden. Gesawan wuldres þrym,
æþelinga ord, eðles neosan,
beorhtra bolda. þa wearð burgwarum
eadgum ece gefea æþelinges plega.
þus her on grundum godes ece bearn
ofer heahhleoþu hlypum stylde,
modig æfter muntum. Swa we men sculon
heortan gehygdum hlypum styllan
of mægne in mægen, mærþum tilgan
þæt we to þam hyhstan hrofe gestigan
halgum weorcum, þær is hyht ond blis,
geþungen þegnweorud. Is us þearf micel
þæt we mid heortan hælo secen,
þær we mid gæste georne gelyfað
þæt þæt hælobearn heonan up stige
mid usse lichoman, lifgende god.
Forþon we a sculon idle lustas,
synwunde forseon, ond þæs sellran gefeon.
Habbað we us to frofre fæder on roderum
ælmeahtigne. He his aras þonan,
halig of heahðu, hider onsendeð,
þa us gescildaþ wið sceþþendra
eglum earhfarum, þi læs unholdan
wunde gewyrcen, þonne wrohtbora
in folc godes forð onsendeð
of his brægdbogan biterne stræl.
Forþon we fæste sculon wið þam færscyte
symle wærlice wearde healdan,
þy læs se attres ord in gebuge,
biter bordgelac, under banlocan,
feonda færsearo. þæt bið frecne wund,
blatast benna. Utan us beorgan þa,
þenden we on eorðan eard weardien;
utan us to fæder freoþa wilnian,
biddan bearn godes ond þone bliðan gæst
þæt he us gescilde wið sceaþan wæpnum,
laþra lygesearwum, se us lif forgeaf,
leomu, lic ond gæst. Si him lof symle
þurh woruld worulda, wuldor on heofnum.
Ne þearf him ondrædan deofla strælas
ænig on eorðan ælda cynnes,
gromra garfare, gif hine god scildeþ,
duguða dryhten. Is þam dome neah
þæt we gelice sceolon leanum hleotan,
swa we widefeorh weorcum hlodun
geond sidne grund. Us secgað bec
hu æt ærestan eadmod astag
in middangeard mægna goldhord,
in fæmnan fæðm freobearn godes,
halig of heahþu. Huru ic wene me
ond eac ondræde dom ðy reþran,
ðonne eft cymeð engla þeoden,
þe ic ne heold teala þæt me hælend min
on bocum bibead. Ic þæs brogan sceal
geseon synwræce, þæs þe ic soð talge,
þær monig beoð on gemot læded
fore onsyne eces deman.
þonne ᚳ cwacað, gehyreð cyning mæðlan,
rodera ryhtend, sprecan reþe word
þam þe him ær in worulde wace hyrdon,
þendan ᚣ ond ᚾ yþast meahtan
frofre findan. þær sceal forht monig
on þam wongstede werig bidan
hwæt him æfter dædum deman wille
wraþra wita. Biþ se ᚹ scæcen
eorþan frætwa. ᚢ wæs longe
ᛚ flodum bilocen, lifwynna dæl,
ᛇ on foldan. þonne frætwe sculon
byrnan on bæle; blac rasetteð
recen reada leg, reþe scriþeð
geond woruld wide. Wongas hreosað,
burgstede berstað. Brond bið on tyhte,
æleð ealdgestreon unmurnlice,
gæsta gifrast, þæt geo guman heoldan,
þenden him on eorþan onmedla wæs.

MLA

Cynewulf. Christ II (Old English), Lines 683–814. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/work/christ-2-ascension-oe/2/.

Chicago

Cynewulf. Christ II (Old English), Lines 683–814. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/work/christ-2-ascension-oe/2/.

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