← Christ III (Old English) · Contents

Christ III (Old English) · c. 9th century (poet unknown)

Lines 1609–1664

by Anonymous (Old English) c. 7th–11th century


ðær sceolan þeofas ond þeodsceaþan,
lease ond forlegene, lifes ne wenan,
ond mansworan morþorlean seon,
heard ond heorogrim. þonne hel nimeð
wærleasra weorud, ond hi waldend giefeð
feondum in forwyrd; fa þrowiað
ealdorbealu egeslic. Earm bið se þe wile
firenum gewyrcan, þæt he fah scyle
from his scyppende ascyred weorðan
æt domdæge to deaðe niþer,
under helle cinn in þæt hate fyr,
under liges locan, þær hy leomu ræcað
to bindenne ond to bærnenne
ond to swingenne synna to wite.
ðonne halig gæst helle biluceð,
morþerhusa mæst, þurh meaht godes,
fyres fulle, ond feonda here,
cyninges worde. Se biþ cwealma mæst
deofla ond monna! þæt is dreamleas hus,
ðær ænig ne mæg ower losian
caldan clommum. Hy bræcon cyninges word,
beorht boca bibod; forþon hy abidan sceolon
in sinnehte, sar endeleas,
firendædum fa, forð þrowian,
ða þe her forhogdun heofonrices þrym.
þonne þa gecorenan fore Crist berað
beorhte frætwe. Hyra blæd leofað
æt domdæge, agan dream mid gode
liþes lifes, þæs þe alyfed biþ
haligra gehwam on heofonrice.
ðæt is se eþel þe no geendad weorþeð,
ac þær symle forð synna lease
dream weardiað, dryhten lofiað,
leofne lifes weard, leohte biwundne,
sibbum bisweðede, sorgum biwerede,
dreamum gedyrde, dryhtne gelyfde.
Awo to ealdre engla gemanan
brucað mid blisse, beorhte mid lisse,
freogað folces weard. Fæder ealra geweald
hafað ond healdeð haligra weorud.
ðær is engla song, eadigra blis,
þær is seo dyre dryhtnes onsien
eallum þam gesælgum sunnan leohtra.
ðær is leofra lufu, lif butan endedeaðe,
glæd gumena weorud, gioguð butan ylde,
heofonduguða þrym, hælu butan sare,
ryhtfremmendum ræst butan gewinne,
domeadigra dæg butan þeostrum,
beorht blædes full, blis butan sorgum,
frið freondum bitweon forð butan æfestum,
gesælgum on swegle, sib butan niþe
halgum on gemonge. Nis þær hungor ne þurst,
slæp ne swar leger, ne sunnan bryne,
ne cyle ne cearo, ac þær cyninges giefe
awo brucað eadigra gedryht,
weoruda wlitescynast, wuldres mid dryhten.

MLA

Anonymous (Old English). Christ III (Old English), Lines 1609–1664. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/work/christ-3-doomsday-oe/6/.

Chicago

Anonymous (Old English). Christ III (Old English), Lines 1609–1664. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/work/christ-3-doomsday-oe/6/.

Read this with the Codex →