Lines 620–740

Seofon winter samod susl þrowode,
wildeora westen, winburge cyning.
ða se earfoðmæcg up locode,
wilddeora gewita, þurh wolcna gang.
Gemunde þa on mode þæt metod wære,
heofona heahcyning, hæleða bearnum
ana ece gast. þa he eft onhwearf
wodan gewittes, þær þe he ær wide bær
herewosan hige, heortan getenge.
þa his gast ahwearf in godes gemynd,
mod to mannum, siððan he metod onget.
Gewat þa earmsceapen eft siðian,
nacod nydgenga, nið geðafian,
wundorlic wræcca and wæda leas,
mætra on modgeðanc, to mancynne,
ðonne gumena weard in gylpe wæs.
Stod middangeard æfter mandrihtne,
eard and eðel æfter þam æðelinge,
seofon winter samod, swa no swiðrode
rice under roderum oðþæt se ræswa com.
þa wæs eft geseted in aldordom
Babilone weard, hæfde beteran ðeaw,
leohtran geleafan in liffruman,
þætte god sealde gumena gehwilcum
welan swa wite, swa he wolde sylf.
Ne lengde þa leoda aldor
witegena wordcwyde, ac he wide bead
metodes mihte þær he meld ahte,
siðfæt sægde sinum leodum,
wide waðe þe he mid wilddeorum ateah,
oðþæt him frean godes in gast becwom
rædfæst sefa, ða he to roderum beseah.
Wyrd wæs geworden, wundor gecyðed,
swefn geseðed, susl awunnen,
dom gedemed, swa ær Daniel cwæð,
þæt se folctoga findan sceolde
earfoðsiðas for his ofermedlan.
Swa he ofstlice godspellode
metodes mihtum for mancynne,
siððan in Babilone burhsittendum
lange hwile lare sægde,
Daniel domas. Siððan deora gesið,
wildra wærgenga, of waðe cwom,
Nabochodonossor of niðwracum,
siððan weardode wide rice,
heold hæleða gestreon and þa hean burh,
frod, foremihtig folca ræswa,
Caldea cyning, oðþæt him cwelm gesceod,
swa him ofer eorðan andsaca ne wæs
gumena ænig oðþæt him god wolde
þurh hryre hreddan hea rice.
Siððan þær his aferan ead bryttedon,
welan, wunden gold, in þære widan byrig,
ealhstede eorla, unwaclice,
heah hordmægen, þa hyra hlaford læg.
ða in ðære ðeode awoc his þæt þridde cneow.
Wæs Baldazar burga aldor,
weold wera rices, oðþæt him wlenco gesceod,
oferhyd egle. ða wæs endedæg
ðæs ðe Caldeas cyningdom ahton.
ða metod onlah Medum and Persum
aldordomes ymb lytel fæc,
let Babilone blæd swiðrian,
þone þa hæleð healdan sceoldon.
Wiste he ealdormen in unrihtum,
ða ðe ðy rice rædan sceoldon.
ða þæt gehogode hamsittende,
Meda aldor, þæt ær man ne ongan,
þæt he Babilone abrecan wolde,
alhstede eorla, þær æðelingas
under wealla hleo welan brytnedon.
þæt wæs þara fæstna folcum cuðost,
mæst and mærost þara þe men bun,
Babilon burga, oðþæt Baldazar
þurh gylp grome godes frasade.
Sæton him æt wine wealle belocene,
ne onegdon na orlegra nið,
þeah ðe feonda folc feran cwome
herega gerædum to þære heahbyrig
þæt hie Babilone abrecan mihton.
Gesæt þa to symble siðestan dæge
Caldea cyning mid cneomagum,
þær medugal wearð mægenes wisa.
Het þam æðelum beran Israela gestreon,
huslfatu halegu, on hand werum,
þa ær Caldeas mid cyneðrymme,
cempan in ceastre, clæne genamon,
gold in Gerusalem, ða hie Iudea
blæd forbræcon billa ecgum,
and þurh hleoðorcyme, herige genamon
beorhte frætwe. ða hie tempel strudon,
Salomanes seld, swiðe gulpon.
ða wearð bliðemod burga aldor,
gealp gramlice gode on andan,
cwæð þæt his hergas hyrran wæron
and mihtigran mannum to friðe
þonne Israela ece drihten.
Him þæt tacen wearð þær he to starude,
egeslic for eorlum innan healle,
þæt he for leodum ligeword gecwæð,
þa þær in egesan engel drihtnes
let his hand cuman in þæt hea seld,
wrat þa in wage worda gerynu,
baswe bocstafas, burhsittendum.
ða wearð folctoga forht on mode,
acul for þam egesan. Geseah he engles hand
in sele writan Sennera wite.
þæt gyddedon gumena mænigeo,
hæleð in healle, hwæt seo hand write
to þam beacne burhsittendum.
Werede comon on þæt wundor seon.
Sohton þa swiðe in sefan gehydum,
hwæt seo hand write haliges gastes.
Ne mihton arædan runcræftige men
engles ærendbec, æðelinga cyn,
oðþæt Daniel com, drihtne gecoren,
snotor and soðfæst, in þæt seld gangan.
ðam wæs on gaste godes cræft micel,
to þam ic georne gefrægn gyfum ceapian
burhge weardas þæt he him bocstafas
arædde and arehte, hwæt seo run bude.