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Elene (Old English) · c. 9th century

Lines 1277–1321

by Cynewulf fl. 9th century


Swa a þeos world eall gewiteð,
ond eac swa some þe hire on wurdon
atydrede, tionleg nimeð,
ðonne dryhten sylf dom geseceð
engla weorude. Sceall æghwylc ðær
reordberendra riht gehyran
dæda gehwylcra þurh þæs deman muð,
ond worda swa same wed gesyllan,
eallra unsnyttro ær gesprecenra,
þristra geþonca. þonne on þreo dæleð
in fyres feng folc anra gehwylc,
þara þe gewurdon on widan feore
ofer sidne grund. Soðfæste bioð
yfemest in þam ade, eadigra gedryht,
duguð domgeorne, swa hie adreogan magon
ond butan earfeðum eaðe geþolian,
modigra mægen. Him gemetgaþ eall
ældes leoma, swa him eðost bið,
sylfum geseftost. Synfulle beoð,
mane gemengde, in ðam midle þread,
hæleð higegeomre, in hatne wylm,
þrosme beþehte. Bið se þridda dæl,
awyrgede womsceaðan, in þæs wylmes grund,
lease leodhatan, lige befæsted
þurh ærgewyrht, arleasra sceolu,
in gleda gripe. Gode no syððan
of ðam morðorhofe in gemynd cumað,
wuldorcyninge, ac hie worpene beoð
of ðam heaðuwylme in hellegrund,
torngeniðlan. Bið þam twam dælum
ungelice. Moton engla frean
geseon, sigora god. Hie asodene beoð,
asundrod fram synnum, swa smæte gold
þæt in wylme bið womma gehwylces
þurh ofnes fyr eall geclænsod,
amered ond gemylted. Swa bið þara manna ælc
ascyred ond asceaden scylda gehwylcre,
deopra firena, þurh þæs domes fyr.
Moton þonne siðþan sybbe brucan,
eces eadwelan. Him bið engla weard
milde ond bliðe, þæs ðe hie mana gehwylc
forsawon, synna weorc, ond to suna metudes
wordum cleopodon. Forðan hie nu on wlite scinaþ
englum gelice, yrfes brucaþ
wuldorcyninges to widan feore.

MLA

Cynewulf. Elene (Old English), Lines 1277–1321. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/work/elene-oe/10/.

Chicago

Cynewulf. Elene (Old English), Lines 1277–1321. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/work/elene-oe/10/.

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