Lines 256–376

ðær wæs on eorle eðgesyne
brogden byrne ond bill gecost,
geatolic guðscrud, grimhelm manig,
ænlic eoforcumbul. Wæron æscwigan,
secggas ymb sigecwen, siðes gefysde.
Fyrdrincas frome foron on luste
on Creca land, caseres bodan,
hilderincas, hyrstum gewerede.
þær wæs gesyne sincgim locen
on þam hereþreate, hlafordes gifu.
Wæs seo eadhreðige Elene gemyndig,
þriste on geþance, þeodnes willan
georn on mode þæt hio Iudeas
ofer herefeldas heape gecoste
lindwigendra land gesohte,
secga þreate. Swa hit siððan gelamp
ymb lytel fæc þæt ðæt leodmægen,
guðrofe hæleþ to Hierusalem
cwomon in þa ceastre corðra mæste,
eorlas æscrofe, mid þa æðelan cwen.
Heht ða gebeodan burgsittendum
þam snoterestum side ond wide
geond Iudeas, gumena gehwylcum,
meðelhegende, on gemot cuman,
þa ðe deoplicost dryhtnes geryno
þurh rihte æ reccan cuðon.
ða wæs gesamnod of sidwegum
mægen unlytel, þa ðe Moyses æ
reccan cuðon. þær on rime wæs
þreo M þæra leoda
alesen to lare. Ongan þa leoflic wif
weras Ebrea wordum negan:
"Ic þæt gearolice ongiten hæbbe
þurg witgena wordgeryno
on godes bocum þæt ge geardagum
wyrðe wæron wuldorcyninge,
dryhtne dyre ond dædhwæte.
Hwæt, ge ealle snyttro unwislice,
wraðe wiðweorpon, þa ge wergdon þane
þe eow of wergðe þurh his wuldres miht,
fram ligcwale, lysan þohte,
of hæftnede. Ge mid horu speowdon
on þæs ondwlitan þe eow eagena leoht,
fram blindnesse bote gefremede
edniowunga þurh þæt æðele spald,
ond fram unclænum oft generede
deofla gastum. Ge to deaþe þone
deman ongunnon, se ðe of deaðe sylf
woruld awehte on wera corþre
in þæt ærre lif eowres cynnes.
Swa ge modblinde mengan ongunnon
lige wið soðe, leoht wið þystrum,
æfst wið are, inwitþancum
wroht webbedan. Eow seo wergðu forðan
sceðþeð scyldfullum. Ge þa sciran miht
deman ongunnon, ond gedweolan lifdon,
þeostrum geþancum, oð þysne dæg.
Gangaþ nu snude, snyttro geþencaþ,
weras wisfæste, wordes cræftige,
þa ðe eowre æ æðelum cræftige
on ferhðsefan fyrmest hæbben,
þa me soðlice secgan cunnon,
ondsware cyðan for eowic forð
tacna gehwylces þe ic him to sece."
Eodan þa on geruman reonigmode
eorlas æcleawe, egesan geþreade,
gehðum geomre, georne sohton
þa wisestan wordgeryno,
þæt hio þære cwene oncweðan meahton
swa tiles swa trages, swa hio him to sohte.
Hio þa on þreate M manna
fundon ferhðgleawra, þa þe fyrngemynd
mid Iudeum gearwast cuðon.
þrungon þa on þreate þær on þrymme bad
in cynestole caseres mæg,
geatolic guðcwen golde gehyrsted.
Elene maþelode ond for eorlum spræc:
"Gehyrað, higegleawe, halige rune,
word ond wisdom. Hwæt, ge witgena
lare onfengon, hu se liffruma
in cildes had cenned wurde,
mihta wealdend. Be þam Moyses sang,
ond þæt word gecwæð weard Israhela:
'Eow acenned bið cniht on degle,
mihtum mære, swa þæs modor ne bið
wæstmum geeacnod þurh weres frige.'
Be ðam Dauid cyning dryhtleoð agol,
frod fyrnweota, fæder Salomones,
ond þæt word gecwæþ wigona baldor:
'Ic frumþa god fore sceawode,
sigora dryhten. He on gesyhðe wæs,
mægena wealdend, min on þa swiðran,
þrymmes hyrde. þanon ic ne wende
æfre to aldre onsion mine.'
Swa hit eft be eow Essaias,
witga for weorodum, wordum mælde,
deophycggende þurh dryhtnes gast:
'Ic up ahof eaforan gingne
ond bearn cende, þam ic blæd forgeaf,
halige higefrofre, ac hie hyrwdon me,
feodon þurh feondscipe, nahton foreþances,
wisdomes gewitt; ond þa weregan neat,
þe man daga gehwam drifeð ond þirsceð,
ongitaþ hira goddend, nales gnyrnwræcum
feogað frynd hiera þe him fodder gifað,
ond me Israhela æfre ne woldon
folc oncnawan, þeah ic feala for him
æfter woruldstundum wundra gefremede.'
Hwæt, we þæt gehyrdon þurh halige bec
þæt eow dryhten geaf dom unscyndne,
meotod mihta sped, Moyse sægde
hu ge heofoncyninge hyran sceoldon,
lare læstan. Eow þæs lungre aþreat,
ond ge þam ryhte wiðroten hæfdon,
onscunedon þone sciran scippend eallra,
dryhtna dryhten, ond gedwolan fylgdon
ofer riht godes. Nu ge raþe gangaþ
ond findaþ gen þa þe fyrngewritu
þurh snyttro cræft selest cunnen,
æriht eower, þæt me ondsware
þurh sidne sefan secgan cunnen."