Guthlac A, lines 127–249

Oþer hyne scyhte, þæt he sceaðena gemot
nihtes sohte ond þurh neþinge
wunne æfter worulde, swa doð wræcmæcgas
þa þe ne bimurnað monnes feore
þæs þe him to honda huþe gelædeð,
butan hy þy reafe rædan motan.
Swa hy hine trymedon on twa healfa
oþþæt þæs gewinnes weoroda dryhten
on þæs engles dom ende gereahte.
Feond wæs geflymed; siþ þam frofre gæst
in Guðlaces geoce gewunade,
lufade hine ond lærde lenge hu geornor,
þæt him leofedan londes wynne,
bold on beorhge. Oft þær broga cwom
egeslic ond uncuð, ealdfeonda nið,
searocræftum swiþ; hy him sylf hyra
onsyn ywdon, ond þær ær fela
setla gesæton. þonan sið tugon
wide waðe, wuldre byscyrede,
lyftlacende. Wæs seo londes stow
bimiþen fore monnum, oþþæt meotud onwrah
beorg on bearwe, þa se bytla cwom
se þær haligne ham arærde,
nales þy he giemde þurh gitsunga
lænes lifwelan, ac þæt lond gode
fægre gefreoþode, siþþan feond oferwon
Cristes cempa. He gecostad wearð
in gemyndigra monna tidum,
ðara þe nu gena þurh gæstlicu
wundor hine weorðiað ond his wisdomes
hlisan healdað, þæt se halga þeow
elne geeode, þa he ana gesæt
dygle stowe. ðær he dryhtnes lof
reahte ond rærde; oft þurh reorde abead,
þam þe þrowera þeawas lufedon,
godes ærendu, þa him gæst onwrah
lifes snyttru, þæt he his lichoman
wynna forwyrnde ond woruldblissa,
seftra setla ond symbeldaga,
swylce eac idelra eagena wynna,
gierelan gielplices. Him wæs godes egsa
mara in gemyndum þonne he menniscum
þrymme æfter þonce þegan wolde.
God wæs Guðlac! He in gæste bær
heofoncundne hyht, hælu geræhte
ecan lifes. Him wæs engel neah,
fæle freoðuweard, þam þe feara sum
mearclond gesæt. þær he mongum wearð
bysen on Brytene, siþþan biorg gestah
eadig oretta, ondwiges heard.
Gyrede hine georne mid gæstlicum
wæpnum wong bletsade,
him to ætstælle ærest arærde
Cristes rode, þær se cempa oferwon
frecnessa fela. Frome wurdun monge
godes þrowera; we þæs Guðlaces
deorwyrðne dæl dryhtne cennað.
He him sige sealde ond snyttrucræft,
mundbyrd meahta, þonne mengu cwom
feonda færscytum fæhðe ræran.
Ne meahton hy æfeste anforlætan,
ac to Guðlaces gæste gelæddun
frasunga fela. Him wæs fultum neah,
engel hine elne trymede, þonne hy him yrre hweopan,
frecne fyres wylme. Stodan him on feðehwearfum,
cwædon þæt he on þam beorge byrnan sceolde
ond his lichoman lig forswelgan,
þæt his earfeþu eal gelumpe
modcearu mægum, gif he monna dream
of þam orlege eft ne wolde
sylfa gesecan, ond his sibbe ryht
mid moncynne maran cræfte
willum bewitigan, lætan wræce stille.
Swa him yrsade, se for ealle spræc
feonda mengu. No þy forhtra wæs
Guðlaces gæst, ac him god sealde
ellen wiþ þam egsan þæt þæs ealdfeondes
scyldigra scolu scome þrowedon;
wæron teonsmiðas tornes fulle,
cwædon þæt him Guðlac eac gode sylfum
earfeþa mæst ana gefremede,
siþþan he for wlence on westenne
beorgas bræce, þær hy bidinge,
earme ondsacan, æror mostun
æfter tintergum tidum brucan,
ðonne hy of waþum werge cwoman
restan ryneþragum, rowe gefegon;
wæs him seo gelyfed þurh lytel fæc.
Stod seo dygle stow dryhtne in gemyndum
idel ond æmen, eþelriehte feor,
bad bisæce betran hyrdes.
To þon ealdfeondas ondan noman,
swa hi singales sorge dreogað.
Ne motun hi on eorþan eardes brucan,
ne hy lyft swefeð in leoma ræstum,
ac hy hleolease hama þoliað,
in cearum cwiþað, cwealmes wiscað,
willen þæt him dryhten þurh deaðes cwealm
to hyra earfeða ende geryme.
Ne mostun hy Guðlaces gæste sceþþan,
ne þurh sarslege sawle gedælan
wið lichoman, ac hy ligesearwum
ahofun hearmstafas, hleahtor alegdon,
sorge seofedon, þa hi swiðra oferstag
weard on wonge. Sceoldon wræcmæcgas
ofgiefan gnornende grene beorgas.
Hwæþre hy þa gena, godes ondsacan,
sægdon sarstafum, swiþe geheton,
þæt he deaþa gedal dreogan sceolde,
gif he leng bide laþran gemotes,
hwonne hy mid mengu maran cwome,
þa þe for his life lyt sorgedon.
Guðlac him ongean þingode, cwæð þæt hy gielpan ne þorftan
dædum wið dryhtnes meahtum. "þeah þe ge me deað gehaten,
mec wile wið þam niþum genergan se þe eowrum nydum wealdeð.
An is ælmihtig god, se mec mæg eaðe gescyldan;
he min feorg freoþað. Ic eow fela wille
soþa gesecgan. Mæg ic þis setl on eow
butan earfeðum ana geðringan.
Ne eam ic swa fealog, swa ic eow fore stonde,
monna weorudes, ac me mara dæl
in godcundum gæstgerynum
wunað ond weaxeð, se me wraþe healdeð.