Guthlac B, lines 1227–1347

"Hwæt, þu me, wine min, wordum nægest,
fusne frignest, þæs þe ic furþum ær
æfre on ealdre ængum ne wolde
monna ofer moldan melda weorðan,
þegne on þeode, butan þe nu ða,
þy læs þæt wundredan weras ond idesa,
ond on geað gutan, gieddum mænden
bi me lifgendum. Huru, ic nolde sylf
þurh gielpcwide gæstes mines
frofre gelettan, ne fæder mines
æfre geæfnan, æbylg godes.
Symle me onsende sigedryhten min,
folca feorhgiefa, siþþan ic furþum ongon
on þone æfteran anseld bugan
geargemearces, gæst haligne,
engel ufancundne, se mec efna gehwam,
meahtig meotudes þegn, ond on morgne eft,
sigorfæst gesohte, ond me sara gehwylc
gehælde hygesorge, ond me in hreþre bileac
wuldres wilboda wisdomes giefe
micle monigfealdran þonne ænig mon wite
in life her, þe me alyfed nis
to gecyþenne cwicra ængum
on foldwege fira cynnes,
þæt me ne meahte monna ænig
bideaglian hwæt he dearninga
on hyge hogde heortan geþoncum,
siþþan he me fore eagum onsyne wearð.
A ic on mode mað monna gehwylcne
þeodnes þrymcyme oð þisne dæg.
Leofast monna, nu ic for lufan þinre,
ond geferscype þæt wit fyrn mid unc
longe læstan, nelle ic lætan þe
æfre unrotne æfter ealdorlege
meðne modseocne minre geweorðan,
soden sorgwælmum. A ic sibbe wiþ þe
healdan wille. Nu of hreþerlocan
to þam soþan gefean sawel fundað.
Nis seo tid latu, tydrað þis banfæt,
greothord gnornað, gæst hine fyseð
on ecne geard, utsiþes georn
on sellan gesetu. Nu ic swiðe eom
weorce gewergad." ða to þam wage gesag,
heafelan onhylde, hyrde þa gena
ellen on innan. Oroð stundum teah
mægne modig, him of muðe cwom
swecca swetast. Swylce on sumeres tid
stincað on stowum staþelum fæste
wynnum æfter wongum wyrta geblowene,
hunigflowende, swa þæs halgan wæs
ondlongne dæg oþ æfen forð
oroð up hlæden. þa se æþela glæm
setlgong sohte, swearc norðrodor
won under wolcnum, woruld miste oferteah,
þystrum biþeahte, þrong niht ofer tiht
londes frætwa. ða cwom leohta mæst,
halig of heofonum hædre scinan,
beorhte ofer burgsalu. Bad se þe sceolde
eadig on elne endedogor,
awrecen wælstrælum. Wuldres scima,
æþele ymb æþelne, ondlonge niht
scan scirwered. Scadu sweþredon,
tolysed under lyfte. Wæs se leohta glæm
ymb þæt halge hus, heofonlic condel,
from æfenglome oþþæt eastan cwom
ofer deop gelad dægredwoma,
wedertacen wearm. Aras se wuldormago,
eadig elnes gemyndig, spræc to his onbehtþegne,
torht to his treowum gesiþe: "Tid is þæt þu fere,
ond þa ærendu eal biþence,
ofestum læde, swa ic þe ær bibead,
lac to leofre. Nu of lice is,
goddreama georn, gæst swiðe fus."
Ahof þa his honda, husle gereorded,
eaðmod þy æþelan gyfle, swylce he his eagan ontynde,
halge heafdes gimmas, biseah þa to heofona rice,
glædmod to geofona leanum, ond þa his gæst onsende
weorcum wlitigne in wuldres dream.
ða wæs Guðlaces gæst gelæded
eadig on upweg. Englas feredun
to þam longan gefean, lic colode,
belifd under lyfte. ða þær leoht ascan,
beama beorhtast. Eal þæt beacen wæs
ymb þæt halge hus, heofonlic leoma,
from foldan up swylce fyren tor
ryht aræred oð rodera hrof,
gesewen under swegle, sunnan beorhtra,
æþeltungla wlite. Engla þreatas
sigeleoð sungon, sweg wæs on lyfte
gehyred under heofonum, haligra dream.
Swa se burgstede wæs blissum gefylled,
swetum stencum ond sweglwundrum,
eadges yrfestol, engla hleoðres,
eal innanweard. þær wæs ænlicra
ond wynsumra þonne hit in worulde mæge
stefn areccan, hu se stenc ond se sweg,
heofonlic hleoþor ond se halga song,
gehyred wæs, heahþrym godes,
breahtem æfter breahtme. Beofode þæt ealond,
foldwong onþrong. ða afyrhted wearð
ar, elnes biloren, gewat þa ofestlice
beorn unhyðig, þæt he bat gestag,
wæghengest wræc, wæterþisa for,
snel under sorgum. Swegl hate scan,
blac ofer burgsalo. Brimwudu scynde,
leoht, lade fus. Lagumearg snyrede,
gehlæsted to hyðe, þæt se hærnflota
æfter sundplegan sondlond gespearn,
grond wið greote. Gnornsorge wæg
hate æt heortan, hyge geomurne,
meðne modsefan, se þe his mondryhten,
life bilidenne, last weardian
wiste, wine leofne. Him þæs wopes hring
torne gemonade. Teagor yðum weol,
hate hleordropan, ond on hreþre wæg
micle modceare. He þære mægeð sceolde
lace gelædan laðspel to soð.
Cwom þa freorigferð þær seo fæmne wæs,
wuldres wynmæg. He þa wyrd ne mað,
fæges forðsið. Fusleoð agol
wineþearfende, ond þæt word acwæð: