Guthlac A, lines 494–617

Ic eow soð siþþon secgan wille.
God scop geoguðe ond gumena dream;
ne magun þa æfteryld in þam ærestan
blæde geberan, ac hy blissiað
worulde wynnum, oððæt wintra rim
gegæð in þa geoguðe, þæt se gæst lufað
onsyn ond ætwist yldran hades,
ðe gemete monige geond middangeard
þeowiað in þeawum. þeodum ywaþ
wisdom weras, wlencu forleosað,
siððan geoguðe geað gæst aflihð.
þæt ge ne scirað, ac ge scyldigra
synne secgað, soþfæstra no
mod ond monþeaw mæran willað.
Gefeoð in firenum, frofre ne wenað,
þæt ge wræcsiða wyrpe gebiden.
Oft ge in gestalum stondað; þæs cymeð steor of heofonum.
Me þonne sige sendeð se usic semon mæg,
se þe lifa gehwæs lengu wealdeð."
Swa hleoþrade halig cempa;
wæs se martyre from moncynnes
synnum asundrad. Sceolde he sares þa gen
dæl adreogan, ðeah þe dryhten his
witum weolde. Hwæt, þæt wundra sum
monnum þuhte, þæt he ma wolde
afrum onfengum earme gæstas
hrinan leton, ond þæt hwæþre gelomp!
Wæs þæt gen mara, þæt he middangeard
sylfa gesohte, ond his swat ageat
on bonena hond; ahte bega geweald,
lifes ond deaðes, þa he lustum dreag
eaðmod on eorðan ehtendra nið.
Forþon is nu arlic þæt we æfæstra
dæde demen, secgen dryhtne lof
ealra þara bisena þe us bec fore
þurh his wundra geweorc wisdom cyþað.
Geofu wæs mid Guðlac in godcundum
mægne gemeted. Micel is to secgan
eall æfter orde, þæt he on elne adreag:
ðone foregengan fæder ælmihtig
wið onhælum ealdorgewinnum
sylfa gesette, þær his sawl wearð
clæne ond gecostad. Cuð is wide
geond middangeard þæt his mod geþah
in godes willan; is þæs gen fela
to secgenne, þæs þe he sylfa adreag
under nyðgista nearwum clommum.
He þa sar forseah, a þære sawle wel
þæs mundboran þe þæt mod geheold,
þæt him ne getweode treow in breostum,
ne him gnornunga gæste scodun,
ac se hearda hyge halig wunade,
oþþæt he þa bysgu oferbiden hæfde.
þrea wæron þearle, þegnas grimme,
ealle hy þam feore fyl gehehton.
No hy hine to deaðe deman moston,
synna hyrdas, ac seo sawul bad
in lichoman leofran tide.
Georne hy ongeaton þæt hyne god wolde
nergan wið niþum ond hyra nydwræce
deope deman. Swa dryhten mæg,
ana ælmihtig, eadigra gehwone
wið earfeþum eaðe gescildan.
Hwæðre hine gebrohton bolgenmode,
wraðe wræcmæcgas, wuldres cempan,
halig husulbearn, æt heldore,
þær firenfulra fæge gæstas
æfter swyltcwale secan onginnað
ingong ærest in þæt atule hus,
niþer under næssas neole grundas.
Hy hine bregdon, budon orlege,
egsan ond ondan arleaslice,
frecne fore, swa bið feonda þeaw,
þonne hy soðfæstra sawle willað
synnum beswican ond searocræftum.
Ongunnon gromheorte godes orettan
in sefan swencan, swiþe geheton
þæt he in þone grimman gryre gongan sceolde,
hweorfan gehyned to helwarum,
ond þær in bendum bryne þrowian.
Woldun hy geteon mid torncwidum
earme aglæcan in orwennysse,
meotudes cempan. Hit ne meahte swa!
Cwædon cearfulle, Criste laðe,
to Guðlace mid grimnysse:
"Ne eart ðu gedefe, ne dryhtnes þeow
clæne gecostad, ne cempa god,
wordum ond weorcum wel gecyþed,
halig in heortan. Nu þu in helle scealt
deope gedufan, nales dryhtnes leoht
habban in heofonum, heahgetimbru,
seld on swegle, forþon þu synna to fela,
facna gefremedes in flæschoman.
We þe nu willað womma gehwylces
lean forgieldan, þær þe laþast bið
in ðam grimmestan gæstgewinne."
Him se eadga wer ondswarode,
Guðlac in gæste mid godes mægne:
"Doð efne swa, gif eow dryhten Crist,
lifes leohtfruma lyfan wylle,
weoruda waldend, þæt ge his wergengan
in þone laðan leg lædan motan.
þæt is in gewealdum wuldorcyninges,
se eow gehynde ond in hæft bidraf
under nearone clom, nergende Crist.
Eom ic eaðmod his ombiehthera,
þeow geþyldig. Ic geþafian sceal
æghwær ealles his anne dom,
ond him geornlice gæstgemyndum
wille wideferh wesan underþyded,
hyran holdlice minum hælende
þeawum ond geþyncðum, ond him þoncian
ealra þara giefena þe god gescop
englum ærest ond eorðwarum;
ond ic bletsige bliðe mode
lifes leohtfruman, ond him lof singe
þurh gedefne dom dæges ond nihtes,
herge in heortan heofonrices weard.
þæt eow æfre ne bið ufan alyfed
leohtes lissum, þæt ge lof moten
dryhtne secgan, ac ge deaðe sceolon
weallendne wean wope besingan,
heaf in helle, nales herenisse
halge habban heofoncyninges.