Guthlac B, lines 819–975

ðæt is wide cuð wera cneorissum,
folcum gefræge, þætte frymþa god
þone ærestan ælda cynnes
of þære clænestan, cyning ælmihtig,
foldan geworhte. ða wæs fruma niwe
elda tudres, onstæl wynlic,
fæger ond gefealic. Fæder wæs acenned
Adam ærest þurh est godes
on neorxnawong, þær him nænges wæs
willan onsyn, ne welan brosnung,
ne lifes lyre ne lices hryre,
ne dreames dryre ne deaðes cyme,
ac he on þam lande lifgan moste
ealra leahtra leas, longe neotan
niwra gefeana. þær he no þorfte
lifes ne lissa in þam leohtan ham
þurh ælda tid ende gebidan,
ac æfter fyrste to þam færestan
heofonrices gefean hweorfan mostan,
leomu lic somud ond lifes gæst,
ond þær siþþan a in sindreamum
to widan feore wunian mostun
dryhtne on gesihðe, butan deaðe forð,
gif hy halges word healdan woldun
beorht in breostum, ond his bebodu læstan,
æfnan on eðle. Hy to ær aþreat
þæt hy waldendes willan læsten,
ac his wif genom wyrmes larum
blede forbodene, ond of beame ahneop
wæstm biweredne ofer word godes,
wuldorcyninges, ond hyre were sealde
þurh deofles searo deaðberende gyfl
þæt ða sinhiwan to swylte geteah.
Siþþan se eþel uðgenge wearð
Adame ond Euan, eardwica cyst
beorht oðbroden, ond hyra bearnum swa,
eaferum æfter, þa hy on uncyððu,
scomum scudende, scofene wurdon
on gewinworuld. Weorces onguldon,
deopra firena, þurh deaðes cwealm,
þe hy unsnyttrum ær gefremedon.
þære synwræce siþþan sceoldon
mægð ond mæcgas morþres ongyldon,
godscyldge gyrn þurh gæstgedal,
deopra firena. Deað in geþrong
fira cynne, feond rixade
geond middangeard. Nænig monna wæs
of þam sigetudre siþþan æfre
godes willan þæs georn, ne gynnwised,
þæt he bibugan mæge þone bitran drync
þone Eue fyrn Adame geaf,
byrelade bryd geong; þæt him bam gescod
in þam deoran ham. Deað ricsade
ofer foldbuend, þeah þe fela wære
gæsthaligra, þær hi godes willan
on mislicum monna gebihþum
æfter stedewonga stowum fremedon;
sume ær, sume sið, sume in urra
æfter tælmearce tida gemyndum
sigorlean sohtun. Us secgað bec
hu Guðlac wearð þurh godes willan
eadig on Engle. He him ece geceas
meaht ond mundbyrd. Mære wurdon
his wundra geweorc wide ond side,
breme æfter burgum geond Bryten innan,
hu he monge oft þurh meaht godes
gehælde hygegeomre hefigra wita,
þe hine unsofte, adle gebundne,
sarge gesohtun of siðwegum,
freorigmode. Symle frofre þær
æt þam godes cempan gearwe fundon,
helpe ond hælo. Nænig hæleþa is
þe areccan mæge oþþe rim wite
ealra þara wundra þe he in worulde her
þurh dryhtnes giefe dugeþum gefremede.
Oft to þam wicum weorude cwomun
deofla deaðmægen duguþa byscyrede
hloþum þringan, þær se halga þeow
elnes anhydig eard weardade.
þær hy mislice mongum reordum
on þam westenne woðe hofun
hludne herecirm, hiwes binotene,
dreamum bidrorene. Dryhtnes cempa,
from folctoga, feonda þreatum
wiðstod stronglice. Næs seo stund latu
earmra gæsta, ne þæt onbid long,
þæt þa wrohtsmiðas wop ahofun,
hreopun hreðlease, hleoþrum brugdon.
Hwilum wedende swa wilde deor
cirmdon on corðre, hwilum cyrdon eft
minne mansceaþan on mennisc hiw
breahtma mæste, hwilum brugdon eft
awyrgde wærlogan on wyrmes bleo,
earme adloman attre spiowdon.
Symle hy Guðlac gearene fundon,
þonces gleawne. He geþyldum bad,
þeah him feonda hloð feorhcwealm bude.
Hwilum him to honda hungre geþreatad
fleag fugla cyn, þær hy feorhnere
witude fundon ond hine weorðedon
meaglum stefnum. Hwilum mennisce
aras eaðmedum eft neosedon,
ond þær siðfrome on þam sigewonge
æt þam halgan þeowan helpe gemetton,
ferðþes frofre. Nænig forþum wæs,
þæt he æwiscmod eft siðade,
hean, hyhta leas, ac se halga wer
ælda gehwylces þurh þa æþelan meaht,
þe hine seoslige sohtun on ðearfe,
hæleð hygegeomre, hælde bu tu
lic ond sawle, þenden lifes weard,
ece ælmihtig, unnan wolde
þæt he blædes her brucan moste,
worulde lifes. Wæs gewinnes þa
yrmþa for eorðan endedogor
þurh nydgedal neah geþrungen,
siþþan he on westenne wiceard geceas,
fiftynu gear, þa wæs frofre gæst
eadgum æbodan ufan onsended,
halig of heahþu. Hreþer innan born,
afysed on forðsið. Him færinga
adl in gewod. He on elne swa þeah
ungeblyged bad beorhtra gehata
bliþe in burgum. Wæs þam bancofan
æfter nihtglome neah geþrungen,
breosthord onboren. Wæs se bliþa gæst
fus on forðweg. Nolde fæder engla
in þisse wonsælgan worulde life
leahtra leasne longfyrst ofer þæt
wunian leton, þe him on weorcum her
on his dagena tid dædum gecwemde
elne unslawe. ða se ælmihtiga
let his hond cuman þær se halga þeow,
deormod on degle domeadig bad,
heard ond hygerof. Hyht wæs geniwad,
blis in breostum. Wæs se bancofa
adle onæled, inbendum fæst,
lichord onlocen. Leomu hefegedon,
sarum gesohte. He þæt soð gecneow
þæt hine ælmihtig ufan neosade,
meotud fore miltsum. He his modsefan
wið þam færhagan fæste trymede
feonda gewinna. Næs he forht seþeah,
ne seo adlþracu egle on mode,
ne deaðgedal, ac him dryhtnes lof
born in breostum, brondhat lufu
sigorfæst in sefan, seo him sara gehwylc
symle forswiðde. Næs him sorgcearu
on þas lænan tid, þeah his lic ond gæst
hyra somwiste, sinhiwan tu,
deore gedælden. Dagas forð scridun,
nihthelma genipu. Wæs neah seo tid
þæt he fyrngewyrht fyllan sceolde
þurh deaðes cyme, domes hleotan,
efne þæs ilcan þe usse yldran fyrn
frecne onfengon, swa him biforan worhton
þa ærestan ælda cynnes.