Guthlac B, lines 976–1104

ða wæs Guðlace on þa geocran tid
mægen gemeðgad, mod swiþe heard,
elnes anhydig. Wæs seo adl þearl,
hat ond heorogrim. Hreþer innan weol,
born banloca. Bryþen wæs ongunnen
þætte Adame Eue gebyrmde
æt fruman worulde. Feond byrlade
ærest þære idese, ond heo Adame,
hyre swæsum were, siþþan scencte
bittor bædeweg. þæs þa byre siþþan
grimme onguldon gafulrædenne
þurh ærgewyrht, þætte ænig ne wæs
fyra cynnes from fruman siððan
mon on moldan, þætte meahte him
gebeorgan ond bibugan þone bleatan drync,
deopan deaðweges, ac him duru sylfa
on þa sliðnan tid sona ontyneð,
ingong geopenað. Ne mæg ænig þam
flæsce bifongen feore wiðstondan,
ricra ne heanra, ac hine ræseð on
gifrum grapum. Swa wæs Guðlace
enge anhoga ætryhte þa
æfter nihtscuan neah geþyded,
wiga wælgifre. Hine wunade mid
an ombehtþegn, se hine æghwylce
daga neosade. Ongan ða deophydig,
gleawmod gongan to godes temple,
þær he eþelbodan inne wiste,
þone leofestan lareow gecorenne,
ond þa in eode eadgum to spræce,
wolde hyrcnigan halges lara,
mildes meþelcwida. Fonde þa his mondryhten
adlwerigne; him ðæt in gefeol
hefig æt heortan. Hygesorge wæg,
micle modceare. Ongan ða his magu frignan:
"Hu gewearð þe þus, winedryhten min,
fæder, freonda hleo, ferð gebysgad,
nearwe geneged? Ic næfre þe,
þeoden leofesta, þyslicne ær
gemette þus meðne. Meaht þu meðelcwidum
worda gewealdan? Is me on wene geþuht,
þæt þe untrymnes adle gongum
on þisse nyhstan niht bysgade,
sarbennum gesoht. þæt me sorgna is
hatost on hreþre, ær þu hyge minne
ferð afrefre. Wast þu, freodryhten,
hu þeos adle scyle ende gesettan?"
Him þa sið oncwæð, sona ne meahte
oroð up geteon; wæs him in bogen
bittor bancoþa. Beald reordade
eadig on elne, ondcwis ageaf:
"Ic wille secgan þæt me sar gehran,
wærc in gewod in ðisse wonnan niht,
lichord onleac. Leomu hefegiað,
sarum gesohte. Sceal þis sawelhus,
fæge flæschoma, foldærne biþeaht,
leomu lames geþacan, legerbedde fæst
wunian wælræste. Wiga nealæceð,
unlæt laces. Ne bið þæs lengra swice
sawelgedales þonne seofon niht
fyrstgemearces, þæt min feorh heonan
on þisse eahteþan ende geseceð
dæg scriþende. þonne dogor beoð
on moldwege min forð scriþen,
sorg gesweðrad, ond ic siþþan mot
fore meotudes cneowum meorda hleotan,
gingra geafena, ond godes lomber
in sindreamum siþþan awo
forð folgian; is nu fus ðider
gæst siþes georn. Nu þu gearwe const
leoma lifgedal; long is þis onbid
worulde lifes." ða wæs wop ond heaf,
geongum geocor sefa, geomrende hyge,
siþþan he gehyrde þæt se halga wæs
forðsiþes fus. He þæs færspelles
fore his mondryhtne modsorge wæg,
hefige æt heortan. Hreþer innan swearc,
hyge hreowcearig, þæs þe his hlaford geseah
ellorfusne. He þæs onbæru
habban ne meahte, ac he hate let
torn þoliende tearas geotan,
weallan wægdropan. Wyrd ne meahte
in fægum leng feorg gehealdan,
deore frætwe, þonne him gedemed wæs.
Ongeat gæsta halig geomormodes
drusendne hyge. Ongan þa duguþa hleo,
glædmod gode leof, geongran retan,
wine leofestan wordum negan:
"Ne beo þu unrot, ðeah þeos adl me
innan æle. Nis me earfeðe
to geþolianne þeodnes willan,
dryhtnes mines, ne ic þæs deaðes hafu
on þas seocnan tid sorge on mode,
ne ic me herehloðe helle þegna
swiðe onsitte, ne mæg synne on me
facnes frumbearn fyrene gestælan,
lices leahtor, ac in lige sceolon
sorgwylmum soden sar wanian,
wræcsið wepan, wilna biscirede
in þam deaðsele duguða gehwylcre,
lufena ond lissa. Min þæt leofe bearn,
ne beo þu on sefan to seoc. Ic eom siþes fus
upeard niman edleana georn
in þam ecan gefean, ærgewyrhtum
geseon sigora frean, min þæt swæse bearn.
Nis me wracu ne gewin, þæt ic wuldres god
sece swegelcyning, þær is sib ond blis,
domfæstra dream, dryhten ondweard,
þam ic georne gæstgerynum,
in þas dreorgan tid dædum cwemde,
mode ond mægne. Ic þa meorde wat
leahtorlease, lean unhwilen,
halig on heahþu. þær min hyht myneð
to gesecenne, sawul fundað
of licfate to þam longan gefean
in eadwelan. Nis þes eþel me
ne sar ne sorg. Ic me sylfum wat
æfter lices hryre lean unhwilen."
ða se wuldormaga worda gestilde,
rof runwita; wæs him ræste neod,
reonigmodum. Rodor swamode
ofer niðða bearn, nihtrim scridon,
deorc ofer dugeðum. þa se dæg bicwom
on þam se lifgenda in lichoman,
ece ælmihtig ærist gefremede,
dryhten mid dreame, ða he of deaðe aras
onwald of eorðan in þa eastortid,
ealra þrymma þrym, ðreata mæstne
to heofonum ahof, ða he from helle astag.