Guthlac B, lines 1105–1226

Swa se eadga wer in þa æþelan tid
on þone beorhtan dæg blissum hremig,
milde ond gemetfæst, mægen unsofte
elne geæfnde. Aras ða eorla wynn,
heard hygesnottor, swa he hraþost meahte,
meðe for ðam miclan bysgum. Ongon þa his mod staþelian
leohte geleafan, lac onsægde
deophycgende dryhtne to willan
gæstgerynum in godes temple,
ond his þegne ongon, swa þam þeodne geras,
þurh gæstes giefe godspel bodian,
secgan sigortacnum, ond his sefan trymman
wundrum to wuldre in þa wlitigan gesceaft
to eadwelan, swa he ær ne sið
æfre to ealdre oðre swylce
on þas lænan tid lare gehyrde,
ne swa deoplice dryhtnes geryne
þurh menniscne muð areccan
on sidum sefan. Him wæs soþra geþuht
þæt hit ufancundes engles wære
of swegldreamum, swiþor micle
mægenþegnes word, þonne æniges monnes lar,
wera ofer eorðan. Him þæt wundra mæst
gesewen þuhte, þæt swylc snyttrucræft
ænges hæleða her hreþer weardade,
dryhta bearna, wæs þæs deoplic eall
word ond wisdom, ond þæs weres stihtung,
mod ond mægencræft, þe him meotud engla,
gæsta geocend forgiefen hæfde.
Wæron feowere ða forð gewitene
dagas on rime, þæs se dryhtnes þegn
on elne bad, adle gebysgad,
sarum geswenced. Ne he sorge wæg
geocorne sefan gæstgedales,
dreorigne hyge. Deað nealæcte,
stop stalgongum, strong ond hreðe
sohte sawelhus. Com se seofeða dæg
ældum ondweard, þæs þe him in gesonc,
hat, heortan neah, hildescurum
flacor flanþracu, feorhhord onleac,
searocægum gesoht. Ongon ða snottor hæle,
ar, onbehtþegn, æþeles neosan
to þam halgan hofe, fond þa hlingendne
fusne on forðsiþ frean unwenne,
gæsthaligne in godes temple
soden sarwylmum. Wæs þa sihste tid
on midne dæg, wæs his mondryhtne
endedogor ætryhte þa.
Nearwum genæged nydcostingum,
awrecen wælpilum, wlo ne meahte
oroð up geteon, ellenspræce
hleoþor ahebban. Ongon ða hygegeomor,
freorig ond ferðwerig, fusne gretan,
meðne modglædne, bæd hine þurh mihta scyppend,
gif he his wordcwida wealdan meahte,
spræce ahebban, þæt him on spellum gecyðde,
onwrige worda gongum, hu he his wisna truwade,
drohtes on ðære dimman adle, ærðon hine deað onsægde.
Him se eadga wer ageaf ondsware,
leof mon leofum, þeah he late meahte,
eorl ellenheard, oreþe gebredan:
"Min þæt swæse bearn, nis nu swiþe feor
þam ytemestan endedogor
nydgedales, þæt ðu þa nyhstan scealt
in woruldlife worda minra,
næfre leana biloren, lare gehyran,
noht longe ofer þis. Læst ealle well
wære ond winescype, word þa wit spræcon,
leofast manna." "Næfre ic lufan sibbe,
þeoden, æt þearfe þine forlæte
asanian!" "Beo þu on sið gearu,
siþþan lic ond leomu ond þes lifes gæst
asundrien somwist hyra
þurh feorggedal. Fys æfter þon
þæt þu gesecge sweostor minre,
þære leofestan, on longne weg
to þam fægran gefean forðsið minne,
on ecne eard, ond hyre eac gecyð
wordum minum, þæt ic me warnade
hyre onsyne ealle þrage
in woruldlife, for ðy ic wilnode
þæt wit unc eft in þam ecan gefean
on sweglwuldre geseon mostun
fore onsyne eces deman
leahtra lease. þær sceal lufu uncer
wærfæst wunian, þær wit wilna a
in ðære beorhtan byrig brucan motun,
eades mid englum. ðu hyre eac saga
þæt heo þis banfæt beorge bifæste,
lame biluce, lic orsawle
in þeostorcofan, þær hit þrage sceal
in sondhofe siþþan wunian."
ða wearð modgeþanc miclum gebisgad,
þream forþrycced, þurh þæs þeodnes word,
ombehtþegne, þa he ædre oncneow
frean feorhgedal, þæt hit feor ne wæs,
endedogor. Ongon þa ofostlice
to his winedryhtne wordum mæðlan:
"Ic þec halsige, hæleþa leofost
gumena cynnes, þurh gæsta weard,
þæt þu hygesorge heortan minre
geeþe, eorla wyn. Nis þe ende feor,
þæs þe ic on galdrum ongieten hæbbe.
Oft mec geomor sefa gehþa gemanode,
hat æt heortan, hyge gnornende
nihtes nearwe, ond ic næfre þe,
fæder, frofor min, frignan dorste.
Symle ic gehyrde, þonne heofones gim,
wyncondel wera, west onhylde,
sweglbeorht sunne setlgonges fus
on æfentid, oþerne mid þec,
þegn æt geþeahte. Ic þæs þeodnes word,
ares uncuþes oft neosendes,
dægwoman bitweon ond þære deorcan niht,
meþelcwide mæcges, ond on morgne swa,
ongeat geomormod, gæstes spræce,
gleawes in geardum. Huru, ic giet ne wat,
ær þu me, frea min, furþor cyðe
þurh cwide þinne, hwonan his cyme sindon."
ða se eadga wer ageaf ondsware
leofum æfter longre hwile, swa he late meahte,
elnes oncyðig, oreþe gewealdan: