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The Meters of Boethius (Old English) · late 9th or early 10th century

Meter 2

by King Alfred 849–899


Hwæt, ic lioða fela lustlice geo
sanc on sælum, nu sceal siofigende,
wope gewæged, wreccea giomor,
singan sarcwidas. Me þios siccetung hafað
agæled, ðes geocsa, þæt ic þa ged ne mæg
gefegean swa fægre, þeah ic fela gio þa
sette soðcwida, þonne ic on sælum wæs.
Oft ic nu miscyrre cuðe spræce,
and þeah uncuðre ær hwilum fond.
Me þas woruldsælða welhwæs blindne
on ðis dimme hol dysine forlæddon,
and me þa berypton rædes and frofre
for heora untreowum, þe ic him æfre betst
truwian sceolde. Hi me to wendon
heora bacu bitere, and heora blisse from.
Forhwam wolde ge, weoruldfrynd mine,
secgan oððe singan þæt ic gesællic mon
wære on weorulde? Ne synt þa word soð,
nu þa gesælða ne magon simle gewunigan.

MLA

Alfred, King. The Meters of Boethius (Old English), Meter 2. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/work/meters-of-boethius-oe/2/.

Chicago

Alfred, King. The Meters of Boethius (Old English), Meter 2. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/work/meters-of-boethius-oe/2/.

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