1A3.12

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2

THE FORTUNES OF MEN

    
3Ful oft þæt gegongeð, mid godes meahtum, þætte wer ond
4wif in woruld cennað bearn mid gebyrdum ond
5mid bleom gyrwað, tennaþ ond tætaþ, oþþæt seo tid
6cymeð, gegæð gearrimum, þæt þa geongan leomu,
7liffæstan leoþu, geloden weorþað.
8Fergað swa ond feþað fæder ond modor, giefað ond
9gierwaþ.
10God ana wat hwæt him weaxendum winter bringað.
11Sumum þæt gegongeð on geoguðfeore þæt se endestæf
12earfeðmæcgum wealic weorþeð.
13Sceal hine wulf etan, har hæðstapa; hinsiþ þonne modor
14bimurneð.
15Ne bið swylc monnes geweald.
16Sumne sceal hungor ahiþan, sumne sceal hreoh fordrifan, sumne
17sceal gar agetan, sumne guð abreotan.
18Sum sceal leomena leas lifes neotan, folmum ætfeohtan, sum on
19feðe lef, seonobennum seoc, sar cwanian,
20murnan meotudgesceaft mode gebysgad.
21Sum sceal on holte of hean beame fiþerleas feallan; bið
22on flihte seþeah, laceð on lyfte, oþþæt lengre ne bið
23westem wudubeames.
24þonne he on wyrtruman sigeð sworcenferð, sawle bireafod,
25fealleþ on foldan, feorð biþ on siþe.
26Sum sceal on feþe on feorwegas nyde gongan ond his nest
27beran, tredan uriglast elþeodigra, frecne foldan;
28ah he feormendra lyt lifgendra, lað biþ æghwær fore
29his wonsceaftum wineleas hæle.
30Sum sceal on geapum galgan ridan, seomian æt swylte, oþþæt
31sawlhord,

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32bancofa blodig, abrocen weorþeð.
33þær him hrefn nimeþ heafodsyne, sliteð salwigpad
34sawelleasne; noþer he þy facne mæg folmum biwergan,
35laþum lyftsceaþan, biþ his lif scæcen, ond he feleleas,
36feores orwena, blac on beame bideð wyrde,
37bewegen wælmiste.
38Bið him werig noma.
39Sumne on bæle sceal brond aswencan , fretan frecne
40lif fægne monnan; þær him lifgedal lungre weorðeð,
41read reþe gled; reoteð meowle, seo hyre bearn gesihð
42brondas þeccan.
43Sumum meces ecg on meodubence yrrum ealowosan ealdor
44oþþringeð, were winsadum; bið ær his worda to
45hræd.
46Sum sceal on beore þurh byreles hond meodugal mæcga; þonne
47he gemet ne con gemearcian his muþe mode
48sine, ac sceal ful earmlice ealdre linnan, dreogan
49dryhtenbealo dreamum biscyred, ond hine to sylfcwale secgas
50nemnað, mænað mid muþe meodugales gedrinc.
51Sum sceal on geoguþe mid godes meahtum his earfoðsiþ ealne
52forspildan, ond on yldo eft eadig weorþan,
53wunian wyndagum ond welan þicgan, maþmas ond meoduful
54mægburge on, þæs þe ænig fira mæge forð gehealdan.
55Swa missenlice meahtig dryhten geond eorþan sceat eallum
56dæleð, scyreþ ond scrifeð ond gesceapo healdeð,
57sumum eadwelan, sumum earfeþa dæl, sumum geogoþe
58glæd, sumum guþe blæd, gewealdenne wigplegan,
59sumum wyrp oþþe scyte,

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60torhtlicne tiir, sumum tæfle cræft, bleobordes gebregd.
61Sume boceras weorþað wisfæste.
62Sumum wundorgiefe þurh goldsmiþe gearwad weorþað ; ful
63oft he gehyrdeð ond gehyrsteð wel, brytencyninges beorn,
64ond he him brad syleð lond to leane.
65He hit on lust þigeð.
66Sum sceal on heape hæleþum cweman, blissian æt beore
67bencsittendum; þær biþ drincendra dream se micla.
68Sum sceal mid hearpan æt his hlafordes fotum sittan, feoh
69þicgan, ond a snellice snere wræstan, lætan scralletan
70sceacol , se þe hleapeð, nægl
71neomegende ; biþ him neod micel.
72Sum sceal wildne fugel wloncne atemian, heafoc on honda,
73oþþæt seo heoroswealwe wynsum weorþeð; deþ
74he wyrplas on, fedeþ swa on feterum fiþrum dealne, lepeþ
75lyftswiftne lytlum gieflum, oþþæt se wælisca wædum
76ond dædum his ætgiefan eaðmod weorþeð ond to
77hagostealdes honda gelæred.
78Swa wrætlice weoroda nergend geond middangeard monna
79cræftas sceop ond scyrede ond gesceapo ferede
80æghwylcum on eorþan eormencynnes.
81Forþon him nu ealles þonc æghwa secge, þæs þe he fore
82his miltsum monnum scrifeð.