 | Anglo-Saxon Minor Poems |  |
MAXIMS II
Cyning sceal rice healdan. Ceastra beoð feorran gesyne,orðanc enta geweorc, þa þe on þysse eorðan syndon,
wrætlic weallstana geweorc. Wind byð on lyfte swiftust,
þunar byð þragum hludast. Þrymmas syndan Cristes myccle,
wyrd byð swiðost. Winter byð cealdost,
lencten hrimigost (he byð lengest ceald),
sumor sunwlitegost (swegel byð hatost),
hærfest hreðeadegost, hæleðum bringeð
geres wæstmas, þa þe him god sendeð.
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gold gumena gehwam, and gomol snoterost,
fyrngearum frod, se þe ær feala gebideð.
Weax bið wundrum clibbor. Wolcnu scriðað.
Geongne æþeling sceolan gode gesiðas
byldan to beaduwe and to beahgife.
Ellen sceal on eorle, ecg sceal wið hellme
hilde gebidan. Hafuc sceal on glofe
wilde gewunian, wulf sceal on bearowe,
earm anhaga, eofor sceal on holte,
toðmægenes trum. Til sceal on eðle
domes wyrcean. Daroð sceal on handa,
gar golde fah. Gim sceal on hringe
standan steap and geap. Stream sceal on yðum
mencgan mereflode. Mæst sceal on ceole,
segelgyrd seomian. Sweord sceal on bearme,
drihtlic isern. Draca sceal on hlæwe,
frod, frætwum wlanc. Fisc sceal on wætere
cynren cennan. Cyning sceal on healle
beagas dælan. Bera sceal on hæðe,
eald and egesfull. Ea of dune sceal
flodgræg feran. Fyrd sceal ætsomne,
tirfæstra getrum. Treow sceal on eorle,
wisdom on were. Wudu sceal on foldan
blædum blowan. Beorh sceal on eorþan
grene standan. God sceal on heofenum,
dæda demend. Duru sceal on healle,
rum recedes muð. Rand sceal on scylde,
fæst fingra gebeorh. Fugel uppe sceal
lacan on lyfte. Leax sceal on wæle
mid sceote scriðan. Scur sceal on heofenum,
winde geblanden, in þas woruld cuman.
Þeof sceal gangan þystrum wederum. Þyrs sceal on fenne gewunian
ana innan lande. Ides sceal dyrne cræfte,
fæmne hire freond gesecean, gif heo nelle on folce geþeon
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lyfthelm and laguflod ymb ealra landa gehwylc,
flowan firgenstreamas. Feoh sceal on eorðan
tydran and tyman. Tungol sceal on heofenum
beorhte scinan, swa him bebead meotud.
God sceal wið yfele, geogoð sceal wið yldo,
lif sceal wið deaþe, leoht sceal wið þystrum,
fyrd wið fyrde, feond wið oðrum,
lað wið laþe ymb land sacan,
synne stælan. A sceal snotor hycgean
ymb þysse worulde gewinn, wearh hangian,
fægere ongildan þæt he ær facen dyde
manna cynne. Meotod ana wat
hwyder seo sawul sceal syððan hweorfan,
and ealle þa gastas þe for gode hweorfað
æfter deaðdæge, domes bidað
on fæder fæðme. Is seo forðgesceaft
digol and dyrne; drihten ana wat,
nergende fæder. Næni eft cymeð
hider under hrofas, þe þæt her for soð
mannum secge hwylc sy meotodes gesceaft,
sigefolca gesetu, þær he sylfa wunað.
| Anglo-Saxon Minor Poems | |