 | Anglo-Saxon Minor Poems |  |
87
THE KENTISH HYMN
Wuton wuldrian weorada dryhtenhalgan hlioðorcwidum, hiofenrices weard,
lufian liofwendum, lifȩs agend,
and him simle sio sigefȩst wuldor
uppe mid ænglum, and on eorðan sibb
gumena gehwilcum goodes willan.
We ðe heriað halgum stefnum
and þe blætsiað, bilewit fȩder,
and ðe þanciað, þioda walden,
ðines weorðlican wuldordreames
and ðinra miclan mægena gerena,
ðe ðu, god dryhten, gastes mæhtum
hafest on gewealdum hiofen and eorðan,
an ece fȩder, ælmehtig god.
Ðu eart cyninga cyningc cwicera gehwilces,
ðu eart sigefest sunu and soð hȩlend
ofer ealle gescȩft angla and manna.
Ðu, dryhten god, on dreamum wunast
on ðære upplican æðelan ceastre,
frea folca gehwæs, swa ðu æt fruman wære
efeneadig bearn agenum fæder.
Ðu eart heofenlic lioht and ðæt halige lamb,
ðe ðu manscilde middangeardes
for þinre arfȩstnesse ealle towurpe,
fiond geflæmdest, follc generedes,
blode gebohtest bearn Israela,
88
ðinre ðrowunga ðriostre senna,
þæt ðu on hæahsetle heafena rices
sitest sigehræmig on ða swiðran hand
ðinum godfæder, gasta gemyndig.
Mildsa nu, meahtig, manna cynne,
and of leahtrum ales ðine ða liofan gescȩft,
and us hale gedo, heleða sceppend,
niða nergend, for ðines naman are.
Ðu eart soðlice simle halig,
and ðu eart ana æce dryhten,
and ðu ana bist eallra dema
cwucra ge deadra, Crist nergende,
forðan ðu on ðrymme ricsast and on ðrinesse
and on annesse, ealles waldend,
hiofena heahcyninc, haliges gastes
fegere gefelled in fæder wuldre.
| Anglo-Saxon Minor Poems | |