Vainglory

Hwæt, me frod wita on fyrndagum sægde, snottor ar, sundorwundra fela. Wordhord onwreah witgan larum beorn boca gleaw, bodan ærcwide, 5 þæt ic soðlice siþþan meahte ongitan bi þam gealdre godes agen bearn, wilgest on wicum, ond þone wacran swa some, scyldum bescyredne, on gescead witan. þæt mæg æghwylc mon eaþe geþencan, 10 se þe hine ne læteð on þas lænan tid amyrran his gemyndum modes gælsan ond on his dægrime druncen to rice, þonne monige beoð mæþelhegendra, wlonce wigsmiþas winburgum in, cirm on corþre, cwide scralletaþ missenlice. Swa beoþ modsefan dalum gedæled, sindon dryhtguman ungelice. Sum on oferhygdo þrymme þringeð, þrinteð him in innan 25 ungemedemad mod; sindan to monige þæt! Bið þæt æfþonca eal gefylled feondes fligepilum, facensearwum; breodað he ond bælceð, boð his sylfes swiþor micle þonne se sella mon, 30 þenceð þæt his wise welhwam þince eal unforcuþ. Biþ þæs oþer swice, þonne he þæs facnes fintan sceawað. Wrenceþ he ond blenceþ, worn geþenceþ hinderhoca, hygegar leteð, 35 scurum sceoteþ. He þa scylde ne wat fæhþe gefremede, feoþ his betran eorl fore æfstum, læteð inwitflan brecan þone burgweal, þe him bebead meotud þæt he þæt wigsteal wergan sceolde, 40 siteþ symbelwlonc, searwum læteð wine gewæged word ut faran, þræfte þringan þrymme gebyrmed, æfæstum onæled, oferhygda ful, niþum nearowrencum. Nu þu cunnan meaht, wuldorcyninge. þæt se witga song, gearowyrdig guma, ond þæt gyd awræc: "Se þe hine sylfne in þa sliþnan tid þurh oferhygda up ahlæneð, ahefeð heahmodne, se sceal hean wesan heardne heresiþ, heofon widledan, forsawan hyra sellan, þa hi to swice þohton ond þrymcyning þeodenstoles ricne beryfan, swa hit ryht ne wæs, ond þonne gesettan on hyra sylfra dom 65 wuldres wynlond. þæt him wige forstod fæder frumsceafta; wearð him seo feohte to grim. ðonne bið þam oþrum ungelice se þe her on eorþan eaðmod leofað, ond wiþ gesibbra gehwone simle healdeð 70 freode on folce ond his feond lufað, þeah þe he him abylgnesse oft gefremede willum in þisse worulde. Se mot wuldres dream in haligra hyht heonan astigan on engla eard. Ne biþ þam oþrum swa, 75 se þe on ofermedum eargum dædum leofaþ in leahtrum, ne beoð þa lean gelic mid wuldorcyning." Wite þe be þissum, gif þu eaðmodne eorl gemete, þegn on þeode, þam bið simle 80 gæst gegæderad godes agen bearn wilsum in worlde, gif me se witega ne leag. Forþon we sculon a hycgende hælo rædes gemunan in mode mæla gehwylcum þone selestan sigora waldend.