The Meters of Boethius: Meter 27

Sacred Texts Legends and Sagas WordGumbo: Old English Dictionaries [External Site] Index Previous Next The Meters of Boethius: Meter 27 Verse Indeterminate Saxon - Hwy ge æfre scylen unrihtfioungum eower mod drefan, swa swa mereflodes yþa hrerað iscalde sæ, wecggað for winde? Hwy oðwite ge - 5 - wyrde eowre þæt hio geweald nafað? Hwy ge þæs deaðes þe eow drihten gesceop gebidan ne magon bitres gecyndes, nu he eow ælce dæg onet toweard? Ne magon ge gesion þæt he symle spyreð - 10 - æfter æghwelcum eorðan tudre, diorum and fuglum? Deað eac swa same æfter moncynne geond ðisne middangeard, egeslic hunta, a bið on waðe; nyle he ænig swæð æfre forlætan - 15 - ær he gehede þæt he hwile ær æfter spyrede. Is þæt earmlic þing þæt his gebidan ne magon burgsittende, ungesælige men; hine ær willað foran to sciotan, swa swa fugla cyn - 20 - oððe wildu dior; þa winnað betwuh, æghwylc wolde oðer acwellan. Ac þæt is unriht æghwelcum men þæt he oðerne inwitþoncum fioge on færðe, swa swa fugl oððe dior, - 25 - ac þæt wære rihtost, þætte rinca gehwylc oðrum gulde edlean on riht, weorc be geweorhtum weoruldbuendum þinga gehwilces, þæt is, þæt he lufige godra gehwilcne swa he geornost mæge, - 30 - mildsige yflum, swa we ær spræcon. He sceal þone monnan mode lufian, and his unþeawas ealle hatian and ofsniðan, swa he swiðost mæge.