The Husband's Message
Verse Indeterminate Saxon


Nu ic onsundran þe         secgan wille
...... treocyn         ic tudre aweox;
in mec æld... sceal         ellor londes
settan ......         sealte streamas

5

...sse.         Ful oft ic on bates
        gesohte
þær mec mondryhten         min ......
ofer heah hofu;         eom nu her cumen
on ceolþele,         ond nu cunnan scealt

10

hu þu ymb modlufan         mines frean
on hyge hycge.         Ic gehatan dear
þæt þu þær tirfæste         treowe findest.
Hwæt, þec þonne biddan het         se þisne beam agrof
þæt þu sinchroden         sylf gemunde

15

on gewitlocan         wordbeotunga,
þe git on ærdagum         oft gespræcon,
þenden git moston         on meoduburgum
eard weardigan,         an lond bugan,
freondscype fremman.         Hine fæhþo adraf

20

of sigeþeode;         heht nu sylfa þe
lustum læran,         þæt þu lagu drefde,
siþþan þu gehyrde         on hliþes oran
galan geomorne         geac on bearwe.
Ne læt þu þec siþþan         siþes getwæfan,

25

lade gelettan         lifgendne monn.
Ongin mere secan,         mæwes eþel,
onsite sænacan,         þæt þu suð heonan
ofer merelade         monnan findest,
þær se þeoden is         þin on wenum.

30

Ne mæg him worulde         willa gelimpan
mara on gemyndum,         þæs þe he me sægde,
þonne inc geunne         alwaldend god
...... ætsomne         siþþan motan
secgum ond gesiþum         s...

35

næglede beagas;         he genoh hafað
fædan goldes        
...d elþeode         eþel healde,
fægre foldan        
...ra hæleþa,         þeah þe her min wine...

40

nyde gebæded,         nacan ut aþrong,
ond on yþa geong         ...... sceolde
faran on flotweg,         forðsiþes georn,
mengan merestreamas.         Nu se mon hafað
wean oferwunnen;         nis him wilna gad,

45

ne meara ne maðma         ne meododreama,
ænges ofer eorþan         eorlgestreona,
þeodnes dohtor,         gif he þin beneah
ofer eald gebeot         incer twega.
Gecyre ic ætsomne         || geador

50

|| ond |        aþe benemnan,
þæt he þa wære         ond þa winetreowe
be him lifgendum         læstan wolde,
þe git on ærdagum         oft gespræconn.