The Ruin
Verse Indeterminate Saxon


Wrætlic is þes wealstan,      wyrde gebræcon;
burgstede burston,      brosnað enta geweorc.
Hrofas sind gehrorene,      hreorge torras,
hrungeat berofen,      hrim on lime,

5

scearde scurbeorge      scorene, gedrorene,
ældo undereotone.      Eorðgrap hafað
waldend wyrhtan      forweorone, geleorene,
heardgripe hrusan,      oþ hund cnea
werþeoda gewitan.      Oft þæs wag gebad

10

ræghar ond readfah      rice æfter oþrum,
ofstonden under stormum;      steap geap gedreas.
Wonað giet se      ...num geheapen,
fel on     
grimme gegrunden     

15

scan      heo...
...g orþonc      ærsceaft
...g      lamrindum beag
mod mo...      ...yne swiftne gebrægd
hwætred in hringas,      hygerof gebond

20

weallwalan wirum      wundrum togædre.
Beorht wæron burgræced,      burnsele monige,
heah horngestreon,      heresweg micel,
meodoheall monig      dreama full,
oþþæt þæt onwende      wyrd seo swiþe.

25

Crungon walo wide,      cwoman woldagas,
swylt eall fornom      secgrofra wera;
wurdon hyra wigsteal      westen staþolas,
brosnade burgsteall.      Betend crungon
hergas to hrusan.      Forþon þas hofu dreorgiað,

30

ond þæs teaforgeapa      tigelum sceadeð
hrostbeages hrof.      Hryre wong gecrong
gebrocen to beorgum,      þær iu beorn monig
glædmod ond goldbeorht      gleoma gefrætwed,
wlonc ond wingal      wighyrstum scan;

35

seah on sinc, on sylfor,      on searogimmas,
on ead, on æht,      on eorcanstan,
on þas beorhtan burg      bradan rices.
Stanhofu stodan,      stream hate wearp
widan wylme;      weal eall befeng

40

beorhtan bosme,      þær þa baþu wæron,
hat on hreþre.      þæt wæs hyðelic.
Leton þonne geotan     
ofer harne stan      hate streamas
un...     

45

...þþæt hringmere      hate
     þær þa baþu wæron.
þonne is     
...re;      þæt is cynelic þing,
huse ......      burg....