The Meters of Boethius: Meter 22
Verse Indeterminate Saxon


Se þe æfter rihte      mid gerece wille
inweardlice      æfter spyrian
swa deoplice,      þæt hit todrifan ne mæg
monna ænig,      ne amerran huru

5

ænig eorðlic ðincg,      he ærest sceal
secan on him selfum      þæt he sume hwile
ymbutan hine      æror sohte.
Sece þæt siððan      on his sefan innan,
and forlæte an,      swa he oftost mæge,

10

ælcne ymbhogan      ðy him unnet sie,
and gesamnige,      swa he swiðost mæge,
ealle to þæm anum      his ingeðonc,
gesecge his mode      þæt hit mæg findan
eall on him innan      þæt hit oftost nu

15

ymbutan hit      ealneg seceð,
gooda æghwylc.      He ongit siððan
yfel and unnet      eal þæt he hæfde
on his incofan      æror lange
efne swa sweotole      swa he on þa sunnan mæg

20

eagum andweardum      on locian,
and he eac ongit      his ingeþonc
leohtre and berhtre      þonne se leoma sie
sunnan on sumera,      þonne swegles gim,
hador heofontungol,      hlutrost scineð.

25

Forðæm þæs lichoman      leahtras and hefignes
and þa unþeawas      eallunga ne magon
of mode ation      monna ænegum
rihtwisnesse,      ðeah nu rinca hwæm
þæs lichoman      leahtras and hefignes

30

and unþeawas      oft bysigen
monna modsefan,      mæst and swiðost
mid þære yflan      oforgiotolnesse;
mid gedwolmiste      dreorigne sefan
fortihð mod foran      monna gehwelces,

35

þæt hit swa beorhte ne mot      blican and scinan
swa hit wolde,      gif hit geweald ahte;
þeah bið sum corn      sædes gehealden
symle on ðære saule      soðfæstnesse,
þenden gadertang wunað      gast on lice.

40

ðæs sædes corn      bið symle aweaht
mid ascunga,      eac siððan mid
goodre lare,      gif hit growan sceal.
Hu mæg ænig man      andsware findan
ðinga æniges,      þegen mid gesceade,

45

þeah hine rinca hwilc      rihtwislice
æfter frigne      gif he awuht nafað
on his modsefan      mycles ne lytles
rihtwisnesse      ne geradscipes?
Nis þeah ænig man      þætte ealles swa

50

þæs geradscipes      swa bereafod sie
þæt he andsware      ænige ne cunne
findan on ferhðe,      gif he frugnen bið.
Forðæm hit is riht spell      þæt us reahte gio
ald uðwita,      ure Platon;

55

he cwæð þætte æghwilc      ungemyndig
rihtwisnesse      hine hræðe sceolde
eft gewendan      into sinum
modes gemynde;      he mæg siððan
on his runcofan      rihtwisnesse

60

findan on ferhte      fæste gehydde
mid gedræfnesse      dogora gehwilce
modes sines      mæst and swiðost,
and mid hefinesse      his lichoman,
and mid þæm bisgum      þe on breostum styreð

65

mon on mode      mæla gehwylce.