1 ft him anhaga are gebideð,
2 metudes miltse, þeah þe he modcearig
3 geond lagulade longe sceolde
4 hreran mid hondum hrimcealde sæ,
5 wadan wræclastas. Wyrd bið ful ared!
6 Swa cwæð eardstapa, earfeþa gemyndig,
7 wraþra wælsleahta, winemæga hryre:
8 Oft ic sceolde ana uhtna gehwylce
9 mine ceare cwiþan. Nis nu cwicra nan
10 þe ic him modsefan minne durre
11 sweotule asecgan. Ic to soþe wat
12 þæt biþ in eorle indryhten þeaw,
13 þæt he his ferðlocan fæste binde,
14 healde his hordcofan, hycge swa he wille.
15 Ne mæg werig mod wyrde wiðstondan,
16 ne se hreo hyge helpe gefremman.
17 Forðon domgeorne dreorigne oft
18 in hyra breostcofan bindað fæste;
19 swa ic modsefan minne sceolde,
20 oft earmcearig, eðle bidæled,
21 freomægum feor feterum sælan,
22 siþþan geara iu goldwine minne
23 hrusan heolstre biwrah, ond ic hean þonan
24 wod wintercearig ofer waþema gebind,
25 sohte sele dreorig sinces bryttan,
26 hwær ic feor oþþe neah findan meahte
27 þone þe in meoduhealle min mine wisse,
28 oþþe mec freondleasne frefran wolde,
29 weman mid wynnum.
30 Gemon he selesecgas ond sincþege,
31 hu hine on geoguðe his goldwine
32 wenede to wiste. Wyn eal gedreas!
33 Forþon wat se þe sceal his winedryhtnes
34 leofes larcwidum longe forþolian,
35 ðonne sorg ond slæp somod ætgædre
36 earmne anhogan oft gebindað.
37 þinceð him on mode þæt he his mondryhten
38 clyppe ond cysse, ond on cneo lecge
39 honda ond heafod, swa he hwilum ær
40 in geardagum giefstolas breac.
41 ðonne onwæcneð eft wineleas guma,
42 gesihð him biforan fealwe wegas,
43 baþian brimfuglas, brædan feþra,
44 hreosan hrim ond snaw, hagle gemenged.
45 þonne beoð þy hefigran heortan benne,
46 sare æfter swæsne. Sorg bið geniwad,
47 þonne maga gemynd mod geondhweorfeð;
48 greteð gliwstafum, georne geondsceawað
49 secga geseldan.
50 Forþon ic geþencan ne mæg geond þas woruld
51 for hwan modsefa min ne gesweorce,
52 þonne ic eorla lif eal geondþence,
53 hu hi færlice flet ofgeafon,
54 modge maguþegnas.
55 Ongietan sceal gleaw hæle hu gæstlic bið,
56 þonne ealre þisse worulde wela weste stondeð,
57 swa nu missenlice geond þisne middangeard
58 winde biwaune weallas stondaþ,
59 hrime bihrorene, hryðge þa ederas.
60 Woriað þa winsalo, waldend licgað
61 dreame bidrorene, duguþ eal gecrong.
62 Forþon þas woruld eal gewiteð,
63 swa ic geþence, þisses lifes dæl.
64 Wel bið þam þe him are seceð,
65 frofre to fæder on heofonum, þær us eal seo fæstnung stondeð.