# The Wanderer

Verse Indeterminate Saxon
    Oft him anhaga    are gebideð, metudes miltse,    þeah þe he modcearig geond lagulade    longe sceolde hreran mid hondum    hrimcealde sæ,

## 5

    wadan wræclastas.    Wyrd bið ful aræd! Swa cwæð eardstapa,    earfeþa gemyndig, wraþra wælsleahta,    winemæga hryre: "Oft ic sceolde ana    uhtna gehwylce mine ceare cwiþan.    Nis nu cwicra nan

## 10

    þe ic him modsefan    minne durre sweotule asecgan.    Ic to soþe wat þæt biþ in eorle    indryhten þeaw, þæt he his ferðlocan    fæste binde, healde his hordcofan,    hycge swa he wille.

## 15

    Ne mæg werig mod    wyrde wiðstondan, ne se hreo hyge    helpe gefremman. Forðon domgeorne    dreorigne oft in hyra breostcofan    bindað fæste; swa ic modsefan    minne sceolde,

## 20

    oft earmcearig,    eðle bidæled, freomægum feor    feterum sælan, siþþan geara iu    goldwine minne hrusan heolstre biwrah,    ond ic hean þonan wod wintercearig    ofer waþema gebind,

## 25

    sohte sele dreorig    sinces bryttan, hwær ic feor oþþe neah    findan meahte þone þe in meoduhealle    min mine wisse, oþþe mec freondleasne    frefran wolde, weman mid wynnum.    Wat se þe cunnað,

## 30

    hu sliþen bið    sorg to geferan, þam þe him lyt hafað    leofra geholena. Warað hine wræclast,    nales wunden gold, ferðloca freorig,    nalæs foldan blæd. Gemon he selesecgas    ond sincþege,

## 35

    hu hine on geoguðe    his goldwine wenede to wiste.    Wyn eal gedreas! Forþon wat se þe sceal    his winedryhtnes leofes larcwidum    longe forþolian, ðonne sorg ond slæp    somod ætgædre

## 40

    earmne anhogan    oft gebindað. þinceð him on mode    þæt he his mondryhten clyppe ond cysse,    ond on cneo lecge honda ond heafod,    swa he hwilum ær in geardagum    giefstolas breac.

## 45

    ðonne onwæcneð eft    wineleas guma, gesihð him biforan    fealwe wegas, baþian brimfuglas,    brædan feþra, hreosan hrim ond snaw,    hagle gemenged. þonne beoð þy hefigran    heortan benne,

## 50

    sare æfter swæsne.    Sorg bið geniwad, þonne maga gemynd    mod geondhweorfeð; greteð gliwstafum,    georne geondsceawað secga geseldan.    Swimmað eft on weg! Fleotendra ferð    no þær fela bringeð

## 55

    cuðra cwidegiedda.    Cearo bið geniwad þam þe sendan sceal    swiþe geneahhe ofer waþema gebind    werigne sefan. Forþon ic geþencan ne mæg    geond þas woruld for hwan modsefa    min ne gesweorce,

## 60

    þonne ic eorla lif    eal geondþence, hu hi færlice    flet ofgeafon, modge maguþegnas.    Swa þes middangeard ealra dogra gehwam    dreoseð ond fealleþ, forþon ne mæg weorþan wis    wer, ær he age

## 65

    wintra dæl in woruldrice.    Wita sceal geþyldig, ne sceal no to hatheort    ne to hrædwyrde, ne to wac wiga    ne to wanhydig, ne to forht ne to fægen,    ne to feohgifre ne næfre gielpes to georn,    ær he geare cunne.

## 70

    Beorn sceal gebidan,    þonne he beot spriceð, oþþæt collenferð    cunne gearwe hwider hreþra gehygd    hweorfan wille. Ongietan sceal gleaw hæle    hu gæstlic bið, þonne ealre þisse worulde wela    weste stondeð,

## 75

    swa nu missenlice    geond þisne middangeard winde biwaune    weallas stondaþ, hrime bihrorene,    hryðge þa ederas. Woriað þa winsalo,    waldend licgað dreame bidrorene,    duguþ eal gecrong,

## 80

    wlonc bi wealle.    Sume wig fornom, ferede in forðwege,    sumne fugel oþbær ofer heanne holm,    sumne se hara wulf deaðe gedælde,    sumne dreorighleor in eorðscræfe    eorl gehydde.

## 85

    Yþde swa þisne eardgeard    ælda scyppend oþþæt burgwara    breahtma lease eald enta geweorc    idlu stodon. Se þonne þisne wealsteal    wise geþohte ond þis deorce lif    deope geondþenceð,

## 90

    frod in ferðe,    feor oft gemon wælsleahta worn,    ond þas word acwið: "Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago?    Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa? Hwær cwom symbla gesetu?    Hwær sindon seledreamas? Eala beorht bune!    Eala byrnwiga!

## 95

    Eala þeodnes þrym!    Hu seo þrag gewat, genap under nihthelm,    swa heo no wære. Stondeð nu on laste    leofre duguþe weal wundrum heah,    wyrmlicum fah. Eorlas fornoman    asca þryþe,

## 100

    wæpen wælgifru,    wyrd seo mære, ond þas stanhleoþu    stormas cnyssað, hrið hreosende    hrusan bindeð, wintres woma,    þonne won cymeð, nipeð nihtscua,    norþan onsendeð

## 105

    hreo hæglfare    hæleþum on andan. Eall is earfoðlic    eorþan rice, onwendeð wyrda gesceaft    weoruld under heofonum. Her bið feoh læne,    her bið freond læne, her bið mon læne,    her bið mæg læne,

## 110

    eal þis eorþan gesteal    idel weorþeð!" Swa cwæð snottor on mode,    gesæt him sundor æt rune. Til biþ se þe his treowe gehealdeþ,    ne sceal næfre his torn to rycene beorn of his breostum acyþan,    nemþe he ær þa bote cunne, eorl mid elne gefremman.    Wel bið þam þe him are seceð,

## 115

    frofre to fæder on heofonum,    þær us eal seo fæstnung stondeð.