# The Fortunes of Men

Verse Indeterminate Saxon
    Ful oft þæt gegongeð,    mid godes meahtum, þætte wer ond wif    in woruld cennað bearn mid gebyrdum    ond mid bleom gyrwað, tennaþ ond tætaþ,    oþþæt seo tid cymeð,

## 5

    gegæð gearrimum,    þæt þa geongan leomu, liffæstan leoþu,    geloden weorþað. Fergað swa ond feþað    fæder ond modor, giefað ond gierwaþ.    God ana wat hwæt him weaxendum    winter bringað!

## 10

    Sumum þæt gegongeð    on geoguðfeore þæt se endestæf    earfeðmæcgum wealic weorþeð.    Sceal hine wulf etan, har hæðstapa;    hinsiþ þonne modor bimurneð.    Ne bið swylc monnes geweald!

## 15

    Sumne sceal hungor ahiþan,    sumne sceal hreoh fordrifan, sumne sceal gar agetan,    sumne guð abreotan. Sum sceal leomena leas    lifes neotan, folmum ætfeohtan,    sum on feðe lef, seonobennum seoc,    sar cwanian,

## 20

    murnan meotudgesceaft    mode gebysgad. Sum sceal on holte    of hean beame fiþerleas feallan;    bið on flihte seþeah, laceð on lyfte,    oþþæt lengre ne bið westem wudubeames.    þonne he on wyrtruman

## 25

    sigeð sworcenferð,    sawle bireafod, fealleþ on foldan,    feorð biþ on siþe. Sum sceal on feþe    on feorwegas nyde gongan    ond his nest beran, tredan uriglast    elþeodigra,

## 30

    frecne foldan;    ah he feormendra lyt lifgendra,    lað biþ æghwær fore his wonsceaftum    wineleas hæle. Sum sceal on geapum    galgan ridan, seomian æt swylte,    oþþæt sawlhord,

## 35

    bancofa blodig,    abrocen weorþeð. þær him hrefn nimeþ    heafodsyne, sliteð salwigpad    sawelleasne; noþer he þy facne mæg    folmum biwergan, laþum lyftsceaþan,    biþ his lif scæcen,

## 40

    ond he feleleas,    feores orwena, blac on beame    bideð wyrde, bewegen wælmiste.    Bið him werig noma! Sumne on bæle sceal    brond aswencan, fretan frecne lig    fægne monnan;

## 45

    þær him lifgedal    lungre weorðeð, read reþe gled;    reoteð meowle, seo hyre bearn gesihð    brondas þeccan. Sumum meces ecg    on meodubence yrrum ealowosan    ealdor oþþringeð,

## 50

    were winsadum;    bið ær his worda to hræd. Sum sceal on beore    þurh byreles hond meodugal mæcga;    þonne he gemet ne con gemearcian his muþe    mode sine, ac sceal ful earmlice    ealdre linnan,

## 55

    dreogan dryhtenbealo    dreamum biscyred, ond hine to sylfcwale    secgas nemnað, mænað mid muþe    meodugales gedrinc. Sum sceal on geoguþe    mid godes meahtum his earfoðsiþ    ealne forspildan,

## 60

    ond on yldo eft    eadig weorþan, wunian wyndagum    ond welan þicgan, maþmas ond meoduful    mægburge on, þæs þe ænig fira mæge    forð gehealdan. Swa missenlice    meahtig dryhten

## 65

    geond eorþan sceat    eallum dæleð, scyreþ ond scrifeð    ond gesceapo healdeð, sumum eadwelan,    sumum earfeþa dæl, sumum geogoþe glæd,    sumum guþe blæd, gewealdenne wigplegan,    sumum wyrp oþþe scyte,

## 70

    torhtlicne tiir,    sumum tæfle cræft, bleobordes gebregd.    Sume boceras weorþað wisfæste.    Sumum wundorgiefe þurh goldsmiþe    gearwad weorþað; ful oft he gehyrdeð    ond gehyrsteð wel,

## 75

    brytencyninges beorn,    ond he him brad syleð lond to leane.    He hit on lust þigeð. Sum sceal on heape    hæleþum cweman, blissian æt beore    bencsittendum; þær biþ drincendra    dream se micla.

## 80

    Sum sceal mid hearpan    æt his hlafordes fotum sittan,    feoh þicgan, ond a snellice    snere wræstan, lætan scralletan    sceacol, se þe hleapeð, nægl neomegende;    biþ him neod micel.

## 85

    Sum sceal wildne fugel    wloncne atemian, heafoc on honda,    oþþæt seo heoroswealwe wynsum weorþeð;    deþ he wyrplas on, fedeþ swa on feterum    fiþrum dealne, lepeþ lyftswiftne    lytlum gieflum,

## 90

    oþþæt se wælisca    wædum ond dædum his ætgiefan    eaðmod weorþeð ond to hagostealdes    honda gelæred. Swa wrætlice    weoroda nergend geond middangeard    monna cræftas

## 95

    sceop ond scyrede    ond gesceapo ferede æghwylcum on eorþan    eormencynnes. Forþon him nu ealles þonc    æghwa secge, þæs þe he fore his miltsum    monnum scrifeð.