The Fortunes of Men

Ful oft þaet gegonge├░, mid godes meahtum,
þaette wer ond wif in woruld cenna├░
bearn mid gebyrdum ond mid bleom gyrwa├░,
tennaþ ond taetaþ, oþþaet seo tid cyme├░,
gegae├░ gearrimum, þaet þa geongan leomu,
liffaestan leoþu, geloden weorþa├░.
Ferga├░ swa ond feþa├░ faeder ond modor,
giefa├░ ond gierwaþ. God ana wat
hwaet him weaxendum winter bringa├░!
Sumum þaet gegonge├░ on geogu├░feore
þaet se endestaef earfe├░maecgum
wealic weorþe├░. Sceal hine wulf etan,
har hae├░stapa; hinsiþ þonne
modor bimurne├░. Ne bi├░ swylc monnes geweald!
Sumne sceal hungor ahiþan, sumne sceal hreoh fordrifan,
sumne sceal gar agetan, sumne gu├░ abreotan.
Sum sceal leomena leas lifes neotan,
folmum aetfeohtan, sum on fe├░e lef,
seonobennum seoc, sar cwanian,
murnan meotudgesceaft mode gebysgad.
Sum sceal on holte of hean beame
fiþerleas feallan; bi├░ on flihte seþeah,
lace├░ on lyfte, oþþaet lengre ne bi├░
westem wudubeames. þonne he on wyrtruman
sige├░ sworcenfer├░, sawle bireafod,
fealleþ on foldan, feor├░ biþ on siþe.
Sum sceal on feþe on feorwegas
nyde gongan ond his nest beran,
tredan uriglast elþeodigra,
frecne foldan; ah he feormendra
lyt lifgendra, la├░ biþ aeghwaer
fore his wonsceaftum wineleas haele.
Sum sceal on geapum galgan ridan,
seomian aet swylte, oþþaet sawlhord,
bancofa blodig, abrocen weorþe├░.
þaer him hrefn nimeþ heafodsyne,
slite├░ salwigpad sawelleasne;
noþer he þy facne maeg folmum biwergan,
laþum lyftsceaþan, biþ his lif scaecen,
ond he feleleas, feores orwena,
blac on beame bide├░ wyrde,
bewegen waelmiste. Bi├░ him werig noina!
Sumne on baele sceal brond aswencan,
fretan frecne lig faegne monnan;
þaer him lifgedal lungre weor├░e├░,
read reþe gled; reote├░ meowle,
seo hyre bearn gesih├░ brondas þeccan.
Sumum meces ecg on meodubence
yrrum ealowosan ealdor oþþringe├░,
were winsadum; bi├░ aer his worda to hraed.
Sum sceal on beore þurh byreles hond
meodugal maecga; þonne he gemet ne con
gemearcian his muþe mode sine,
ac sceal ful earmlice ealdre linna,
dreogan dryhtenbealo dreamum biscyred,
ond hine to sylfcwale secgas nemna├░,
maena├░ mid muþe meodugales gedrinc.
Sum sceal on geogaþe mid godes meahtum
his earfo├░siþ ealne forspildan,
ond on yldo eft eadig weorþan,
wunian wyndagum ond welan þicgan,
maþmas ond meoduful maegburge on,
þaes þe aenig fira maege for├░ gehealdan.
Swa missenlice meahtig dryhten
geond eorþan sceat eallum daele├░,
scyreþ ond scrife├░ ond gesceapo healde├░,
sumum eadwelan, sumum earfeþa dael,
sumum geogoþe glaed, sumum guþe blaed,
gewealdenne wigplegan, sumum wyrp oþþe scyte,
torhtlicne tiir, sumum taefle craeft,
bleobordes gebregd. Sume boceras
weorþa├░ wisfaeste. Sumum wundorgiefe
þurh goldsmiþe gearwad weorþa├░;
ful oft he gehyrde├░ ond gehyrste├░ wel,
brytencyninges beorn, ond he him brad syle├░
lond to leane. He hit on lust þige├░.
Sum sceal on heape haeleþum cweman,
blissian aet beore bencsittendum;
þaer biþ drincendra dream se micla.
Sum sceal mid hearpan aet his hlafordes
fotum sittan, feoh þicgan,
ond a snellice snere wraestan,
laetan scralletan sceacol, se þe hleape├░,
naegl neomegende; biþ him neod micel.
Sum sceal wildne fugel wloncne atemian,
heafoc on honda, oþþaet seo heoroswealwe
wynsum weorþe├░; deþ he wyrplas on,
fedeþ swa on feterum fiþrum dealne,
lepeþ lyftswiftne lytlum gieflum,
oþþaet se waelisca waedum ond daedum
his aetgiefan ea├░mod weorþe├░
ond to hagostealdes honda gelaered
Swa wraetlice weoroda nergend
geond middangeard monna craeftas
sceop ond scyrede on gesceapo ferede
aeghwylcum on eorþan eormencynnes.
Forþon him nu ealles þonc aeghwa secge,
þaes þe he fore his miltsum monnum scrife├░.
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