The Gifts of Men

Verse Indeterminate Saxon Fela bi on foldan forgesynra geongra geofona, a a gstberend wega in gewitte, swa her weoruda god, meotud meahtum swi, monnum dle, 5 syle sundorgiefe, sende wide agne spede, ara ghwylc mot dryhtwuniendra dl onfon. Ne bi nig s earfoslig mon on moldan, ne s medspedig, 10 lytelhydig, ne s lthydig, t hine se argifa ealles biscyrge modes crfta oe mgendda, wis on gewitte oe on wordcwidum, y ls ormod sy ealra inga, 15 ara e he geworhte in woruldlife, geofona gehwylcre. Nfre god deme t nig eft s earm geweore. Nnig eft s swie urh snyttrucrft in eode rym isses lifes 20 for gestige, t him folca weard urh his halige giefe hider onsende wise geohtas ond woruldcrftas, under anes meaht ealle forlte, y ls he for wlence wuldorgeofona ful, 25 mon mode swi of gemete hweorfe ond onne forhycge heanspedigran; ac he gedle, se e ah domes geweald, missenlice geond isne middangeard leoda leoocrftas londbuendum. 30 Sumum her ofer eoran hta onlih, woruldgestreona. Sum bi wonspedig, heardslig hle, bi hwre gleaw modes crfta. Sum mgenstrengo furor onfeh. Sum freolic bi 35

wlitig on wstmum. Sum bi wobora, giedda giffst. Sum bi gearuwyrdig. Sum bi on huntoe hreeadigra deora drfend. Sum dyre bi woruldricum men. Sum bi wiges heard, 40 beadocrftig beorn, r bord stuna. Sum in mle mg modsnottera folcrdenne for gehycgan, r witena bi worn tsomne. Sum mg wrtlice weorc ahycgan 45 heahtimbra gehws; hond bi gelred, wis ond gewealden, swa bi wyrhtan ryht, sele asettan, con he sidne rced fste gefegan wi frdryrum. Sum mid hondum mg hearpan gretan, 50 ah he gleobeames gearobrygda list. Sum bi rynig, sum ryhtscytte, sum leoa gleaw, sum on londe snel, feespedig. Sum on fealone wg stefnan steore, streamrade con, 55 weorudes wisa, ofer widne holm, onne srofe snelle mgne arum bregda yborde neah. Sum bi syndig, sum searocrftig goldes ond gimma, onne him gumena weard 60 hate him to mrum maum renian. Sum mg wpenrce, wige to nytte, modcrftig smi monige gefremman, onne he gewyrce to wera hilde helm oe hupseax oe heaubyrnan, 65 scirne mece oe scyldes rond, fste gefeged wi flyge gares. Sum bi arfst ond lmesgeorn, eawum geyde. Sum bi egn gehweorf on meoduhealle. Sum bi meares gleaw, 70 wicgcrfta wis. afa in geylde Sum domas con, Sum gewealdenmod t he onne sceal. r dryhtguman

rd eahtia. Sum bi hrdtfle. Sum bi gewittig t winege, 75 beorhyrde god. Sum bi bylda til ham to hebbanne. Sum bi heretoga, fyrdwisa from. Sum bi folcwita. Sum bi t earfe risthydigra egn mid his eodne. Sum geyld hafa, 80 fstgongel fer. Sum bi fugelbona, hafeces crftig. Sum bi to horse hwt. Sum bi swisnel, hafa searolic gomen, gleodda gife for gumegnum, leoht ond leouwac. Sum bi leofwende, 85 hafa mod ond word monnum gewre. Sum her geornlice gstes earfe mode bewinde, ond him metudes est ofer eorwelan ealne geceose. Sum bi deormod deofles gewinnes, 90 bi a wi firenum in gefeoht gearo. Sum crft hafa circnytta fela, mg on lofsongum lifes waldend hlude hergan, hafa healice beorhte stefne. Sum bi boca gleaw, 95 larum leoufst. Sum bi listhendig to awritanne wordgeryno. Nis nu ofer eoran nig monna mode s crftig, ne s mgeneacen, t hi fre anum ealle weoren 100 gegearwade, y ls him gilp scee, oe fore re mre mod astige, gif he hafa ana ofer ealle men wlite ond wisdom ond weorca bld; ac he missenlice monna cynne 105 gielpes styre ond his giefe brytta, sumum on cystum, sumum on crftum, sumum on wlite, sumum on wige, sumum he syle monna milde heortan, eawfstne geoht, sum bi eodne hold. 110

Swa weorlice wide tosawe dryhten his dugue. A s dom age, leohtbre lof, se us is lif giefe ond his milde mod monnum cye.