1. EARDSTAPA

Oft ic sceolde ana
Uhtna gehwylce
Mine ceare cwiþan.
Nis nu cwicra nan
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.
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,
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,
Sohte seledreorig
Sinces bryttan,
Hwær ic feor oþþe neah
Findan meahte
þone þe in meoduhealle
Mine wisse,
Oþþe mec freondleasne
Frefran wolde,
Wenian mid wynnum.
Wat se þe cunnað
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,
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 slæð
Domod ætgædre

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.
Ðonne onwæcneð eft
Wineleas guma,
Gesihð him biforan
Fealwe wegas,
Baþian brimfuglas,
Brædan feþra,

Swa cwæð eardstapa,
Earfeþa gemyndig,
Wraþra wælsleahta,
Winemæga hryre.


2. DEOR

Welund him be wurman wræces cunnade,
Anhydig eorl earfoþa dreag,
Hæfde him to gesiþþe sorge and longaþ,
Wintercealde wræce, wean oft onfond
Siþþan hine Niðhad on nede legde,
Swoncre seonobende on syllan monn.
þæs ofereode, þisses swa mæg.

Beadohilde ne wæs hyre broþra deaþ
On sefan swa sar swa hyre sylfre þing,
þæt heo gearolice ongietan hæfde
þæt heo eacen wæs; æfre ne meahte
þriste geþencan hu ymb þæt sceolde.
þæs ofereode, þisses swa mæg.

We þæt Mæðhilde mone gefrugnon
Wurdon grundlease Geates frige,
þæt hi seo sorglufu slæp ealle binom.
þæs ofereode, þisses swa mæg.

Ðeodric ahte þritig wintra
Mæringa burg; þæt wæs monegum cuþ.
þæs ofereode, þisses swa mæg.

We geascodan Eormanrices
Wylfenne geþoht; ahte wide folc
Gotena rices; þæt wæs grim cyning.
Sæt secg monig sorgum gebunden,
Wean on wenan, wyscte geneahhe
þæt þæs cynerices ofercumen wære.
þæs ofereode, þisses swa mæg.

Siteð sorgcearig, sælum bidæled,
On sefan sweorceð, sylfum þinceð
þæt sy endeleas earfoða dæl,
Mæg þonne geþencan þæt geond þas woruld
Witig Dryhten wendeþ geneahhe,
Eorle monegum are gesceawað,
Wislicne blæd, sumum weana dæl.

þæt ic bi me sylfum secgan wille,
þæt ic hwile wæs Heodeninga scop,
Dryhtne dyre; me wæs Deor noma.
Ahte ic fela wintra folgað tilne,
Holdne hlaford, oþ þæt Heorrenda nu,
Leoðcræftig monn, londryht geþah
þæt me eorla hleo ær gesealde.
þæs ofereode, þisses swa mæg.