The Paris Psalter: Psalm 138

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

þu min costadest         cynnum, drihten,
and me ongeate         gleawe mode;
þu min setl         swylce oncneowe,
and minne ærist         æfter gecyðdest.

5

And mine geðohtas eac         þriste oncneowe,
feorran ongeate         fore mine,
and mine gangas         gearwe atreddest
and ealle mine wegas         wel foresawe,
forþan me inwit næs         ahwær on tungan.

10

Efne þu, drihten,         eall oncneowe
þa ærestan,         eac þa nehstan;
þu me gehiwadest         handa þinre,
me ofer heafod         holde gesettest.
Wundorlic is geworden         þin wisdom eall,

15

se is beutan me         eac gestrangod;
ne mæg ic him on neode         a neah cuman.
Hwider mæg ic fram þinum gaste         gangan ahwær,
oþþe þinne andwlitan befleon         eorðan dæles?
Gif ic on heofenas up         hea astige,

20

þu me þær on efn         andweard sittest;
gif ic on helle gedo         hwyrft ænigne,
þu me æt byst         efne rihte.
Gif ic mine fiðeru gefo,         fleoge ær leohte,
oþþæt ic beutan wese         eallum sæwum,

25

Hwæt, me þin hand þyder         ofer holma begang
lædeð lustum,         and me lungre eft
þin seo swiðre         þær gehendeð.
Ic on mode cwæð         minum swylce:
"Wen is, þæt me þystru         ðearle forgripen

30

and me on nihte         neode onlihte,
þæt ic minum bleom         bregde neahhige."
Ne beoð þeostru deorc         butan þinre miht;
þurh þa onlihtest niht,         þæt heo byð dæge gelic.
Swa þragum gæð         þeostru wið leohte,

35

forþon þu hi settest         swylce, drihten;
canst mine ædre         ealle gearuwe,
onfenge me fægere,         swa ic furðum wæs
of modur hrife         minre acenned.
Ic þe andette,         ece drihten,

40

forþon þu mid egesan eart         eall gewuldrad,
and þine weorc wæron         wræclice swyþe,
þa min saul oncneow         sona georne.
Nis min ban wið þe         deope behyded,
þæt þu wislice         worhtest on diglum,

45

þeh min lichama         lytle ðrage
on niðerdælum         eorðan wunige.
Eagan þine gesawon         þæt ic ealles wæs
unfrom on ferhþe;         eall þæt forð heonan
on þinum wisbocum         awriten standeð.

50

Dagas syndon trymede,         swa hi drihten gesceop,
ne mæg ænig on þam         awa lifigean;
me synd arwyrðe         ealle swiðe,
þe þine frynd wærun         fæste, drihten,
is heora ealdordom         ungemete swiðe

55

on cneorissum         cuð gestrangod.
Gif ic hi recene nu         riman onginne,
hi beoð ofer sandcorn         sniome manige;
syþþan ic arise         and recene nu gyt
mid þe sylfum eom,         gif þu syþþan wylt

60

þa firenfullan         fyllan mid deaðe.
Blodhreowe weras,         ge bebugað me,
þe þæt on geþohtum         þenceað cweðende:
"Wutun þurh idel searu         ealle tiligean,
þæt we heora burh         tobrecan moton."

65

Ealle þa þe feodan         þurh facen god,
ic hi feode nu         fæste mid niðe,
and ofer þine feondas beo         facne gebolgen.
Swa ic hi mid rihte         recene feoge,
forþon hi me feondas         fæcne wurdan.

70

Costa min, god,         swa hit cyn wese,
and minre heortan gehygd         her gesceawa,
þone fælan geþanc;         frine me syþþan
and mine stige ongit         gestaðelode.
And þu sylfa geseoh,         gif ic on swiculne weg

75

oþþe on unrihte         ahwær eode;
gelæd me þonne,         lifes ealdor,
þæt ic on ecne weg         æghwær gange.