The Meters of Boethius: Meter 17

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Hwæt, eorðwaran         ealle hæfden,
foldbuende,         fruman gelicne;
hi of anum twæm         ealle comon,
were and wife,         on woruld innan,

5

and hi eac nu get         ealle gelice
on woruld cumað,         wlance and heane.
Nis þæt nan wundor,         forðæm witan ealle
þæt an god is         ealra gesceafta,
frea moncynnes,         fæder and scippend.

10

Se ðære sunnan leoht         seleð of heofonum,
monan and þyssum         mærum steorrum.
Se milda metod         gesceop men on eorðan,
and gesamnade         sawle to lice
æt fruman ærest,         folc under wolcnum

15

emnæðele gesceop         æghwilcne mon.
Hwy ge þonne æfre         ofer oðre men
ofermodigen         buton andweorce,
nu ge unæðelne         nænigne metað?
Hwy ge eow for æþelum         up ahebben,

20

nu on þæm mode bið         monna gehwilcum
þa rihtæþelo         þe ic ðe recce ymb,
nales on ðæm flæsce         foldbuendra?
Ac nu æghwilc mon         þe mid ealle bið
his unþeawum         underðieded,

25

he forlæt ærest         lifes frumsceaft
and his agene         æþelo swa selfe,
and eac þone fæder         þe hine æt fruman gesceop.
Forðæm hine anæþelað         ælmihtig god,
þæt he unæþele         a forð þanan

30

wyrð on weorulde,         to wuldre ne cymð.