The Meters of Boethius: Meter 22

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

Se þe æfter rihte         mid gerece wille
inweardlice         æfter spyrian
swa deoplice,         þæt hit todrifan ne mæg
monna ænig,         ne amerran huru

5

ænig eorðlic ðincg,         he ærest sceal
secan on him selfum         þæt he sume hwile
ymbutan hine         æror sohte.
Sece þæt siððan         on his sefan innan,
and forlæte an,         swa he oftost mæge,

10

ælcne ymbhogan         ðy him unnet sie,
and gesamnige,         swa he swiðost mæge,
ealle to þæm anum         his ingeðonc,
gesecge his mode         þæt hit mæg findan
eall on him innan         þæt hit oftost nu

15

ymbutan hit         ealneg seceð,
gooda æghwylc.         He ongit siððan
yfel and unnet         eal þæt he hæfde
on his incofan         æror lange
efne swa sweotole         swa he on þa sunnan mæg

20

eagum andweardum         on locian,
and he eac ongit         his ingeþonc
leohtre and berhtre         þonne se leoma sie
sunnan on sumera,         þonne swegles gim,
hador heofontungol,         hlutrost scineð.

25

Forðæm þæs lichoman         leahtras and hefignes
and þa unþeawas         eallunga ne magon
of mode ation         monna ænegum
rihtwisnesse,         ðeah nu rinca hwæm
þæs lichoman         leahtras and hefignes

30

and unþeawas         oft bysigen
monna modsefan,         mæst and swiðost
mid þære yflan         oforgiotolnesse;
mid gedwolmiste         dreorigne sefan
fortihð mod foran         monna gehwelces,

35

þæt hit swa beorhte ne mot         blican and scinan
swa hit wolde,         gif hit geweald ahte;
þeah bið sum corn         sædes gehealden
symle on ðære saule         soðfæstnesse,
þenden gadertang wunað         gast on lice.

40

ðæs sædes corn         bið symle aweaht
mid ascunga,         eac siððan mid
goodre lare,         gif hit growan sceal.
Hu mæg ænig man         andsware findan
ðinga æniges,         þegen mid gesceade,

45

þeah hine rinca hwilc         rihtwislice
æfter frigne         gif he awuht nafað
on his modsefan         mycles ne lytles
rihtwisnesse         ne geradscipes?
Nis þeah ænig man         þætte ealles swa

50

þæs geradscipes         swa bereafod sie
þæt he andsware         ænige ne cunne
findan on ferhðe,         gif he frugnen bið.
Forðæm hit is riht spell         þæt us reahte gio
ald uðwita,         ure Platon;

55

he cwæð þætte æghwilc         ungemyndig
rihtwisnesse         hine hræðe sceolde
eft gewendan         into sinum
modes gemynde;         he mæg siððan
on his runcofan         rihtwisnesse

60

findan on ferhte         fæste gehydde
mid gedræfnesse         dogora gehwilce
modes sines         mæst and swiðost,
and mid hefinesse         his lichoman,
and mid þæm bisgum         þe on breostum styreð

65

mon on mode         mæla gehwylce.