# Judith || tweode gifena in ðys ginnan grunde || heo ðar ða gearwe funde mundbyrd æt ðam mæran ðeodne || ða heo ahte mæste ðearfe hyldo ðæs hehstan deman || ðæt he hie wið ðæs hehstan brogan gefriðode frymða waldend || hyre ðæs fæder on roderum torhtmod tiðe gefremede || ðe heo ahte trumne geleafan a to ðam ælmihtigan || gefrægen ic ða holofernus winhatan wyrcean georne || ond eallum wundrum ðrymlic girwan up swæsendo || to ðam het se gumena baldor ealle ða yldestan ðegnas || hie ðæt ofstum miclum ræfndon rondwiggende || comon to ðam rican ðeodne feran folces ræswan || ðæt wæs ðy feorðan dogore ðæs ðe iudith hyne || gleaw on geðonce ides ælfscinu || ærest gesohte hie ða to ðam symle || sittan eodon wlance to wingedrince || ealle his weagesiðas bealde byrnwiggende || ðær wæron bollan steape boren æfter bencum gelome || swylce eac bunan ond orcas fulle fletsittendum || hie ðæt fæge ðegon rofe rondwiggende || ðeah ðæs se rica ne wende egesful eorla dryhten || ða wearð holofernus goldwine gumena || on gytesalum hloh ond hlydde || hlynede ond dynede ðæt mihten fira bearn || feorran gehyran hu se stiðmoda || styrmde ond gylede modig ond medugal || manode geneahhe bencsittende || ðæt hi gebærdon wel swa se inwidda || ofer ealne dæg dryhtguman sine || drencte mid wine swiðmod sinces brytta || oððæt hie on swiman lagon oferdrencte his duguðe ealle || swylce hie wæron deaðe geslegene agotene goda gehwylces || swa het se gumena aldor fylgan fletsittendum || oððæt fira bearnum nealæhte niht seo ðystre || het ða niða geblonden ða eadigan mægð || ofstum fetigan to his bedreste || beagum gehlæste hringum gehrodene || hie hraðe fremedon anbyhtscealcas || swa him heora ealdor bebead byrnwigena brego || bearhtme stopon to ðam gysterne || ðær hie iudithðe fundon ferhðgleawe || ond ða fromlice lindwiggende || lædan ongunnon ða torhtan mægð || to træfe ðam hean ðær se rica hyne || reste on symbel nihtes inne || nergende lað holofernus || ðær wæs eallgylden fleohnet fæger || ymbe ðæs folctogan bed ahongen || ðæt se bealofulla mihte wlitan ðurh || wigena baldor on æghwylcne || ðe ðær inne com hæleða bearna || ond on hyne nænig monna cynnes || nymðe se modiga hwæne niðe rofra || him ðe near hete rinca to rune gegangan || hie ða on reste gebrohton snude ða snoteran idese || eodon ða stercedferhðe hæleð heora hearran cyðan || ðæt wæs seo halige meowle gebroht on his burgetelde || ða wearð se brema on mode bliðe burga ealdor || ðohte ða beorhtan idese mid widle ond mid womme besmitan || ne wolde ðæt wuldres dema geðafian ðrymmes hyrde || ac he him ðæs ðinges gestyrde dryhten dugeða waldend || gewat ða se deofulcunda galferhð gumena ðreate || bealofull his beddes neosan || ðær he sceolde his blæd forleosan ædre binnan anre nihte || hæfde ða his ende gebidenne on eorðan unswæslicne || swylcne he ær æfter worhte ðearlmod ðeoden gumena || ðenden he on ðysse worulde wunode under wolcna hrofe || gefeol ða wine swa druncen se rica on his reste middan || swa he nyste ræda nanne on gewitlocan || wiggend stopon ut of ðam inne || ofstum miclum weras winsade || ðe ðone wærlogan laðne leodhatan || læddon to bedde nehstan siðe || ða wæs nergendes ðeowen ðrymful || ðearle gemyndig hu heo ðone atolan || eaðost mihte ealdre benæman || ær se unsyfra womfull onwoce || genam ða wundenlocc scyppendes mægð || scearpne mece scurum heardne || ond of sceaðe abræd swiðran folme || ongan ða swegles weard be naman nemnan || nergend ealra woruldbuendra || ond ðæt word acwæð ic ðe frymða god || ond frofre gæst bearn alwaldan || biddan wylle miltse ðinre || me ðearfendre ðrynesse ðrym || ðearle ys me nu-ða heorte onhæted || ond hige geomor swyðe mid sorgum gedrefed || forgif me swegles ealdor sigor ond soðne geleafan || ðæt ic mid ðys sweorde mote geheawan ðysne morðres bryttan || geunne me minra gesynta ðearlmod ðeoden gumena || nahte ic ðinre næfre miltse ðon maran ðearfe || gewrec nu mihtig dryhten torhtmod tires brytta || ðæt me ys ðus torne on mode hate on hreðre minum || hi ða se hehsta dema ædre mid elne onbryrde || swa he deð anra gehwylcne herbuendra || ðe hyne him to helpe seceð mid ræde ond mid rihte geleafan || ða wearð hyre rume on mode haligre hyht geniwod || genam ða ðone hæðenan mannan fæste be feaxe sinum || teah hyne folmum wið hyre-weard bysmerlice || ond ðone bealofullan listum alede || laðne mannan swa heo ðæs unlædan || eaðost mihte wel gewealdan || sloh ða wundenlocc ðone feondsceaðan || fagum mece heteðoncolne || ðæt heo healfne forcearf ðone sweoran him || ðæt he on swiman læg druncen ond dolhwund || næs ða dead ða gyt ealles orsawle || sloh ða eornoste ides ellenrof || oðre siðe ðone hæðenan hund || ðæt him ðæt heafod wand forð on ða flore || læg se fula leap gesne beæftan || gæst ellor hwearf under neowelne næs || ond ðær genyðerad wæs susle gesæled || syððan æfre wyrmum bewunden || witum gebunden hearde gehæfted || in hellebryne æfter hinsiðe || ne ðearf he hopian no ðystrum forðylmed || ðæt he ðonan mote of ðam wyrmsele || ac ðær wunian sceal awa to aldre || butan ende forð in ðam heolstran ham || hyhtwynna leas hæfde ða gefohten || foremærne blæd iudith æt guðe || swa hyre god uðe swegles ealdor || ðe hyre sigores onleah ða seo snotere mægð || snude gebrohte ðæs herewæðan || heafod swa blodig on ðam fætelse || ðe hyre foregenga blachleor ides || hyra begea nest ðeawum geðungen || ðyder on lædde ond hit ða swa heolfrig || hyre on hond ageaf higeðoncolre || ham to berenne iudith gingran sinre || eodon ða gegnum ðanonne ða idesa ba || ellenðriste oððæt hie becomon || collenferhðe eadhreðige mægð || ut of ðam herige ðæt hie sweotollice || geseon mihten ðære wlitegan byrig || weallas blican bethuliam || hie ða beahhrodene feðelaste || forð onettan oð hie glædmode || gegan hæfdon to ðam wealgate || wiggend sæton weras wæccende || wearde heoldon in ðam fæstenne || swa ðam folce ær geomormodum || iudith bebead searoðoncol mægð || ða heo on sið gewat ides ellenrof || wæs ða eft cumen leof to leodum || ond ða lungre het gleawhydig wif || gumena sumne of ðære ginnan byrig || hyre togeanes gan ond hi ofostlice || in forlæton ðurh ðæs wealles geat || ond ðæt word acwæð to ðam sigefolce || ic eow secgan mæg ðoncwyrðe ðing || ðæt ge ne ðyrfen leng murnan on mode || eow ys metod bliðe cyninga wuldor || ðæt gecyðed wearð geond woruld wide || ðæt eow ys wuldorblæd torhtlic toweard || ond tir gifeðe ðara læðða || ðe ge lange drugon ða wurdon bliðe || burhsittende syððan hi gehyrdon || hu seo halige spræc ofer heanne weall || here wæs on lustum wið ðæs fæstengeates || folc onette weras wif somod || wornum ond heapum ðreatum ond ðrymmum || ðrungon ond urnon ongean ða ðeodnes mægð || ðusendmælum ealde ge geonge || æghwylcum wearð men on ðære medobyrig || mod areted syððan hie ongeaton || ðæt wæs iudith cumen eft to eðle || ond ða ofostlice hie mid eaðmedum || in forleton ða seo gleawe het || golde gefrætewod hyre ðinenne || ðancolmode ðæs herewæðan || heafod onwriðan ond hyt to behðe || blodig ætywan ðam burhleodum || hu hyre æt beaduwe gespeow spræc ða seo æðele || to eallum ðam folce her ge magon sweotole || sigerofe hæleð leoda ræswan || on ðæs laðestan hæðenes heaðorinces || heafod starian holofernus || unlyfigendes ðe us monna mæst || morðra gefremede sarra sorga || ond ðæt swyðor gyt ycan wolde || ac him ne uðe god lengran lifes || ðæt he mid læððum us eglan moste || ic him ealdor oððrong ðurh godes fultum || nu ic gumena gehwæne ðyssa burgleoda || biddan wylle randwiggendra || ðæt ge recene eow fysan to gefeohte || syððan frymða god arfæst cyning || eastan sende leohtne leoman || berað linde forð bord for breostum || ond byrnhomas scire helmas || in sceaðena gemong fyllan folctogan || fagum sweordum fæge frumgaras || fynd syndon eowere gedemed to deaðe || ond ge dom agon tir æt tohtan || swa eow getacnod hafað mihtig dryhten || ðurh mine hand ða wearð snelra werod || snude gegearewod cenra to campe || stopon cynerofe secgas ond gesiðas || bæron sigeðufas foron to gefeohte || forð on gerihte hæleð under helmum || of ðære haligan byrig on ðæt dægred sylf || dynedan scildas hlude hlummon || ðæs se hlanca gefeah wulf in walde || ond se wanna hrefn wælgifre fugel || wistan begen ðæt him ða ðeodguman || ðohton tilian fylle on fægum || ac him fleah on last earn ætes georn || urigfeðera salowigpada || sang hildeleoð hyrnednebba || stopon heaðorincas beornas to beadowe || bordum beðeahte hwealfum lindum || ða ðe hwile ær elðeodigra || edwit ðoledon hæðenra hosp || him ðæt hearde wearð æt ðam æscplegan || eallum forgolden assyrium || syððan ebreas under guðfanum || gegan hæfdon to ðam fyrdwicum || hie ða fromlice leton forð fleogan || flana scuras hildenædran || of hornbogan strælas stedehearde || styrmdon hlude grame guðfrecan || garas sendon in heardra gemang || hæleð wæron yrre landbuende || laðum cynne stopon styrnmode || stercedferhðe wrehton unsofte || ealdgeniðlan medowerige || mundum brugdon scealcas of sceaðum || scirmæled swyrd ecgum gecoste || slogon eornoste assiria || oretmæcgas niðhycgende || nanne ne sparedon ðæs herefolces || heanne ne ricne cwicera manna || ðe hie ofercuman mihton swa ða magoðegnas || on ða morgentid ehton elðeoda || ealle ðrage oððæt ongeaton || ða ðe grame wæron ðæs herefolces || heafodweardas ðæt him swyrdgeswing || swiðlic eowdon weras ebrisce || hie wordum ðæt ðam yldestan || ealdorðegnum cyðan eodon || wrehton cumbolwigan ond him forhtlice || færspel bodedon medowerigum || morgencollan atolne ecgplegan || ða ic ædre gefrægn slegefæge hæleð || slæpe tobredon ond wið ðæs bealofullan || burgeteldes werigferhðe || hwearfum ðringan holofernus || hogedon aninga hyra hlaforde || hilde bodian ærðon ðe him se egesa || on ufan sæte mægen ebrea || mynton ealle ðæt se beorna brego || ond seo beorhte mægð in ðam wlitegan træfe || wæron ætsomne iudith seo æðele || ond se galmoda egesfull ond afor || næs ðeah eorla nan ðe ðone wiggend || aweccan dorste oððe gecunnian || hu ðone cumbolwigan wið ða halgan mægð || hæfde geworden metodes meowlan || mægen nealæhte folc ebrea || fuhton ðearle heardum heoruwæpnum || hæfte guldon hyra fyrngeflitu || fagum swyrdum ealde æfðoncan || assyria wearð on ðam dægeweorce || dom geswiðrod bælc forbiged || beornas stodon ymbe hyra ðeodnes træf || ðearle gebylde sweorcendferhðe || hi ða somod ealle ongunnon cohhetan || cirman hlude ond gristbitian || gode orfeorme mid toðon torn ðoligende || ða wæs hyra tires æt ende eades ond ellendæda || hogedon ða eorlas aweccan hyra winedryhten || him wiht ne speow ða wearð sið ond late || sum to ðam arod ðara beadorinca || ðæt he in ðæt burgeteld niðheard neðde || swa hyne nyd fordraf funde ða on bedde || blacne licgan his goldgifan || gæstes gesne lifes belidenne || he ða lungre gefeoll freorig to foldan || ongan his feax teran hreoh on mode || ond his hrægl somod ond ðæt word acwæð || to ðam wiggendum ðe ðær unrote || ute wæron her ys geswutelod || ure sylfra forwyrd toweard getacnod || ðæt ðære tide ys mid niðum neah geðrungen || ðe we sculon nyde losian somod æt sæcce forweorðan || her lið sweorde geheawen beheafdod healdend ure || hi ða hreowigmode wurpon hyra wæpen of dune || gewitan him werigferhðe on fleam sceacan || him mon feaht on last mægeneacen folc || oð se mæsta dæl ðæs heriges læg || hilde gesæged on ðam sigewonge || sweordum geheawen wulfum to willan || ond eac wælgifrum fuglum to frofre || flugon ða ðe lyfdon laðra lindwerod || him on laste for sweot ebrea || sigore geweorðod dome gedyrsod || him feng dryhten god fægre on fultum || frea ælmihtig hi ða fromlice || fagum swyrdum hæleð higerofe || herpað worhton ðurh laðra gemong || linde heowon scildburh scæron || sceotend wæron guðe gegremede || guman ebrisce ðegnas on ða tid || ðearle gelyste gargewinnes || ðær on greot gefeoll se hyhsta dæl || heafodgerimes assiria || ealdorduguðe laðan cynnes || lythwon becom cwicera to cyððe || cirdon cynerofe wiggend on wiðertrod || wælscel on innan reocende hræw || rum wæs to nimanne londbuendum || on ðam laðestan hyra ealdfeondum || unlyfigendum heolfrig herereaf || hyrsta scyne bord ond bradswyrd || brune helmas dyre madmas || hæfdon domlice on ðam folcstede || fynd oferwunnen eðelweardas || ealdhettende swyrdum aswefede || hie on swaðe reston ða ðe him to life || laðost wæron cwicera cynna || ða seo cneoris eall mægða mærost || anes monðes fyrst wlanc wundenlocc || wagon ond læddon to ðære beorhtan byrig || bethuliam helmas ond hupseax || hare byrnan guðsceorp gumena || golde gefrætewod mærra madma || ðonne mon ænig asecgan mæge || searoðoncelra eal ðæt ða ðeodguman || ðrymme geeodon cene under cumblum || on compwige ðurh iudithe || gleawe lare mægð modigre || hi to mede hyre of ðam siðfate || sylfre brohton eorlas æscrofe || holofernes sweord ond swatigne helm || swylce eac side byrnan gerenode readum golde || ond eal ðæt se rinca baldor swiðmod sinces ahte || oððe sundoryrfes beaga ond beorhtra maðma || hi ðæt ðære beorhtan idese ageafon gearoðoncolre || ealles ðæs iudith sægde wuldor weroda dryhtne || ðe hyre weorðmynde geaf mærðe on moldan rice || swylce eac mede on heofonum sigorlean in swegles wuldre || ðæs ðe heo ahte soðne geleafan to ðam ælmihtigan || huru æt ðam ende ne tweode ðæs leanes ðe heo lange gyrnde || ðæs sy ðam leofan drihtne wuldor to widan aldre || ðe gesceop wind ond lyfte roderas ond rume grundas || swylce eac reðe streamas ond swegles dreamas || ðurh his sylfes miltse