# The Metres of Boethius: Metre 17

hwæt eorþwaran || ealle hæfden
foldbuende || fruman gelicne
hi of anum twæm || ealle comon
were and wife || on woruld innan
and hi eac nu get || ealle gelice
on woruld cumaþ || wlance and heane
nis þæt nan wundor || forþæm witan ealle
þæt an god is || ealra gesceafta
frea moncynnes || fæder and scippend
se þære sunnan leoht || seleþ of heofonum
monan and þyssum || mærum steorrum
se milda metod || gesceop men on eorþan
and gesamnade || sawle to lice
æt fruman ærest || folc under wolcnum
emnæþele gesceop || æghwilcne mon
hwy ge þonne æfre || ofer oþre men
ofermodigen || buton andweorce
nu ge unæþelne || nænigne metaþ
hwy ge eow for æþelum || up ahebben
nu on þæm mode biþ || monna gehwilcum
þa rihtæþelo || þe ic þe recce ymb
nales on þæm flæsce || foldbuendra
ac nu æghwilc mon || þe mid ealle biþ
his unþeawum || underþieded
he forlæt ærest || lifes frumsceaft
and his agene || æþelo swa selfe
and eac þone fæder || þe hine æt fruman gesceop
forþæm hine anæþelaþ || ælmihtig god
þæt he unæþele || a forþ þanan
wyrþ on weorulde || to wuldre ne cymþ