# The Metres of Boethius: Metre 19

eala þæt is hefig dysig || hygeþ ymbe se þe wile
and frecenlic || fira gehwilcum
þæt þa earman men || mid ealle gedwæleþ
of þæm rihtan wege || recene alæded
hwæþer ge willen || on wuda secan
gold þæt reade || on grenum triowum
ic wat swa þeah || þæt hit witena nan
þider ne seceþ || forþæm hit þær ne wexþ
ne on wingeardum || wlitige gimmas
hwy ge nu ne settan || on sume dune
fiscnet eowru || þonne eow fon lysteþ
leax oþþe cyperan || me gelicost þincþ
þætte ealle witen || eorþbuende
þoncolmode || þæt hi þær ne sint
hwæþer ge nu willen || wæþan mid hundum
on sealtne sæ || þonne eow secan lyst
heorotas and hinda || þu gehicgan meaht
þæt ge willaþ þa || on wuda secan
oftor micle || þonne ut on sæ
is þæt wundorlic || þæt we witan ealle
þæt mon secan sceal || be sæwaroþe
and be eaofrum || æþele gimmas
hwite and reade || and hiwa gehwæs
hwæt hi eac witon || hwær hi eafiscas
secan þurfan || and swylcra fela
weoruldwelena || hi þæt wel doþ
geornfulle men || geara gehwilce
ac þæt is earmlicost || ealra þinga
þæt þa dysegan sint || on gedwolan wordene
efne swa blinde || þæt hi on breostum ne magon
eaþe gecnawan || hwær þa ecan good
soþa gesælþa || sindon gehydda
forþæm hi æfre ne lyst || æfter spyrian
secan þa gesælþa || wenaþ samwise
þæt hi on þis lænan mægen || life findan
soþa gesælþa || þæt is selfa god
ic nat hu ic mæge || nænige þinga
ealles swa swiþe || on sefan minum
hiora dysig tælan || swa hit me don lysteþ
ne ic þe swa sweotole || gesecgan ne mæg
forþæm hi sint earmran || and eac dysegran
ungesæligran || þonne ic þe secgan mæge
hi wilniaþ || welan and æhta
and weorþscipes || to gewinnanne
þonne hi habbaþ || þæt hiora hige seceþ
wenaþ þonne || swa gewitlease
þæt hi þa soþan || gesælþa hæbben