# The Metres of Boethius: Metre 21

wel la monna bearn || geond middangeard
friora æghwilc || fundie to
þæm ecum gode || þe we ymb sprecaþ
and to þæm gesælþum || þe we secgaþ ymb
se þe þonne nu sie || nearwe gehefted
mid þisses mæran || middangeardes
unnyttre lufe || sece him eft hræþe
fulne friodom || þæt he forþ cume
to þæm gesælþum || saula rædes
forþæm þæt is sio an rest || eallra geswinca
hyhtlicu hyþ || heaum ceolum
modes usses || meresmylta wic
þæt is sio an hyþ || þe æfre biþ
æfter þam yþum || ura geswinca
ysta gehwelcre || ealnig smylte
þæt is sio friþstow || and sio frofor an
eallra yrminga || æfter þissum
weoruldgeswincum || þæt is wynsum stow
æfter þyssum yrmþum || to aganne
ac ic georne wat || þætte gylden maþm
sylofren sincstan || searogimma nan
middangeardes wela || modes eagan
æfre ne onlyhtaþ || auht ne gebetaþ
hiora scearpnesse || to þære sceawunga
soþra gesælþa || ac hi swiþor get
monna gehwelces || modes eagan
ablendaþ on breostum || þonne hi hi beorhtran gedon
forþæm æghwilc þing || þe on þys andweardan
life licaþ || lænu sindon
eorþlicu þing || a fleondu
ac þæt is wundorlic || wlite and beorhtnes
þe wuhta gehwæs || wlite geberhteþ
and æfter þæm || eallum wealdeþ
nele se waldend || þæt forweorþan scylen
saula usse || ac he hi selfa wile
leoman onlihtan || lifes wealdend
gif þonne hæleþa hwilc || hlutrum eagum
modes sines || mæg æfre ofsion
hiofones leohtes || hlutre beorhto
þonne wile he secgan || þæt þære sunnan sie
beorhtnes þiostro || beorna gehwylcum
to metanne || wiþ þæt micle leoht
godes ælmihtiges || þæt is gasta gehwæm
ece butan ende || eadegum saulum