# The Metres of Boethius: Metre 8

sona swa se wisdom || þas word hæfde
swetole areahte || he þa siþþan ongan
singan soþcwidas || and þus selfa cwæþ
hwæt sio forme eld || foldbuendum
geond eorþan sceat || æghwam dohte
þa þa anra gehwæm || on eorþwæstmum
genoh þuhte || nis hit nu-þa swelc
næron þa geond weorulde || welige hamas
ne mislice || mettas ne drincas
ne hi þara hrægla || huru ne gemdon
þe nu drihtguman || diorost lætaþ
forþæm hiora nænig || næs þa gieta
ne hi ne gesawon || sundbuende
ne ymbutan hi || awer ne herdon
hwæt hi firenlusta || frece ne wæron
buton swa hi meahton || gemetlicost
þa gecynd began || þe him crist gesceop
and hi æne on dæge || æton symle
on æfentid || eorþan wæstmas
wudes and wyrta || nalles win druncon
scir of steape || næs þa scealca nan
þe mete oþþe drinc || mængan cuþe
wæter wiþ hunige || ne heora wæda þon ma
sioloce siowian || ne hi siarocræftum
godweb giredon || ne hi gimreced
setton searolice || ac hi simle him
eallum tidum || ute slepon
under beamsceade || druncon burnan wæter
calde wyllan || nænig cepa ne seah
ofer eargeblond || ellendne wearod
ne huru ymbe sciphergas || scealcas ne herdon
ne furþum fira nan || ymb gefeoht sprecan
næs þeos eorþe besmiten || awer þa geta
beornes blode || þe hine bill rude
ne furþum wundne wer || weoruldbuende
gesawan under sunnan || nænig siþþan wæs
weorþ on weorulde || gif mon his willan ongeat
yfelne mid eldum || he wæs æghwæm laþ
eala þær hit wurde || oþþe wolde god
þæt on eorþan nu || ussa tida
geond þas widan weoruld || wæren æghwæs
swelce under sunnan || ac hit is sæmre nu
þæt þeos gitsunc hafaþ || gumena gehwelces
mod amerred || þæt he maran ne recþ
ac hit on witte || weallende byrnþ
efne sio gitsung || þe nænne grund hafaþ
swearte swæfeþ || sumes onlice
efne þam munte || þe nu monna bearn
etne hataþ || se on iglonde
sicilia || swefle byrneþ
þæt mon helle fyr || hateþ wide
forþæm hit symle biþ || sinbyrnende
and ymbutan hit || oþra stowa
blate forbærnþ || biteran lege
eala hwæt se forma || feohgitsere
wære on worulde || se þas wongstedas
grof æfter golde || and æfter gimcynnum
hwæt he frecnu gestreon || funde mænegum
bewrigen on weorulde || wætere oþþe eorþan