# The Rune Poem

feoh byþ frofur || fira gehwylcum
sceal þeah manna gehwylc || miclun hyt dælan
gif he wile for drihtne || domes hleotan
ur byþ anmod || and oferhyrned
felafrecne deor || feohteþ mid hornum
mære morstapa || þæt is modig wuht
þorn byþ þearle scearp || þegna gehwylcum
anfeng ys yfyl || ungemetun reþe
manna gehwylcun || þe him mid resteþ
os byþ ordfruma || ælcre spræce
wisdomes wraþu || and witena frofur
and eorla gehwam || eadnys and tohiht
rad byþ on recyde || rinca gehwylcum
sefte and swiþhwæt || þam þe sitteþ on ufan
meare mægenheardum || ofer milpaþas
cen byþ cwicera gehwam || cuþ on fyre
blac and beorhtlic || byrneþ oftust
þær hi æþelingas || inne restaþ
giefu gumena byþ || gleng and herenys
wraþu and wyrþscype || and wræcna gehwam
ar and ætwist || þe byþ oþra leas
wynne bruceþ || þe can weana lyt
sares and sorge || and him sylfa hæfþ
blæd and blysse || and eac byrga geniht
hægl byþ hwitust corna || hwyrft hit of heofones lyfte
wealcaþ hit windes scuras || weorþeþ hit to wætere syþþan
nied byþ nearu on breostan || weorþeþ hi þeah oft niþa bearnum
to helpe and to hæle gehwæþre || gif hi his hlystaþ æror
is byþ oferceald || ungemetum slidor
glisnaþ glæshluttur || gimmum gelicust
flor forste geworuht || fæger ansyne
gear byþ gumena hiht || þon god læteþ
halig heofones cyning || hrusan syllan
beorhte bleda || beornum and þearfum
ioh byþ utan || unsmeþe treow
heard hrusan fæst || hyrde fyres
wyrtrumun underwreþyd || wyn on eþle
peorþ byþ symble || plega and hlehter
wlancum || þar wigan sittaþ
on beorsele || bliþe ætsomne
eolhsecg eard hæfþ || oftust on fenne
wexeþ on wature || wundaþ grimme
blode breneþ || beorna gehwylcne
þe him ænigne || onfeng gedeþ
sigel semannum || symble biþ on hihte
þonn hi hine feriaþ || ofer fisces beþ
oþ hi brimhengest || bringeþ to lande
tir biþ tacna sum || healdeþ trywa wel
wiþ æþelingas || a biþ on færylde
ofer nihta genipu || næfre swiceþ
beorc byþ bleda leas || bereþ efne swa þeah
tanas butan tudder || biþ on telgum wlitig
heah on helme || hrysted fægere
geloden leafum || lyfte getenge
eoh byþ for eorlum || æþelinga wyn
hors hofum wlanc || þær him hæleþ ymbe
welege on wicgum || wrixlaþ spræce
and biþ unstyllum || æfre frofur
monn byþ on myrgþe || his magan leof
sceal þeah anra gehwylc || oþrum swican
for þam dryhten wyle || dome sine
þæt earme flæsc || eorþan betæcan
lagu byþ leodum || langsum geþuht
gif hi sculun neþan || on nacan tealtum
and hi sæyþa || swyþe bregaþ
and se brimhengest || bridles ne gymeþ
ing wæs ærest || mid eastdenum
gesewen secgun || oþ he siþþan eft
ofer wæg gewat || wæn æfter ran
þus heardingas || þone hæle nemdun
eþel byþ oferleof || æghwylcum men
gif he mot þær rihtes || and gerysena on
brucan on bolde || bleadum oftast
dæg byþ drihtnes sond || deore mannum
mære metodes leoht || myrgþ and tohiht
eadgum and earmum || eallum brice
ac byþ on eorþan || elda bearnum
flæsces fodor || fereþ gelome
ofer ganotes bæþ || garsecg fandaþ
hwæþer ac hæbbe || æþele treowe
æsc biþ oferheah || eldum dyre
stiþ on staþule || stede rihte hylt
þeah him feohtan on || firas monige
yr byþ æþelinga || and eorla gehwæs
wyn and wyrþmynd || byþ on wicge fæger
fæstlic on færelde || fyrdgeatewa sum
eor byþ eafix || and þeah a bruceþ
fodres on foldan || hafaþ fægerne eard
wætre beworpen || þær he wynnum leofaþ
ear byþ egle || eorla gehwylcun
þonn fæstlice || flæsc onginneþ
hraw colian || hrusan ceosan
blac to gebeddan || bleda gedreosaþ
wynna gewitaþ || wera geswicaþ