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