Old and ready for death by reason of this failing
house, I thus have woven a web of words and
wondrously have gathered it up; time and again
have I pondered and sifted my thought in the prison
of the night. I knew not fully the truth concerning 1240
the cross[1] until wisdom revealed a broader
knowledge through its marvelous power o'er the
thought of my heart. I was stained with deeds of
evil, fettered in sins, torn by doubts, girt round with 1245
bitter needs, until the King of might wondrously
granted learning unto me as a comfort for my old
age; until he gave unto me his spotless grace, and
imbued my heart with it, revealed it as glorious, in
time broadened it, set free my body, unlocked my 1250
heart, and loosed the power of song, which joyfully
and gladly I have used in the world. Not one time
alone, but often had I thought upon the tree of
glory, before I had the miracle revealed regarding
the glorious tree, as in the course of events I found 1255
related in books and in writings concerning the sign
of victory. Ever until that time was the man buffeted
in the surge of sorrow, was he a weakly flaring
torch (C)[2], although he had received treasures
and appled gold in the mead-hall; wroth in heart 1260
(Y), he mourned; a companion to need (N), he
suffered crushing grief and anxious care, although
before him his horse (E) measured the miles and
proudly ran, decked with gold. Hope (W) is
waned, and joy through the course of years; youth 1265
is fled, and the pride of old. Once (U) was the
splendor of youth(?); now after that alloted time
are the days departed, are the pleasures of life
dwindled away, as water (L) glideth, or the rushing
floods. Wealth (F) is but a loan to each beneath 1270
the heavens; the beauties of the field vanish
away beneath the clouds, most like unto the wind
when it riseth loud before men, roameth amid the
clouds, courseth along in wrath, and then on a sudden 1275
becometh still, close shut in its narrow prison,
crushed by force.
[Footnote 1: Supplying _r[=o]de_.]
[Footnote 2: These letters are the runes which spell out Cynewulf's
name.]
Thus shall all this world pass away, and in like
manner devouring flame shall seize upon whoever
was born into it, at that time when the
Lord himself 'with a host of angels shall come 1280
unto judgment. There shall each man hear the
doom on all his deeds from the mouth of the judge,
and likewise shall pay the penalty for all the
foolish words ever spoken by him, and all his overbold 1285
thoughts. Then shall the people divide into
three parts for the embrace of the flame, every man
who hath ever lived throughout the broad earth.
Those who have clung fast to the truth shall be
highest in the flame, the throng of the blessed, the 1290
host of them that yearn for glory, the multitude of
the righteous, and thus may they endure and suffer
more lightly without distress. He tempers for
them all the glare of the flame as shall be most easy
for them and most mild. The sinful men, those 1295
stained with evil, heroes sad of heart, shall be in the
middle place, shrouded with smoke amid the hot
surge of fire. The third part, accursed sinful foes,
false haters of men, the host of the wicked, shall be
in the depth of the surge, bound fast in flame by 1300
reason of their former deeds, in the gripe of the
glowing coals. Nor shall they come thereafter
from the place of punishment to the memory of God,
King of glory, but they shall be cast forth, His
wrath-stirring foes, from that fierce flame into the 1305
depths of hell. Unlike this shall it be with the
other two parts: they may look upon the Prince of
angels, the God of victories. They shall be refined
and freed from their sins, like pure gold that is all 1310
cleansed from every alloy, refined and melted in the
surge of the furnace's fire. Thus shall each of those
men be separated and purified from all their guilt,
their deep transgressions, by the fire of the judgment.
And thereafter they may enjoy peace and 1315
eternal well-being. The Lord of angels shall be
merciful and gracious unto them, inasmuch as they
abhorred each sin, each work of guile, and called
upon the Son of the Creator in their prayers.
Wherefore now their forms shall shine like unto the
angels, and they shall enjoy the heritage of the King 1320
of glory for ever and ever. Amen.