Poem Of the Day

Caedmon's Hymn by Caedmon

(c 737)
Nu scylun hergan hefaenricaes uard
metudaes maecti end his modgidanc
uerc uuldurfadur sue he uundra gihuaes
eci dryctin or astelidae
he aerist scop aelda barnum
heben til hrofe haleg scepen.
tha middungeard moncynnaes uard
eci dryctin aefter tiadae
firum foldu frea allmectig

primo cantauit Caedmon istud carmen.

(c 746)
Nu scilun herga hefenricaes uard
metudaes mehti and his modgithanc
uerc uuldurfadur sue he uundra gihuaes
eci dryctin or astelidae.
he aerist scop aeldu barnum
hefen to hrofaehalig sceppend
tha middingard moncynn&ealig;s uard
eci dryctin aefter tiadae
firum foldu frea allmehtig

MODERN ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Now let me praise the keeper of Heaven's kingdom,
The might of the Creator, and his thought,
The work of the Father of glory, how each of wonders
The Eternal Lord established in the beginning.
He first created for the sons of men
Heaven as a roof, the holy Creator,
Then Middle-earth the keeper of mankind,
The Eternal Lord, afterwards made,
The earth for men, the Almighty Lord.

In the beginning Caedmon sang this poem.

Poems and Prose from the old English