Hwæt, wē gefrūnan on fyrndagum

twelfe under tunglum tīrēadige hæleð,

þēodnes þegnas. Nō hira þrym ālæg

cam<p>rǣdenne, þonne cumbol hneotan,

syððan hīe gedǣldon swā him dryhten sylf,

heofona hēahcyning, <h>lyt getǣhte.

þæt wǣron mǣre men ofer eorðan,

frome folctogan ond fyrdhwate,

rōfe rincas, þonne rond ond hand

on herefelda helm ealgodon

on meotudwange; wæs hira Māthēus sum,

sē mid Iūdēum ongan godspell ǣrest

wordum wrītan wundorcræfte.

Þām hālig god hlyt getēode

ūt on þæt īgland, þǣr ǣnig þā gīt

ellþēodigra ēðles ne mihte

blǣdes brūcan; oft him bonena hand

on herefelda hearde gescēode.

Eal wæs þæt mearcland morðre bewunden,

fēondes fācne, folcstede gumena,

Listen, we have heard tell from ancient days

of twelve illustrious heroes under the stars,

thanes of the King. Never did their power fail

in combat engagement when standards clashed,

once they had dispersed, as the Lord Himself,

High-King of Heaven, showed them by lot.

These were renowned men on earth,

brave captains and keen for campaign,

cheerful warriors, when shield and arm

on the field of plunder kept helmet safe

on the plain of doom. One of them was Matthew,

who was the first among Jews to begin

to write the Gospel in words with wondrous skill.

For him did Holy God fashion the lot

out to that land by water where no man

from the homeland of foreigners could yet

enjoy happiness: him often hands of slayers

on the field of plunder cruelly harmed.

All bound in murder was that border country,

with devil's crime that habitation of men,

hæleða ēðel; næs þǣr hlāfes wist

werum on þām wonge, ne wæteres drync

tō brūconne, ah hīe blōd ond fel,

fira flæschoman, feorrancumenra,

ðēgon geond þā þēode. Swelc wæs þēaw hira

þæt hīe ǣghwylcne ellðēodigra

dydan him tō mōse meteþearfendum,

þāra þe þæt ēaland ūtan sōhte;

swylc wæs þæs folces freoðolēas tācen,

unlǣdra eafoð, þæt hīe ēagena gesīhð,

hette<n>d heorogrimme, hēafodgimmas,

āgēt<t>on gealgmōde gāra ordum.