Nu ⁁\ƿe/ sculan herian heofonrices ƿeard,
metodes mihte, ond his modgeþonc,
ƿero{a} ƿuldorfæder— sƿa[2] he ƿundra gehƿæs,
ece dryhten, oór⁁\d/ onstealde!
5
He ærest gesceop eorðan bearnun{m}um
heofon to hrofe, halig scyppend;
1a Nu ⁁\ƿe/] {([Nu⁁\ƿe/ O Nuƿe B1 Nu ƿe To Nu ƿe| Ca])}{([Nu T1])([Ne N])}.
1a sculan herian] {([sculan herıan O][sculon herıgean T1][sceolon herıan To][sceolan herıgean Ca][sculon her gean N])}{([herıgan sculon| B1])}.
1b heofonrices] {([heofon|rıces O heofon|rıces T1 heofonrıces B1 heofonrıces To heofon rıces N heofon rıces Ca])}.
1b ƿeard] {([ƿeard O ƿeard T1 ƿeard B1 ƿeard· To ƿe:|ard N ƿeard Ca])}.
2a metodes] {([metodes O metodes B1 metodes To metodes N metodes Ca][meotodes T1])}.
2a mihte] {([mıhte O mıhte| B1 mıhte To mıhte· N mıhte Ca][meahte T1])}.
2b ond] {([Ond N][⁊ O ⁊ T1 ⁊ B1 ⁊ To ⁊ Ca])}.
2b his] {([hıs O hıs T1 hıs B1 hıs To hıs N hıs Ca])}.
2b modgeþonc] {([mod 〈g〉e þonc| O mod geþonc N][〈mod〉geþanc T1 mod ge þanc B1 mod|geþanc· To mod ge þanc· Ca])}.
3a ƿero{a}] {([ƿero{a} O ƿera| Ca])}{([ƿeorc| T1 ƿeorc B1 ƿeorc To])}{([ƿeoroda N])}.
3a ƿuldorfæder] {([ƿuldor fæder O ƿuldor fæder T1 ƿul:|dor fæder N ƿuldor fæder· Ca][ƿulder fæder To])}{([ƿuldor godes| B1])}.
3b sƿa] {([sƿa O sƿa T1 sƿa B1 sƿa To sƿa N sƿa Ca])}.
3b he] {([he O he T1 he B1 he To he N he Ca])}.
3b ƿundra] {([ƿundra O ƿundra T1 ƿund ra B1 ƿundra To ƿundra N])}{([ƿuldres Ca])}.
3b gehƿæs] {([ge hƿæs| O gehƿæs T1 gehƿæs〈·〉 To ge hƿæs Ca])([ge〈h〉{ƿ}hƿæs N])}{([fela B1])}.
4a ece] {([ece O ee{c}e T1 éce B1 ece To ece N ece Ca])}.
4a dryhten] {([dryhten O][〈ad〉rih〈t〉en T1 drıhten B1 drıhten To drıhten N drıhten· Ca])}.
4b oór⁁\d/] {([oór⁁\d/ O][ord| B1 ord Ca])}{([or T1 or| N])}{([ær| To])}.
4b onstealde] {([onstealde O on|stealde· T1 onstealde N onstealde Ca])}{([astealde B1 astealde· To])}.
5a He] {([he O he T1 he B1 He To he N he Ca])}.
5a ærest] {([ærest O ærest T1 ærest B1 ærest N][ærost To])([æres Ca])}.
5a gesceop] {([gesceop| O][ge|scóp Ca])}{([sceop T1 sceop B1 sceop〈·〉 To][scop N])}.
5b eorðan] {([eorðan O eorðan T1 eorðan B1 eorðan To ⁁|e|orðan Ca])}{([eorþū N])}.
5b bearnun{m}um] {([bearnun{m}um{::} O bear|num B1][bearnū T1 bearnū To bearnū N bearnū Ca])}.
6a heofon] {([heofon O heofon T1 heofon B1 heofon To heofon N heofon Ca])}.
6a to] {([to O to T1 to B1 to To to N to Ca])}.
6a hrofe] {([hrofe O hrofe| T1 hrofe B1 hrofe· To hrofe| N])([rofe Ca])}.
6b halig] {([halıg| O halıg T1 halıg B1 halıg| To halıg N halıg Ca])}.
6b scyppend] {([scyppend O scyppend· T1 scyp|pend B1 scyppend· Ca][sc⁁\y/pend· N])}{([drıhten· To])}.
7a ða] {([ða O][þa T1 þa To þa N þa Ca])}{([þe B1])}.
7a middongeard] {([mıddon geard O][mıddangeard T1 mıddan geard B1 mıddan geard N mıddan geard Ca][mıddan eard To])}.
7b moncynnes] {([moncynnes O moncynnes T1 moncynnes N mon‑|cynnes Ca][mann cynnes| B1][mancynnes To])}.
7b ƿeard] {([ƿeard| O ƿeard T1 ƿeard B1 ƿeard To ƿeard N ƿeard Ca])}.
8a ece] {([ece O ece| T1 éce B1 ece To ece| N ece Ca])}.
8a dryhten] {([dryhten O][drıhten T1 drıhten B1 drıhten To drıhten N][drıht̄ Ca])}.
8b æfter] {([æfter O æfter T1 æfter B1 æfter N][æfť To æft̄ Ca])}.
8b teodde] {([teod{:}de O teode T1 teode| B1 teode·| To][teode Ca])}{([eode N])}.
9a firum] {([fırum O fın{r}um T1 fırum To][fırū Ca][fyrum B1])([fınū N])}.
9a folda⁁\n/] {([folda⁁\n/ O foldan T1 foldan B1 foldan· To foldan N foldan Ca])}.
9b frea] {([frea| O frea T1 frea B1 frea To frea N m{fr}ea Ca])}.
9b ælmihtig] {([ælmıhtıg· O ælmıhtıg· T1 ælmıhtıg| B1 ælmıhtıg·| To ælmıhtıg· N ælmıhtıg· Ca])}.
[1]The scribe of O has altered his text considerably by correction (see above, Chapter 4: Manuscripts (O) and Chapter 7: Editorial introduction, West-Saxon eorðan recension). This edition records information about additions and deletions in O in semi-diplomatic form.
[2]sƿa] Howlett suggests that sƿa may be intended as an adverb (“thus”) rather than a causal conjunction (“as, because”). For a discussion of the evidence, see above, § C.9. The punctuation here assumes sƿa is a conjunction.
[3]ða] ða can be construed as either a causal conjunction (“when”) or an adverb (“then”). While the reading has considerable effect on our understanding of the poem’s structure and theology (see above, § C.9, and esp. Blockley 1998, 20-26), neither reading can be ruled out conclusively. The punctuation in this edition follows that of most modern editions in treating ða as an adverb.