Nu ⁁\ƿe/ sculan herian heofonrices ƿeard,
metodes mihte, ond his modgeþonc,
ƿero{a} ƿuldorfæder— sƿa[2] he ƿundra gehƿæs,
ece dryhten, oor⁁\d/ onstealde!
5
He ærest gesceop eorðan bearnun{m}um
heofon to hrofe, halig scyppend;
1a Nu ⁁\ƿe/] Nu T1 Ne N. 1a sculan herian] sculon herigean T1 sceolon herian To sceolan herigean Ca sculon hergean N herigan sculon B1. 2a metodes] meotodes T1. 2a mihte] meahte T1. 2b ond] ⁊ O T1 B1 To Ca. 2b modgeþonc] modgeþanc T1 B1 To Ca. 3a ƿero{a}] ƿeorc T1 B1 To ƿeoroda N. 3a ƿuldorfæder] ƿulderfæder To ƿuldorgodes B1. 3b ƿundra] ƿuldres Ca. 3b gehƿæs] geƿhƿæs N fela B1. 4a dryhten] drihten T1 B1 To N Ca. 4b oor⁁\d/] ord B1 Ca or T1 N ær To. 4b onstealde] astealde B1 To. 5a ærest] ærost To æres Ca. 5a gesceop] gescop Ca sceop T1 B1 To scop N. 5b eorðan] eorþū N. 5b bearnun{m}um] bearnū T1 To N Ca. 6a hrofe] rofe Ca. 6b scyppend] scypend N drihten To. 7a ða] þa T1 To N Ca þe B1. 7a middongeard] middangeard T1 B1 N Ca middaneard To. 7b moncynnes] manncynnes B1 mancynnes To. 8a dryhten] drihten T1 B1 To N driht̄ Ca. 8b æfter] æfť To Ca. 8b teodde] teode Ca eode N. 9a firum] firū Ca fyrum B1 finū N.
[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.