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 T1 Nuƿe B1 Nu ƿe To Ne N Nu⁁\ƿe/ O Nu ƿe| Ca.
1a sculan herian] sculon herıgean T1 herıgan sculon| B1 sceolon herıan To sculon her gean N sculan herıan O sceolan herıgean Ca.
1b heofonrices] heofon|rıces T1 heofonrıces B1 heofonrıces To heofon rıces N heofon|rıces O heofon rıces Ca.
1b ƿeard] ƿeard T1 ƿeard B1 ƿeard· To ƿe:|ard N ƿeard O ƿeard Ca.
2a metodes] meotodes T1 metodes B1 metodes To metodes N metodes O metodes Ca.
2a mihte] meahte T1 mıhte| B1 mıhte To mıhte· N mıhte O mıhte Ca.
2b ond] ⁊ T1 ⁊ B1 ⁊ To Ond N ⁊ O ⁊ Ca.
2b his] hıs T1 hıs B1 hıs To hıs N hıs O hıs Ca.
2b modgeþonc] 〈mod〉geþanc T1 mod ge þanc B1 mod|geþanc· To mod geþonc N mod 〈g〉e þonc| O mod ge þanc· Ca.
3a ƿero{a}] ƿeorc| T1 ƿeorc B1 ƿeorc To ƿeoroda N ƿero{a} O ƿera| Ca.
3a ƿuldorfæder] ƿuldor fæder T1 ƿuldor godes| B1 ƿulder fæder To ƿul:|dor fæder N ƿuldor fæder O ƿuldor fæder· Ca.
3b sƿa] sƿa T1 sƿa B1 sƿa To sƿa N sƿa O sƿa Ca.
3b he] he T1 he B1 he To he N he O he Ca.
3b ƿundra] ƿundra T1 ƿund ra B1 ƿundra To ƿundra N ƿundra O ƿuldres Ca.
3b gehƿæs] gehƿæs T1 fela B1 gehƿæs〈·〉 To ge〈h〉{ƿ}hƿæs N ge hƿæs| O ge hƿæs Ca.
4a ece] ee{c}e T1 éce B1 ece To ece N ece O ece Ca.
4a dryhten] 〈ad〉rih〈t〉en T1 drıhten B1 drıhten To drıhten N dryhten O drıhten· Ca.
4b oór⁁\d/] or T1 ord| B1 ær| To or| N oór⁁\d/ O ord Ca.
4b onstealde] on|stealde· T1 astealde B1 astealde· To onstealde N onstealde O onstealde Ca.
5a He] he T1 he B1 He To he N he O he Ca.
5a ærest] ærest T1 ærest B1 ærost To ærest N ærest O æres Ca.
5a gesceop] sceop T1 sceop B1 sceop〈·〉 To scop N gesceop| O ge|scóp Ca.
5b eorðan] eorðan T1 eorðan B1 eorðan To eorþū N eorðan O ⁁|e|orðan Ca.
5b bearnun{m}um] bearnū T1 bear|num B1 bearnū To bearnū N bearnun{m}um{::} O bearnū Ca.
6a heofon] heofon T1 heofon B1 heofon To heofon N heofon O heofon Ca.
6a to] to T1 to B1 to To to N to O to Ca.
6a hrofe] hrofe| T1 hrofe B1 hrofe· To hrofe| N hrofe O rofe Ca.
6b halig] halıg T1 halıg B1 halıg| To halıg N halıg| O halıg Ca.
6b scyppend] scyppend· T1 scyp|pend B1 drıhten· To sc⁁\y/pend· N scyppend O scyppend· Ca.
7a ða] þa T1 þe B1 þa To þa N ða O þa Ca.
7a middongeard] mıddangeard T1 mıddan geard B1 mıddan eard To mıddan geard N mıddon geard O mıddan geard Ca.
7b moncynnes] moncynnes T1 mann cynnes| B1 mancynnes To moncynnes N moncynnes O mon‑|cynnes Ca.
7b ƿeard] ƿeard T1 ƿeard B1 ƿeard To ƿeard N ƿeard| O ƿeard Ca.
8a ece] ece| T1 éce B1 ece To ece| N ece O ece Ca.
8a dryhten] drıhten T1 drıhten B1 drıhten To drıhten N dryhten O drıht̄ Ca.
8b æfter] æfter T1 æfter B1 æfť To æfter N æfter O æft̄ Ca.
8b teodde] teode T1 teode| B1 teode·| To eode N teod{:}de O teode Ca.
9a firum] fın{r}um T1 fyrum B1 fırum To fınū N fırum O fırū Ca.
9a folda⁁\n/] foldan T1 foldan B1 foldan· To foldan N folda⁁\n/ O foldan Ca.
9b frea] frea T1 frea B1 frea To frea N frea| O m{fr}ea Ca.
9b ælmihtig] ælmıhtıg· T1 ælmıhtıg| B1 ælmıhtıg·| To ælmıhtıg· N ælmıhtıg· O 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.