CÆDMON'S HYMN

Nu sculon herigan                           heofronrices Weard
Now we must praise                       heaven-kingdom's Guardian,

Meotodes meahte                           and his modgeþanc
the Measurer's might                       and his mind-plans,

weorc Wuldor-Fæder                    swa he wundra gehwæs
the work of the Glory-Father,         when he wonders of every one,

ece Drithen                                     or onstealde
eternal Lord,                                   the beginning established.

He ærest                                         ielda bearnum
He first created                               for men's sons

heofon to hrofe                               halig Scyppend
heaven as a roof,                            holy Creator;

ða middangeard                             moncynnes Weard
then middle-earth                           mankind's Guardian,

ece Drithen                                    æfter teode
eternal Lord,                                  afterwards made-

firum foldan                                    Frea ælmihtig
for men earth,                                Master almighty



In the seventh century, Cædmon was a farmhand on a monastery. He was illiterate, but he was given visions, and through those visions, he created the first poems in the English language. In this single poem, Cædmon uses eight different names for God, including, Weard, meaning guardian.

The poem is very Germanic in the design. In having two half lines and stressed syllables in each, and two more unstressed that are linked by alliteration. The symbol æ stands for the modern day vowel sound in "cat"; while the symbols þ and ð stand for the modern th sound.

This poem was spoken and written in a very natural and less than religious time period. It was even a time where Pagan rituals and followers were more than any others.

http://www.archive.org/details/caedmon_librivox