The first nine lines of this hymn are recorded in Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People.
Bede tells how Cædmon, an unlettered cattle-herd, was suddenly given the ability to compose poetry after being visited by an angel.
Caedmon's Hymn: |
Caedmon's Hymn: |
| Nu scylun hergan hefaenricaes uard,
metudæs maecti end his modgidanc, uerc uuldurfadur, sue he uundra gihuaes, eci dryctin, or astelidæ. He aerist scop aelda barnum heben til hrofe, haleg scepen; tha middungeard moncynnæs uard, eci dryctin, æfter tiadæ firum foldu, frea allmectig. |
Nu sculon herigean heofonrices weard,
meotodes meahte and his modgeþanc, weorc wuldorfæder, swa he wundra gehwæs, ece drihten, or onstealde. He ærest sceop eorðan bearnum heofon to hrofe, halig scyppend; þa middangeard moncynnes weard, ece drihten, æfter teode firum foldan, frea ælmihtig. |
Glossary to West Saxon version
-nu adv, conj: now, now that; just now
-sculan vb: must, have to,1st,pl,pres,indic
-herigean str vb: praise infinitive
-heofonrice noun: heaven’s kingdom g. sing
-Weard noun: guardian acc sing
-Meotodes noun: creator gen sing
-meahte acc sing might, power
-ond conj: and
-his gen sing masc/neut: his
-modgeþanc m noun: mood-thought, purpose acc sing
-weorc n noun: work, task, deed acc sing
-Wuldorfæder noun: Father of Glory (God); gen sing
-swa adv: thus, so; conjunctive adv: as, when
-he 3rd pers pron: he nom sing masc
-wundra noun gen pl: miracle, wonder;
-gehwæs gen sing pron: each, everyone
- ece adj: eternal, everlasting nom sing masc
- Drihten noun: the Lord nom sing
- or n noun: beginning acc sing
- onstealde 3rd pers sing pret : institute, establish,
set an example for
- ærest superl adv: first
- sceop 3rd pers sing pret : create;
- eorþan noun: earth gen sing
- bearnum dat pl n noun: child
- heofon noun: heaven acc sing
- to prep: to, into, for, as a
- hrofe dat sing m noun: roof;
- halig adj: holy acc sing
- Scyppend nom sing: God, the Creator
- þa adv: then;
- middangeard m noun: world, middle earth; nom/acc sing
- monncynnes gen sing n noun: mankind
- æfter prep: after, according to
-teode 3rd pers sing pret: adorn
-firum dat pl m noun: people, human beings
-foldan acc sing f noun: earth, ground
-Frea noun: The Lord, Master; nom sing
-ælmihtig adj: almighty nom sing masc
manuscript page/Russian National Library,St-Petersburg / |
moderm English translation: |
 |
Now we must praise the kingdom of heaven's guardian The might of the Creator and his purpose, The work of the Father of Glory as he of each miracle, Eternal Lord, established the beginning. He first created for the sons of the earth Heaven as a roof, holy Creator. The middle earth, mankind's guardian, Eternal Lord, afterwards adorned The earth with people, the Lord Almighty. |
