Kevin Wald: Babylon Fif


Thriddan Ealdres     Eorthbuendra
thonne waes seo Daegung     aefter thrage Guthe
Minbari maegthe     ond Middangeardes
teothan geare.     Se Begang Babylon
waes slaepswefn     sweotol macod,
his wen: forwiernan     wigniwunge,
to stathelianne stede     hwaer in stilnesse cuthen
eorthmenniscas     ond eltheodge
hira faehtha geseman.     Hit is forhaefen,
unhamlic ham     halsiendum rica,
uncystceorlum,    ciepemonnum,
ond eardstapum.     Ge eltheodge
ge foldmenn befongne      on fif ond twentig
hundthusend tonna     hwaerfiendes wecges,
eall anan on neahte.     Hit can beon nithhedgu stowe,
ac us is eac     se ytmaeste wen
sibbe, ond seleste.     This is thaere sithemestan byrig
Babylone talu.     Twa ond twentig hund
eahta ond fiftigotha     thaes Frean is se gear.
Thaes byhtes nama     is Babylon Fif.

Lagu ofer lyfte,     seo latste mearc.
Thes sind tha staepstaeru     steorrascipes
Enterprise.     His aerende fif geara*:
Wendan ofer worlda,     wundorlica ond niwa;
Uncuthu cwicnesse     ond cynnu secan;
Faestlice faran     hwaer beforan man ne eode.

*fif geara] MS B has _standend_