"The Dream of the Rood"

The Ruthwell Cross, Northumbrian Anglo-Saxon, ca. 750 AD. The sides of this cross are inscribed in runic characters with "The Dream of the Rood," an Anglo-Saxon Christian classic.

An Advent reflection from "The Dream of the Rood":

95 "Now I command you, my beloved warrior,
Nu ic þe hate, hæleð min se leofa,
that you tell this sight to men [and]
þæt ðu þas gesyhðe secge mannum,
disclose these words--that it is the cross of glory
onwreoh wordum þæt hit is wuldres beam,
on which the almighty God suffered
se ðe ælmihtig god on þrowode
for the many sins of mankind
for mancynnes manegum synnum
100 and Adam's former action
ond Adomes ealdgewyrhtum.
He there tasted death; but again the Lord arose
Deað he þær byrigde, hwæðere eft dryhten aras
with his great might as a help to man.
mid his miclan mihte mannum to helpe.
He then stepped into the heavens. Hither again the Lord himself
He ða on heofenas astag. Hider eft fundaþ
will direct his course to this middle-earth
on þysne middangeard mancynn secan
105 to seek out mankind on the judgment day,
on domdæge dryhten sylfa,
the almighty God and his angels with [him],
ælmihtig god, ond his englas mid,
in order that he then will judge, he who has the power of judgment,
þæt he þonne wile deman, se ah domes geweald,
each one as he shall have earned for himself
anra gehwylcum swa he him ærur her
in this brief life.
on þyssum lænum life geearnaþ.
110 Nor may there be any unafraid
Ne mæg þær ænig unforht wesan
of the word which the Ruler will say:
for þam worde þe se wealdend cwyð.
he will ask before the multitude where might the man be,
Frineð he for þære mænige hwær se man sie,
the one who for the sake of the Lord's name would
se ðe for dryhtnes naman deaðes wolde
partake of bitter death, as he earlier did on the wooden beam.
biteres onbyrigan, swa he ær on ðam beame dyde.
115 But they will then be afraid, and the destitute ones will consider
Ac hie þonne forhtiað, ond fea þencaþ
what they might begin to say to Christ.
hwæt hie to Criste cweðan onginnen.
Nor need any to be terrified there then
Ne þearf ðær þonne ænig anforht wesan
who earlier for himself bears the best of signs in his breast.
þe him ær in breostum bereð beacna selest,
But through the cross every soul who desires to dwell with the Lord
ac ðurh ða rode sceal rice gesecan
120 shall come to the kingdom
of eorðwege æghwylc sawl,
from the earthly way."
seo þe mid wealdende wunian þenceð."