from the Old English translation of Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum, book IV chapter xxiv

In ðeosse abbudissan mynstre wæs sum broðor

In this abbess's monastery was a certain brother
syndriglice mid godcundre gife gemæred ond
particularly glorified and honoured with a divine gift, in
geweorðad, forþon he gewunade gerisenlice leoð
that he fittingly was accustomed to make songs, which
wyrcan, þa ðe to æfestnisse ond to
pertained to religion and virtue, so that whatever thus
arfæstnisse belumpon , swa ðætte swa hwæt swa he of
he he learned of divine letters from scholars, those
godcundum stafum þurh boceras geleornode, þæt he
things he after a moderate space of time he brought
æfter medmiclum fæce in scopgereorde mid þa mæstan
forth, in poetic language adorned with the greatest
swetnisse ond inbryrdnisse geglængde ond in
sweetness and inspiration and well-made in the English
Engliscgereorde wel geworht forþ brohte. Ond for his
language. And by his poem-songs the spirits of many
leoþsongum monigra mona mod oft to worulde
men were kindled to distain of the world and to service
forhogdnisse ond to geþeodnisse þæs heofonlice lifes
of a heavenly life. And likewise, many others after him
onbærnde wæron. Ond eac swelce monige oðre æfter
among the English people endeavoured to compose
him in Ongelþeode ongunnon æfeste leoð wyrcan, ac
pious songs, but none however in like manner to him
nænig hwæðre him þæt gelice don nemeahte forþon he
could do so because he had learned not at all from men
nalæs from monnum ne þurh mon gelæred wæs þæt he
nor through man that he songcraft learned, but he was
þone leoðcræft leornade, ac he wæs
divinely aided and through God's gift received the art of
godcundlice gefultumod ond þurh Godes gife þone
poetry. And he therefore he never could make any sort
songcræft onfeng. Ond he forþon næfre noht leasunge
of lying or idle songs, but just those alone which
ne idles leoþes wyrcan ne meahte, ac efne þa an þa ðe
pertained to piety, and those which were fitting for his
to æfæstnisse belumpon, ond his þa æfæstan tungan
pious tongue to sing. The man was established in
gedeofanade singan. Wæs he se mon in weoruldhade
worldly life until the time when he was of advanced age,
geseted oð þa tide þe he wæs gelyfdre ylde, ond næfre
and he had never learned any songs. And consequently,
nænig leoð geleornade. Ond he forþon oft in
often at a drinking gathering, when there was deemed
gebeorscipe, þonne þær wæs blisse intinga gedemed,
to be occasion of joy, that they all must in turn sing with
þæt heo eallesceoldon þurh endebyrdnesse be hearpan
a harp, when he saw the harp nearing him, he then
singan, þonne he geseah þa hearpan him nealecan
arose for shame from that feast and went home to his
þonne aras he for scome from þæm symble ond ham
house. Then he did this on a certain occasion, that he
eode to his huse. Þa he ða þæt ða sumre tide dyde, þæt
left the banquet-hall and he was going out to the animal
he forlet þæt hus þæs gebeorscipe ond ut wæs
stables, which herd had been assigned to him that night.
gongende to neata scipene, þara heord him wæs þære
When he there at a suitable time set his limbs at rest
neahte beboden. Þa he ða þær in gelimplice tide his
and fell asleep, then some man stood by him in his
leomu on reste gesette ond onslepte, þa stod him sum
dream and hailed and greeted him and addressed him
mon æt þurh swefn ond hine halette ond grette ond
by his name: 'Caedmon, sing me something.' Then he
hine be his noman nemnde: 'Cedmon, sing me
answered and said: 'I do not know how to sing and for
hwæthwugu.' Þa ondswarede he ond cwæð: 'Ne con ic
that reason I went out from this feast and went hither,
noht singan ond ic forþon of þeossum gebeorscipe
because I did not know how to sing at all.' Again he said,
uteode ond hider gewat, forþon ic naht singan ne cuðe.'
he who was speaking with him: 'Nevertheless, you must
Eft he cwæð, se ðe wið hine sprecende wæs:
sing.' Then he said: 'What must I sing?' Said he: 'Sing to
'Hwæðre þu meaht singan.' Þa cwæð he: 'Hwæt sceal ic
me of the first Creation.' When he received this answer,
singan?' Cwæð he: 'Sing me frumsceaft.' Þa he ða þas
then he began immediately to sing in praise of God the
andsware onfeng, þa ongon he sona singan in herenesse
Creator verses and words which he had never heard,
Godes Scyppends þa fers ond þa word þe he næfre
whose order is this:
gehyrde, þara endebyrdnisse þis is:
(West Saxon rendition of the Cædmon's Song, taken mainly from MS. T1)

Nu we sculon herigean heofonrices weard, Now we must praise the Protector of the heavenly kingdom,

meotodes meahte ond his modgeþanc, the might of the Measurer and His mind's purpose,

weorc wuldorfæder, swa he wundra gehwæs, the work of the Father of Glory, as He for each of the wonders,

ece drihten, or onstealde. the eternal Lord, established a beginning.

He ærest sceop eorðan bearnum 5 He shaped first for the sons of the Earth

heofon to hrofe, halig scyppend; heaven as a roof, the Holy Maker;

þa middangeard moncynnes weard, then the Middle-World, mankind's Guardian,

ece drihten, æfter teode the eternal Lord, made afterwards,

firum foldan, frea ælmihtig. solid ground for men, the almighty Lord.

Then he arose from that sleep, and all of those (songs)

which he sang while sleeping he had fast in his
Þa aras he from þæm slæpe, ond eal þa þe he slæpende
memory, and he soon added in the same manner to
song, fæste in gemynde hæfde, ond þæm wordum sona
those words many words of songs worthy of God. Then
monig word in þæt ilce gemet Gode wyrðes songes
in the morning he came to the town-reeve, who was
togeþeodde. Þa com he on morgenne to þæm
his alderman. He said to him which gift did he bring,
tungerefan, þe his ealdormon wæs. Sægde him hwylc
and he directly lead him to the abbess and made it
gife he onfeng, ond he hine sona to þære abbudissan
known and declared to her. Then she ordered all of the
gelædde ond hire þæt cyðde ond sægde. Þa heht heo
most learnèd men and scholars to assemble, and to
gesomnian ealle þa gelæredestan men ond þa leorneras,
those who were present commanded him to tell of
ond him ondweardum het secgan þæt swefn ond þæt
that dream and sing that song, so that it might be
leoð singan, þæt ealra heora dome gecoren wære, hwæt
determined by the judgement of all of them: what it
oððe hwonon þæt cumen wære. Þa wæs him eallum
was and whence it had come. Then it was seen by all
gesegen swa swa hit wæs, þæt him wære from Drihtne
even as it was, that to him from God himself a
sylfum heofonlic gifu forgifen. Þa rehton heo him ond
heavenly gift had been given. Then they spoke to him
sægdon sum halig spell ond godcundre lare word;
and told some holy story and divine words of
bubudon him þa, gif he meahte, þæt he in swinsunge
knowledge; they bade him then, if he could, that he
leoþsonges þæt gehwyrfde. Þa he ða hæfde þa wisan
turn it into poetical rhythm. Then, when he had
onfongne, þa eode he ham to his huse, ond cwom eft on
undertaken it in this manner, then he went home to
morgenne, ond þy betstan leoðe geglenged him asong
his house, and came again in the morning, and with the
ond ageaf þæt him beboden wæs.
best adorned song he sang and rendered what he was
bid (to recite).

Ða ongan seo abbudisse clyppan ond lufigean þa Godes gife Then the abbess began to embrace and love the gift of
in þæm men; ond heo hine þa monade ond lærde þæt he God in that man, and she exhorted and adviced him
woruldhad anforlete ond munuchad onfenge, ond he þæt that he should abandon the worldly life and accept
wel þafode. Ond heo hine in þæt mynster onfeng mid his monkhood, and he readily agreed to this. And she
godum ond hine geþeodde to gesomnunge þara Godes accepted him into the monastery, with his goods, and
þeowa; ond heht hine læran þæt getæl þæs halgan stæres united him into the community of God's servants, and
ond spelles. Ond he eal þa he in gehærnesse geleornian ordered that he be taught the (entire) series of holy
meahte mid hine gemyndgade, ond swa swa clæne neten stories and narratives. And he was able to learn all that
eodorcende in þæt sweteste leoð gehwerfde. Ond his song he heard, and, keeping it all in mind, just as a clean
ond his leoð wæron swa wynsumu to gehæranne þætte þa animal chewing cud, turned (it) into the sweetest song.
seolfan his lareowas æt his muðe wreoton ond leornodon. And his songs and his poems were so beautiful to hear,
Song he ærest be middangeardes gesceape ond bi fruman that his teachers themselves wrote and learned at his
moncynnes ond eal þæt stær genesis (þæt is seo æreste mouth. He sang first about the creation of the world
Moyses booc), ond eft bi utgonge Israhela folces of Ægypta and about the origin of mankind and all of the history
londe ond bi ingonge þæs gehatlandes, ond bi oðrum of Genesis--that is the first book of Moses--, and
monegum spellum þæs halgan gewrites canones boca, ond afterwards about the exodus of the Israeli people from
bi Cristes menniscnesse ond bi his þrowunge ond bi his the land of Egypt and their entry into the promised
upastignesse in heofonas, ond bi þæs Halgan Gastes cyme land; and about many other stories of the holy writ of
ond þara apostola lare, ond eft bi þæm dæge þæs the books of the canon; and about Christ's incarnation,
toweardan domes ond bi fyrhtu þæs tintreglican wiites, ond and about his suffering and about his ascension into the
bi swetnesse þæs heofonlecan rices he monig leoð heavens; and about the coming of the Holy Ghost, and
geworhte. Ond swelce eac oðer monig be þæm godcundan of the lore of the apostles; and after about the day of
fremsumnessum ond domum he geworhte. In eallum þæm impending judgement, and about the terror of the
he geornlice gemde þæt he men atuge from synna lufan torturing punishment, and about the sweetness of the
ond mandæda, ond to lufan ond to geornfulnesse awehte heavenly kingdom, he wrought many songs. And so also
godra dæda, for þon he wæs se mon swiþe æfest ond many others he made about divine mercy and
regollecum þeodscipum eaðmodlice underþeoded. Ond wið judgement. In all of them he eagerly sought to pull men
þæm þa ðe in oðre wisan don woldon he wæs mid welme away from love of sin and criminal deeds, and to love
micelre ellenwodnisse onbærned, ond he for ðon fægre and to zealously awake to (the doing) of good deeds.
ænde his lif betænde ond geendade. For he was a very devout man, and humbly subjected
himself to regular service. And against those who
For þon þa ðære tide nealæcte his gewitenesse ond wished to do otherwise, he burned with surging of
forðfore, þa wæs he feowertænum dagum ær þæt he wæs great ardour. And he for this reason with a beautiful
lichomlicre untrymnesse þrycced ond hefgad, hwæðre to end he closed and ended his life.
þon gemetlice þæt he ealle þa tid meahte ge sprecan ge
gongan. Wæs þær in neaweste untrumra monna hus, in For when the time of his departure and going-forth
þæm heora þeaw wæs þæt heo þa untruman ond þa ðe æt neared, he was for fourteen days before (his death),
forðfore wæron in lædan sceoldon ond him þær ætsomne that he was afflicted and encumbered by bodily
þegnian. Þa bæd he his þegn on æfenne þære neahte þe he weakness, yet so moderately that he all the time could
of worulde gongende wæs þæt he in þæm huse him stowe both speak and move about. There was in the
gegearwode, þæt he gerestan meahte. Þa wundrode se neighbourhood a house for sick men, in which it was
þegn for hwon he ðæs bæde, for þon him þuhte þæt his the custom to carry in those who were ill and those
forðfor swa neah ne wære; dyde hwæðre swa swa he who were near to death, and minister there to them
cwæð ond bibead. Ond mid þæ he ða þær on reste eode together. He bade that his servant--in the evening
ond he gefeonde mode sumu þing mid him sprecende when (the time) of his leaving the world was nearing--
ætgædere ond gleowiende wæs þe þær ær inne wæron, þa that he prepare for him a place in that house, that he
wæs ofer midde neaht þæt he frægn hwæðer heo ænig might rest (there). Then the servant wondered why he
husl inne hæfdon. Þa ondswarodon heo ond cwædon: bade thus, because he thought that his end was not so
"Hwylc þearf is ðe huslesæ Ne þinre forþfore swa neah is, near, but nevertheless did as he said and commanded.
nu þu þus rotlice ond þus glædlice to us sprecende eart." And when he went there to rest, and he in a happy
Cwæð he eft: "Berað me husl to." Þa he hit þa on honda mood was jesting and speaking about various things
hæfde, þa frægn he hwæþer heo ealle smolt mod ond, with those who were gathered together with him,
buton eallum incan, bliðe to him hæfdon. Þa ondswaredon those who were in (the sickhouse) before (him); when
hæ ealle ond cwædon þæt heo nænigne incan to him it was past midnight he asked, if they had
wiston, ac heo ealle him swiðe bliðemode wæron; ond heo any housel within. Then they answered and said: 'What
wrixendlice hine bædon þæt he him eallum bliðe wære. Þa need of the housel? Your passing is not so near, when
ondswarade he ond cwæð: "Mine broðor, mine þa leofan, now you are this cheerfully and this pleasantly speaking
ic eom swiðe bliðemod to eow ond to eallum Godes to us.' He said again: 'Bring to me the housel.' When he
monnum." Ond he swa wæs hine getrymmende mid þæ had it in his hand, he asked whether they had peaceful
heofonlecan wegneste ond him oðres lifes ingong minds and happily beared him no ill-will. Then they all
gegearwode. Þa gæt he frægn hu neah þære tide wære answered, and said that they knew no ill-will towards
þætte þa broðor arisan scolden ond Godes lof ræran ond him, but they all were very happily disposed towards
heora uhtsong singan. Þa ondswaredon heo: "Nis hit feor to him. And they in turn asked him if he was happy with all
þon." Cwæð he: "Teala: wuton we wel þære tide bidan." of them. Then he answered and said: 'My brothers, my
Ond þa him gebæd ond hine gesegnode mid Cristes beloved ones, I am very blithe of mind towards you and
rodetacne ond his heafod onhylde to þam bolstre ond all men of God'.' And he was thus strengthening himself
medmicel fæc onslepte, ond swa mid stilnesse his lif with heavenly provisions, and he prepared himself for
geendade. entry into the other(/next) life. Then yet he asked how
near the time was to when the brothers must arise, and
Ond swa wæs geworden þætte swa swa he hluttre mode offer up praise to God and sing their matins. They
ond bilwitre ond smyltre wilsumnesse Drihtne þeode, þæt answered, 'It is not long til then.' He said: 'Good, let us
he eac swylce swa smylte deaðe middangeard wæs fully wait that time.' He then prayed and blessed
forlætende ond to his gesihðe becwom. Ond seo tunge þe himself with the sign of Christ's Rood, and inclined his
swa monig halwende word in þæs Scyppendes lof gesette, head to the bolster, and in a small space of time, he fell
he ða swelce eac þa ætmæstan word in his herenisse, hine asleep -- and thus ended his life in stillness.
seolfne segniende ond his gast in his honda
bebeodende, betynde. Eac swelce þæt is gesegen þæt he And so it came to pass that as he served God with pure
wære gewis his seolfes forðfore of þæm þe we nu secgan spirit and with mild and serene devoutness, that he
hærdon. likewise left this middle-earth by a serene death, and
he arrived in His sight. And the tongue which had set so
many healing words in praise of the Maker, so likewise
(uttering) its last words to praise Him--as he crossed
himself and offered up his spirit into His hands--ceased.
Also likewise it is aid that he was certain of his own
passing, of which we have now heard said.