The Complete Old English Poems

  Thanking him once again for his gifts,

  And for leading them home to a thriving land.

  Abraham and Lot lived in bliss and bounty.

  They shared their happiness in that new homeland

  Until the plains and pastures could not sustain them, 1905

  With crops crowding and people expanding,

  And they had to seek more spacious lands.

  Then the leaders often had to endure

  Conflicts and quarrels, feuds among herdsmen,

  Constant wrangling and severe strife. 1910

  So mindful of commitments and family honor,

  Abraham spoke plainly and fairly to Lot:

  “I am your father’s beloved brother;

  You are my brother’s beloved son.

  Kin should not quarrel or a family, feud. 1915

  God will not suffer such wounding strife.

  We are bound together forever by blood—

  Nothing should link us but enduring love.

  Now my noble nephew, consider this:

  Our borders are pressed by proud nations, 1920

  Canaanites and Pherizites, who crowd us together

  And cramp our space, provoking conflict.

  Their bold warriors and guarded lands

  Leave less and less room for us to expand.

  Let’s settle our differences and set out again 1925

  To seek new territories, traveling with God

  Guiding us on the road, leading us to new realms.

  I give you good counsel, son of Haran,

  A truth-speech to travel by. Think about it.

  Ask your heart which road to follow 1930

  With your family and herds. The choice is yours.”

  Then Lot left to seek the land near the Jordan

  With its green pastures and bright streams,

  Rich fields, harvest grains, ripe fruits,

  Succulent and sustaining as an earthly paradise, 1935

  Before our saving God, because of man’s sins,

  Gave Sodom and Gomorrah to the dark flames.

  So Lot, son of Haran, settled in Sodom,

  Bringing from Bethel his precious possessions,

  Household goods and rings of twisted gold, 1940

  Living many years with his family by the Jordan.

  The land was good, and the crops were bountiful,

  But the people of Sodom were ripe with sin,

  Perverse in their pleasures, depraved in their deeds.

  They had grown hateful to their own Creator 1945

  And brought about their own grim undoing.

  Lot would never adopt the shocking and shameful

  Customs of that country—he abhorred evil

  And shunned sin. He lived a stranger

  In that loathsome land, pure of mind, 1950

  Patient of spirit, following God’s counsel

  With his whole heart, as if unaware

  Of the degraded delights of that wicked nation.

  Abraham stayed in the country of Canaan,

  Where the mighty Maker protected him. 1955

  The Guardian of angels, Lord of mankind,

  Gave him full favor, worldly wealth,

  His heart’s happiness, love and joy.

  So generations later, we tell this story,

  As children baptized in the bright waters 1960

  Of our steadfast faith, honoring his name.

  Wise and holy, he served God gladly

  While he lived on earth and under heaven.

  Never shall a man be defenseless today,

  Or lack the Lord’s powerful protection, 1965

  Or have any reason to fear his wrath,

  If only he will steadfastly serve his Creator

  In words and deeds, promise and purpose,

  Spirit and speech, until death calls.

  A man must be mindful of his Lord’s counsel— 1970

  His heart must heed his holy commands.

  Then I heard that King Chedorlaomer,

  Lord of the Elamites, a bold leader

  And brave captain, gathered a great army

  And went to war. Amraphel of Shinar 1975

  Supported his stance with a mighty host.

  Four peoples’ kings with their battle-companies

  Marched south against Sodom and Gomorrah.

  The homeland of the men of Jordan was overrun

  With unwavering warriors, ferocious foes. 1980

  Many pale maidens and beautiful brides

  Had to go trembling into alien arms,

  And evil embraces, for the brides’ defenders

  Had fallen in the fields, sick with war-wounds.

  Then in righteous wrath and battle-rage 1985

  Came five southern kings who fervently wished

  To guard Sodom against its grim invaders.

  For twelve hard years the southern peoples

  Had paid tribute to their northern enemies

  Till they could no longer stomach their shame— 1990

  The price of peace was too high. They revolted

  Against the Elamites, refusing to fill

  Their fattened hoard any longer with gold.

  Both hosts advanced with their savage hordes,

  Eager for battle, bent on slaughter. 1995

  Swords clashed, corselets sang, spears bit,

  Bodies fell. Death-arrows filled the air.

  The dark raven floated above the destruction,

  Searching for carrion, screeching for blood,

  A feast of flesh. Helmets crashed, 2000

  Heads were bashed, both north and south—

  There was no discrimination in death’s dominion.

  Battle-snakes hissed their venomous songs,

  War-lances howled for the unbound heart,

  Ring-adorned blades cut through the shouts 2005

  To sever the spirit from a man’s bone-house.

  It was easy to separate precious war-booty

  From wounded flesh for any living warrior

  Who was not yet sated with sword-slash

  Or any scavenger seeking to strip the dead. 2010

  The northern men finally defeated their foes,

  Trapped them in terror and tore them apart—

  They were too fierce for the soldiers of Sodom.

  The southern gold-givers lost their lives

  And the precious treasure of their unprotected wives. 2015

  Some managed to flee—most were slain.

  Beloved battle-friends went down to death.

  The sons of princes followed in their wake.

  The leader of the Elamites held the battle-victory;

  He ruled the field. His warriors seized the gold 2020

  And sacked the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah,

  Robbing households of wealth and wives.

  Women were ripped from their sheltering homes—

  Wives, widows, maidens. They led the losers,

  Abraham’s people, his kith and kin, 2025

  From the city of Sodom, a pack of prisoners.

  But all was not lost! Let’s not forget

  The rest of the story, reveal the fierce fate

  Of the war-wolves who led Lot away,

  Bragging of battle-prowess and cold courage, 2030

  Boasting of victory as they boldly hauled off

  Both wives and wealth, the spoils of war.

  A survivor who fled the sword-slashing at Sodom

  Sought out Abraham, the Hebrew leader,

  And related to him Lot’s fate, Sodom’s defeat, 2035

  Their loss of power and precious possessions.

  Abraham grieved that his close kin,

  His brother’s son, should suffer slavery.

  He mourned Lot’s fate and mentioned it

  To his comrades, Aner, Mamre, and Eshcol, 2040

  Asking for their aid in his time of need.

  He wanted these warriors
to devise a plan

  To free his beloved nephew with his bride,

  Both bound in thrall to cruel conquerors.

  The three brothers, known for their battle-skill, 2045

  Promised Abraham in solemn counsel

  To slay his enemies in righteous wrath

  Or fall dying on the field of slaughter.

  They healed Abraham’s heart with their hard words.

  Then the holy man ordered his hearth-retainers 2050

  To take up their weapons. Three hundred eighteen

  Bold spear-wielders, loyal to their lord,

  Lifted their linden shields and left for battle.

  Abraham and the three unwavering warriors,

  Faithful to their lord, led the way to rescue Lot 2055

  From his slavery and suffering, comrades carrying

  Both faith and fury, righteousness and wrath.

  When these battle-wolves were near the war-camp,

  Abraham, heir of Terah, sagest of spear-bearers,

  Counseled his captains on the coming battle, 2060

  Suggesting that they set up a siege in two flanks,

  Engage the enemy from divided directions,

  Thrusting in a powerful pincer movement,

  A double assault of swords and spears,

  A savage battle-thrust with grim sword-play. 2065

  He had carefully devised a cunning plan.

  Abraham predicted success in the spear-rush,

  A bold battle-victory through God’s great power.

  The soldiers advanced under the night-shadow—

  As we have heard in the scriptured story— 2070

  Spears striking, shields clashing, corselets ringing.

  The air was alive with the ache of arrows,

  The suffering of swords. The boldest blade-wielders,

  The bravest bowmen, followed their weapons

  On the savage field to the slaughter-bed. 2075

  Enemy soldiers drank death where before in battle

  They had pillaged bodies like savage scavengers,

  Riding their rage, roaring with laughter.

  Abraham and his comrades quashed that army

  Of northern wolves. He offered no ransom 2080

  Of worldly goods or wrought gold

  For his noble nephew, except of course

  A treasure of blood, a gift of blades.

  The Lord and Creator was Abraham’s ally—

  He smote the unholy host of heathens. 2085

  The four enemy armies flew in terror,

  Fleeing sword-slash, spear-thrust, arrow-bite—

  The anger of Abraham, the ire of God.

  They were pursued by an unrelenting power,

  A host of Abraham’s hearth-retainers, 2090

  The fiercely faithful servants of the Lord.

  Death claimed many enemy lives,

  A clutch of corpses, a carrion feast.

  On the slaughter-field lay those loathsome fiends

  Who had looted Sodom and Gomorrah and slain 2095

  The warriors of Lot, stealing their wives,

  Their worldly wealth, their pride and power.

  Now they found grief in place of gold,

  Death in place of the battle-delight

  Of bearing off women. Lot’s uncle offered 2100

  No trade or treasure, no residue of life’s

  Earlier pleasures or earthly joys.

  Their gifts were grim, their lives lost.

  The lords and leaders of the army of Elam

  Who fled from death headed for Damascus. 2105

  Abraham gave them a grim good-bye.

  Lot was freed, the treasures retaken,

  The women returned to their rightful homes

  In the fond embrace of their own families.

  Back on the battlefield, savage birds 2110

  Swooped down on the bloodied bodies,

  Screeching delight in their carrion joy,

  Tearing at eyes, arms, sinews, tendons,

  Calling their comrades to the battle-feast.

  Abraham carried back the southern treasures, 2115

  The brides and maidens. No man on middle-earth

  Has ever achieved such great success

  With such a small army against all odds.

  The battle-news promptly spread south

  To the nation of Sodom, proclaiming the rout 2120

  Of those fierce foes. The lord of that nation,

  Deprived of his forces, bereft of friends,

  Came looking for Abraham. He brought along

  The famous Melchizedek, treasure-keeper,

  High priest of the people, a powerful bishop, 2125

  Bearing bright gifts and God’s blessing

  To mighty Abraham, the victory-lord, saying:

  “Abraham, you are honored among heroes

  In the eyes of God, who gave you the glorious

  Gift of ash-spears and gleaming swords 2130

  To slash through your savage enemies,

  Carve a bloody swath through your fierce foes,

  A road of wrath, a hard path of pain.

  That company was waiting in a cruel camp

  To descend upon you, dealing out death 2135

  In grim combat, but God himself

  And your great army expelled that evil,

  Banned that bane, put the faithless to flight.

  Through his might you managed a great victory,

  As God was your shield over superior numbers. 2140

  You conquered an army through your covenant

  With the Lord of heaven, Guardian of men.”

  Then Melchisedech gladly granted Abraham

  A gift of blessing by his own hand,

  And Abraham gave God’s faithful bishop 2145

  One-tenth of the booty the army collected.

  Then the great war-king of Sodom spoke,

  Deprived of his people, desperate for favor:

  “Abraham, now that you have vanquished your foe,

  Return to me the handmaidens you have rescued 2150

  From bale and bondage, terror and torment.

  Keep all the treasures of twisted gold,

  The worldly wealth, the precious herds.

  Let me lead home the women and children,

  Wives and widows, who have suffered enough. 2155

  Let’s give the wretched the gift of freedom,

  Those heirs who have escaped death’s dark net,

  Surviving now on the borderlands of woe.”

  Then Abraham, honored in virtue and valor,

  Exalted in victory, answered the bishop, 2160

  Speaking plainly before the assembled people:

  “Noble ruler, prince of men, I promise

  Before the holy Lord of heaven and earth,

  To take no bright treasure, no worldly wealth,

  No gold coins or engraved artifacts, 2165

  No sword or silver I have rescued in combat

  From enemy archers, brazen bowmen—

  Lest you and your people should later say

  That I have grown rich on the spoils of Sodom.

  You can carry home all the battle-booty I’ve won 2170

  Except the shares of these noble leaders,

  Aner and Mamre, and also Eshcol.

  I cannot renege on my promise to them—

  They deserve their reward for hard combat

  And sustaining great injury on the battlefield. 2175

  They fought fiercely for your care and comfort.

  Go home with your treasure of gifts and gold,

  Wives and maidens, your worldly wealth.

  You are finally done with your dread of the northmen,

  Who now lie lost on the fiercest of fields, 2180

  A sumptuous feast for carrion crows,

  The ravenous eagle with a blood-smeared beak,

  The voracious birds who feed on flesh.”

  Then the keeper
went home with the battle-gifts

  That gracious Abraham, mindful of favors, 2185

  Had freely given him. Then the High-king of heaven

  Appeared again to the Hebrew leader,

  Bringing comfort to his heart, solace to his soul,

  With his holy words, saying to the prince:

  “Your rewards are now great. Keep courage, 2190

  Revere wisdom, and respect my will.

  The steadfast spirit should never slacken,

  The strong faith falter. Heed my counsel

  And have no fear of any fierce enemies.

  With my own hands I will shield and sustain you 2195

  Through all the days of your enduring life.”

  Afterwards, Abraham, wise in years,

  A worthy man, answered his Lord:

  “Almighty God, Guardian of souls,

  What can you give me, a man without heirs, 2200

  A father without sons, a prince without progeny?

  I need no wealth, no treasure to take home,

  No hoard to hold or pass on as inheritance.

  My blood relatives will divide my wealth.

  My heart is a cold cache of sorrow— 2205

  For this agony I know no comfort or counsel.

  My steward rejoices in the rewards to come

  When he and his heirs will inherit my wealth

  In trust for the tribe. My wife’s womb

  Has always been empty. At night I dream 2210

  Of a succession of sons. At daybreak I wake

  To the slow ache of a fatherless dawn.”

  Then almighty God answered Abraham:

  “Your steward shall never inherit your goods,

  Your family wealth. Your own proud son 2215

  Will inherit and thrive when your flesh fails

  And lies in the ground. Behold the sky,

  The heavenly canopy that holds a treasure

  Of countless star-stones, ethereal gems

  That scatter their light over fields and plains, 2220

  The curve of the earth, the spread of the sea.

  How many stars inhabit the heavens?

  As many as the multitude you and Sarah shall bear,

  Your children’s children, your dear descendants,

  A great tribe passing down through time. 2225

  I promise you progeny. Lift up your spirits,

  Chafe no more in your childless sorrow.

  I will send you a son in Sarah’s womb

  Who will grow into greatness, gathering grace,

  To be a wielder of wealth, warden of the tribe, 2230

  When you are long gone. Do not lament

  What is not lost. Remember our history,

  This sacred story. I am the Lord your God,

  The guardian and guide who many years ago

  Led you out of the Chaldean land 2235

  With a small band of faithful followers,

  Your dear and devoted kith and kin,