Before the dread journey which needs must be taken No man is more mindful than meet is and right To ponder, ere hence he departs, what his spirit Sha… - Bede

Nū þ sculan herian • heofonrices þeard,
metudes myhte • his modᵹeþanc,
þurc þuldorfæder, • sþa he þundra ᵹehþilc,
ece drihten • ord astealde;
he ærest ᵹesceop • ylda bearnum
heofon to hrofe, • haliᵹ scyppend,
middanᵹearde • mancynnes þard;
ece drihtin, • æfter tida
firum on foldum, • frea ællmyhtiᵹ.

Nū scylun herᵹan • hefaenrīcaes Uard,
metudæs maecti • end his mōdᵹidanc,
uerc Uuldurfadur, • suē hē uundra ᵹihwaes,
ēci dryctin • ōr āstelidæ
hē ǣrist scōp • aelda barnum
heben til hrōfe, • hāleᵹ scepen.
Thā middunᵹeard • moncynnæs Uard,
eci Dryctin, • æfter tīadæ
firum foldu, • Frēa allmectiᵹ.

The present life of man upon earth, O king, seems to me, in comparison with that time which is unknown to us, like to the swift flight of a sparrow through the house wherein you sit at supper in winter, with your ealdormen and thegns, while the fire blazes in the midst, and the hall is warmed, but the wintry storms of rain or snow are raging abroad. The sparrow, flying in at one door and immediately out at another, whilst he is within, is safe from the wintry tempest ; but after a short space of fair weather, he immediately vanishes out of your sight, passing from winter into winter again. So this life of man appears for a little while, but of what is to follower what went before we know nothing at all. If, therefore, this new doctrine tells us something more certain, it seems justly to deserve to be followed.