Is This 1300-Year-Old Hymn the Oldest English Hymn?

Here it is in the original Anglo-Saxon:

Nu scylun hergan   hefaenricaes uard

Metudæs maecti   end his modgidanc

Uerc uuldurfadur   swe he uundra gihwaes

Eci dryctin   or astelidæ

He aerist scop   aelda barnum

Heben til hrofe   haleg scepen.

Tha middungeard   moncynnæs uard

Eci dryctin   æfter tiadæ

Firum foldu   frea allmectig

And, here is the Venerable Bede's Latin translation:

Nunc laudare debemus auctorem regni caelestis, potentiam creatoris, et consilium illius facta Patris gloriae: quomodo ille, cum sit aeternus Deus, omnium miraculorum auctor exstitit; qui primo filiis hominum caelum pro culmine tecti dehinc terram custos humani generis omnipotens creavit.

From uCatholic

By George Ryan

As Catholics, we are blessed to be able to draw inspiration from the rich history of our faith. One such example is the beautiful and ancient hymn known as Cædmon’s Hymn.

According to the monk Bede, Cædmon was a humble cow-herder who was miraculously empowered by God to sing in honor of the Creator. This hymn, which is believed to have been composed between 658 and 680, is considered to be the oldest surviving English poem. It is also one of the oldest examples of Germanic alliterative verse and a significant landmark in the study of Old English literature.

The poem has a claim to being the oldest surviving English poem and is the earliest securely dateable example of Old English verse. It is also the Old English poem attested in the largest number of manuscripts – twenty-one – after Bede’s Death Song. These manuscripts show significant variation in the form of the text, making it an important case-study for the scribal transmission of Old English verse.

The importance of Cædmon’s Hymn extends beyond its historical value, as it serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of faith. It is a testament to the fact that anyone, regardless of their background or abilities, can be used by God to spread His message of love and hope.

One scholar has even argued that Bede perceived Cædmon’s Hymn as a continuation of Germanic praise poetry, which led him to include a Latin translation but not the original poem. This suggests that the hymn may have had a deeper significance for Bede and the early medieval English people who were in the process of converting to Christianity.

According to Bede, Cædmon was an illiterate cow-herder who was able to sing a Christian song of praise in Old English verse. He was attending a feast at the monastery of Whitby when he was asked to sing a song but left the hall because he was unable to contribute. He then fell asleep and had a dream in which a man appeared to him and asked him to sing a song. Cædmon was able to sing verses and words that he had not heard before. The abbess of the monastery, Hild, was impressed with his poetic gift and encouraged him to become a monk. Cædmon then learned about the history of the Christian church and created more poems based on biblical stories. He is said to have died peacefully in his sleep after receiving the Eucharist and making sure he was at peace with his fellow men.

Cædmon’s Hymn reads below:

“We now honor heaven’s king,
The mighty measurer and his wise plans,
The work of the glorious father,
Who established the origin of each wonder,
Eternal lord,
He first created heaven for us,
The holy shaper,
Then the middle earth,
For mankind, eternal lord,
The lands for men,
Almighty lord.”

As we contemplate the enduring legacy of this beautiful hymn, let us give thanks for the many blessings that have been passed down to us through the ages and ask for the grace to share those blessings with others. May Cædmon’s Hymn continue to inspire and uplift us as we strive to live out our Catholic faith.