The faithful covenant with thy Lord. Be thou
Prepared against the hour, for there can be
No tarrying on this errand. Thou shalt go
And bear thy life into the grasp of men
Full violent, where 'gainst thee shall be raised
The strife of warfare, with the battle-din
Of heathens, and the warriors' martial might.
Even to-morrow with the early dawn, 220
At the sea's border thou shalt straightway go
On shipboard, and upon the waters cold,
Over the ocean[1], break thy speedy way.
Thou hast My blessing over all the earth,
Wherever thou shalt fare!" The Holy One,
Ruler and Guardian, archangels' King,
The world's Defense, betook Him to His home,
That glorious home, where souls of righteous men
After the body's fall shall life enjoy.
So in that town this mission was decreed 230
Unto the noble champion; not abashed
In mind was he, but steadfast for the deed
Heroic; hardy-hearted, firm in soul,
No skulker he from battle, but prepared
For warfare, in God's struggle stout and bold.

[Footnote 1: Lit. "bath-road."]

So at the dawning, when the day first broke,
He gat him o'er the sand-downs to the sea,
Valiant in heart, and with him went his thanes
To walk upon the shingle, where the waves