Beowulf

eald ᛟweard, þæt ðes eorl wære

geboren betera! Blæd is aræred

geond widwegas, wine min Beowulf,

ðin ofer þeoda gehwylce. Eal þu hit geþyldum healdest,

mægen mid modes snyttrum. Ic þe sceal mine gelæstan

freode, swa wit furðum spræcon. ðu scealt to frofre weorþan

eal langtwidig leodum þinum,

hæleðum to helpe. Ne wearð Heremod swa

eaforum Ecgwelan, Arscyldingum;

ne geweox he him to willan, ac to wælfealle

ond to deaðcwalum Deniga leodum;

breat bolgenmod beodgeneatas,

eaxlgesteallan, oþþæt he ana hwearf,

mære þeoden, mondreamum from.

ðeah þe hine mihtig god mægenes wynnum,

eafeþum stepte, ofer ealle men

forð gefremede, hwæþere him on ferhþe greow

breosthord blodreow. Nallas beagas geaf

Denum æfter dome; dreamleas gebad

þæt he þæs gewinnes weorc þrowade,

leodbealo longsum. ðu þe lær be þon,

gumcyste ongit; ic þis gid be þe

awræc wintrum frod. Wundor is to secganne

hu mihtig god manna cynne

þurh sidne sefan snyttru bryttað,

eard ond eorlscipe; he ah ealra geweald.

Hwilum he on lufan læteð hworfan

monnes modgeþonc mæran cynnes,

seleð him on eþle eorþan wynne

to healdanne, hleoburh wera,

gedeð him swa gewealdene worolde dælas,

side rice, þæt he his selfa ne mæg

for his unsnyttrum ende geþencean.

Wunað he on wiste; no hine wiht dweleð

adl ne yldo, ne him inwitsorh

on sefan sweorceð, ne gesacu ohwær

ecghete eoweð, ac him eal worold

wendeð on willan (he þæt wyrse ne con),

oðþæt him on innan oferhygda dæl

weaxeð ond wridað. þonne se weard swefeð,

sawele hyrde; bið se slæp to fæst,

bisgum gebunden, bona swiðe neah,

se þe of flanbogan fyrenum sceoteð.

þonne bið on hreþre under helm drepen

biteran stræle (him bebeorgan ne con),

wom wundorbebodum wergan gastes;

þinceð him to lytel þæt he lange heold,

gytsað gromhydig, nallas on gylp seleð

fædde beagas, ond he þa forðgesceaft

forgyteð ond forgymeð, þæs þe him ær god sealde,

wuldres waldend, weorðmynda dæl.

Hit on endestæf eft gelimpeð

þæt se lichoma læne gedreoseð,

fæge gefealleð; fehð oþer to,

se þe unmurnlice madmas dæleþ,

eorles ærgestreon, egesan ne gymeð.

Bebeorh þe ðone bealonið, Beowulf leofa,

secg betsta, ond þe þæt selre geceos,

ece rædas; oferhyda ne gym,

mære cempa. Nu is þines mægnes blæd

ane hwile. Eft sona bið

þæt þec adl oððe ecg eafoþes getwæfeð,

oððe fyres feng, oððe flodes wylm,

oððe gripe meces, oððe gares fliht,

oððe atol yldo; oððe eagena bearhtm

forsiteð ond forsworceð; semninga bið

þæt ðec, dryhtguma, deað oferswyðeð.

Swa ic Hringdena hund missera

weold under wolcnum ond hig wigge beleac

manigum mægþa geond þysne middangeard,

æscum ond ecgum, þæt ic me ænigne

under swegles begong gesacan ne tealde.

Hwæt, me þæs on eþle edwenden cwom,

gyrn æfter gomene, seoþðan Grendel wearð,

ealdgewinna, ingenga min;

ic þære socne singales wæg

modceare micle. þæs sig metode þanc,

ecean dryhtne, þæs ðe ic on aldre gebad

þæt ic on þone hafelan heorodreorigne

ofer ealdgewin eagum starige!

Ga nu to setle, symbelwynne dreoh

wigge weorþad; unc sceal worn fela

maþma gemænra, siþðan morgen bið."

Geat wæs glædmod, geong sona to

setles neosan, swa se snottra heht.

þa wæs eft swa ær ellenrofum

fletsittendum fægere gereorded

niowan stefne. Nihthelm geswearc

deorc ofer dryhtgumum. Duguð eal aras.

Wolde blondenfeax beddes neosan,

gamela Scylding. Geat unigmetes wel,

rofne randwigan, restan lyste;

sona him seleþegn siðes wergum,

feorrancundum, forð wisade,

se for andrysnum ealle beweotede

þegnes þearfe, swylce þy dogore

heaþoliðende habban scoldon.

Reste hine þa rumheort; reced hliuade

geap ond goldfah; gæst inne swæf

oþþæt hrefn blaca heofones wynne