Beowulf

sweðrian syððan. þa gen sylf cyning

geweold his gewitte, wællseaxe gebræd

biter ond beaduscearp, þæt he on byrnan wæg;

forwrat Wedra helm wyrm on middan.

Feond gefyldan (ferh ellen wræc),

ond hi hyne þa begen abroten hæfdon,

sibæðelingas. Swylc sceolde secg wesan,

þegn æt ðearfe! þæt ðam þeodne wæs

siðast sigehwila sylfes dædum,

worlde geweorces. ða sio wund ongon,

þe him se eorðdraca ær geworhte,

swelan ond swellan; he þæt sona onfand,

þæt him on breostum bealoniðe weoll

attor on innan. ða se æðeling giong

þæt he bi wealle wishycgende

gesæt on sesse; seah on enta geweorc,

hu ða stanbogan stapulum fæste

ece eorðreced innan healde.

Hyne þa mid handa heorodreorigne,

þeoden mærne, þegn ungemete till

winedryhten his wætere gelafede,

hilde sædne, ond his helm onspeon.

Biowulf maþelode (he ofer benne spræc,

wunde wælbleate; wisse he gearwe

þæt he dæghwila gedrogen hæfde,

eorðan wynne; ða wæs eall sceacen

dogorgerimes, deað ungemete neah):

"Nu ic suna minum syllan wolde

guðgewædu, þær me gifeðe swa

ænig yrfeweard æfter wurde

lice gelenge. Ic ðas leode heold

fiftig wintra; næs se folccyning,

ymbesittendra ænig ðara,

þe mec guðwinum gretan dorste,

egesan ðeon. Ic on earde bad

mælgesceafta, heold min tela,

ne sohte searoniðas, ne me swor fela

aða on unriht. Ic ðæs ealles mæg

feorhbennum seoc gefean habban;

for ðam me witan ne ðearf waldend fira

morðorbealo maga, þonne min sceaceð

lif of lice. Nu ðu lungre geong

hord sceawian under harne stan,

Wiglaf leofa, nu se wyrm ligeð,

swefeð sare wund, since bereafod.

Bio nu on ofoste, þæt ic ærwelan,

goldæht ongite, gearo sceawige

swegle searogimmas, þæt ic ðy seft mæge

æfter maððumwelan min alætan

lif ond leodscipe, þone ic longe heold."

ða ic snude gefrægn sunu Wihstanes

æfter wordcwydum wundum dryhtne

hyran heaðosiocum, hringnet beran,

brogdne beadusercean under beorges hrof.

Geseah ða sigehreðig, þa he bi sesse geong,

magoþegn modig maððumsigla fealo,

gold glitinian grunde getenge,

wundur on wealle, ond þæs wyrmes denn,

ealdes uhtflogan, orcas stondan,

fyrnmanna fatu feormendlease,

hyrstum behrorene; þær wæs helm monig

eald ond omig, earmbeaga fela

searwum gesæled. Sinc eaðe mæg,

gold on grunde, gumcynnes gehwone

oferhigian, hyde se ðe wylle.

Swylce he siomian geseah segn eallgylden

heah ofer horde, hondwundra mæst,

gelocen leoðocræftum; of ðam leoma stod,

þæt he þone grundwong ongitan meahte,

wræte giondwlitan. Næs ðæs wyrmes þær

onsyn ænig, ac hyne ecg fornam.

ða ic on hlæwe gefrægn hord reafian,

eald enta geweorc, anne mannan,

him on bearm hladon bunan ond discas

sylfes dome; segn eac genom,

beacna beorhtost. Bill ær gescod

(ecg wæs iren) ealdhlafordes

þam ðara maðma mundbora wæs

longe hwile, ligegesan wæg

hatne for horde, hioroweallende

middelnihtum, oðþæt he morðre swealt.

Ar wæs on ofoste, eftsiðes georn,

frætwum gefyrðred; hyne fyrwet bræc,

hwæðer collenferð cwicne gemette

in ðam wongstede Wedra þeoden

ellensiocne, þær he hine ær forlet.

He ða mid þam maðmum mærne þioden,

dryhten sinne, driorigne fand

ealdres æt ende; he hine eft ongon

wæteres weorpan, oðþæt wordes ord

breosthord þurhbræc.

gomel on giohðe (gold sceawode):

"Ic ðara frætwa frean ealles ðanc,

wuldurcyninge, wordum secge,

ecum dryhtne, þe ic her on starie,

þæs ðe ic moste minum leodum

ær swyltdæge swylc gestrynan.

Nu ic on maðma hord mine bebohte

frode feorhlege, fremmað gena

leoda þearfe; ne mæg ic her leng wesan.