Beowulf

Hatað heaðomære hlæw gewyrcean

beorhtne æfter bæle æt brimes nosan;

se scel to gemyndum minum leodum

heah hlifian on Hronesnæsse,

þæt hit sæliðend syððan hatan

Biowulfes biorh, ða ðe brentingas

ofer floda genipu feorran drifað."

Dyde him of healse hring gyldenne

þioden þristhydig, þegne gesealde,

geongum garwigan, goldfahne helm,

beah ond byrnan, het hyne brucan well:

"þu eart endelaf usses cynnes,

Wægmundinga. Ealle wyrd forsweop

mine magas to metodsceafte,

eorlas on elne; ic him æfter sceal."

þæt wæs þam gomelan gingæste word

breostgehygdum, ær he bæl cure,

hate heaðowylmas; him of hreðre gewat

sawol secean soðfæstra dom.

ða wæs gegongen guman unfrodum

earfoðlice, þæt he on eorðan geseah

þone leofestan lifes æt ende

bleate gebæran. Bona swylce læg,

egeslic eorðdraca ealdre bereafod,

bealwe gebæded. Beahhordum leng

wyrm wohbogen wealdan ne moste,

ac hine irenna ecga fornamon,

hearde, heaðoscearde homera lafe,

þæt se widfloga wundum stille

hreas on hrusan hordærne neah.

Nalles æfter lyfte lacende hwearf

middelnihtum, maðmæhta wlonc

ansyn ywde, ac he eorðan gefeoll

for ðæs hildfruman hondgeweorce.

Huru þæt on lande lyt manna ðah,

mægenagendra, mine gefræge,

þeah ðe he dæda gehwæs dyrstig wære,

þæt he wið attorsceaðan oreðe geræsde,

oððe hringsele hondum styrede,

gif he wæccende weard onfunde

buon on beorge. Biowulfe wearð

dryhtmaðma dæl deaðe forgolden;

hæfde æghwæðer ende gefered

lænan lifes. Næs ða lang to ðon

þæt ða hildlatan holt ofgefan,

tydre treowlogan tyne ætsomne.

ða ne dorston ær dareðum lacan

on hyra mandryhtnes miclan þearfe,

ac hy scamiende scyldas bæran,

guðgewædu, þær se gomela læg,

wlitan on Wilaf. He gewergad sæt,

feðecempa, frean eaxlum neah,

wehte hyne wætre; him wiht ne speow.

Ne meahte he on eorðan, ðeah he uðe wel,

on ðam frumgare feorh gehealdan,

ne ðæs wealdendes wiht oncirran;

wolde dom godes dædum rædan

gumena gehwylcum, swa he nu gen deð.

þa wæs æt ðam geongan grim ondswaru

eðbegete þam ðe ær his elne forleas.

Wiglaf maðelode, Weohstanes sunu,

sec, sarigferð (seah on unleofe):

"þæt, la, mæg secgan se ðe wyle soð specan

þæt se mondryhten se eow ða maðmas geaf,

eoredgeatwe, þe ge þær on standað,

þonne he on ealubence oft gesealde

healsittendum helm ond byrnan,

þeoden his þegnum, swylce he þrydlicost

ower feor oððe neah findan meahte,

þæt he genunga guðgewædu

wraðe forwurpe, ða hyne wig beget.

Nealles folccyning fyrdgesteallum

gylpan þorfte; hwæðre him god uðe,

sigora waldend, þæt he hyne sylfne gewræc

ana mid ecge, þa him wæs elnes þearf.

Ic him lifwraðe lytle meahte

ætgifan æt guðe, ond ongan swa þeah

ofer min gemet mæges helpan;

symle wæs þy sæmra, þonne ic sweorde drep

ferhðgeniðlan, fyr unswiðor

weoll of gewitte. Wergendra to lyt

þrong ymbe þeoden, þa hyne sio þrag becwom.

Nu sceal sincþego ond swyrdgifu,

eall eðelwyn eowrum cynne,

lufen alicgean; londrihtes mot

þære mægburge monna æghwylc

idel hweorfan, syððan æðelingas

feorran gefricgean fleam eowerne,

domleasan dæd. Deað bið sella

eorla gehwylcum þonne edwitlif!"

Heht ða þæt heaðoweorc to hagan biodan

up ofer ecgclif, þær þæt eorlweorod

morgenlongne dæg modgiomor sæt,

bordhæbbende, bega on wenum,

endedogores ond eftcymes

leofes monnes. Lyt swigode

niwra spella se ðe næs gerad,

ac he soðlice sægde ofer ealle:

"Nu is wilgeofa Wedra leoda,

dryhten Geata, deaðbedde fæst,