Beowulf

syððan hie gefricgeað frean userne

ealdorleasne, þone ðe ær geheold

wið hettendum hord ond rice

æfter hæleða hryre, hwate Scildingas,

folcred fremede oððe furður gen

eorlscipe efnde. Nu is ofost betost

þæt we þeodcyning þær sceawian

ond þone gebringan, þe us beagas geaf,

on adfære. Ne scel anes hwæt

meltan mid þam modigan, ac þær is maðma hord,

gold unrime grimme geceapod,

ond nu æt siðestan sylfes feore

beagas gebohte. þa sceall brond fretan,

æled þeccean, nalles eorl wegan

maððum to gemyndum, ne mægð scyne

habban on healse hringweorðunge,

ac sceal geomormod, golde bereafod,

oft nalles æne elland tredan,

nu se herewisa hleahtor alegde,

gamen ond gleodream. Forðon sceall gar wesan

monig, morgenceald, mundum bewunden,

hæfen on handa, nalles hearpan sweg

wigend weccean, ac se wonna hrefn

fus ofer fægum fela reordian,

earne secgan hu him æt æte speow,

þenden he wið wulf wæl reafode."

Swa se secg hwata secggende wæs

laðra spella; he ne leag fela

wyrda ne worda. Weorod eall aras;

eodon unbliðe under Earnanæs,

wollenteare wundur sceawian.

Fundon ða on sande sawulleasne

hlimbed healdan þone þe him hringas geaf

ærran mælum; þa wæs endedæg

godum gegongen, þæt se guðcyning,

Wedra þeoden, wundordeaðe swealt.

ær hi þær gesegan syllicran wiht,

wyrm on wonge wiðerræhtes þær

laðne licgean; wæs se legdraca

grimlic, gryrefah, gledum beswæled.

Se wæs fiftiges fotgemearces

lang on legere, lyftwynne heold

nihtes hwilum, nyðer eft gewat

dennes niosian; wæs ða deaðe fæst,

hæfde eorðscrafa ende genyttod.

Him big stodan bunan ond orcas,

discas lagon ond dyre swyrd,

omige, þurhetone, swa hie wið eorðan fæðm

þusend wintra þær eardodon.

þonne wæs þæt yrfe, eacencræftig,

iumonna gold galdre bewunden,

þæt ðam hringsele hrinan ne moste

gumena ænig, nefne god sylfa,

sigora soðcyning, sealde þam ðe he wolde

(he is manna gehyld) hord openian,

efne swa hwylcum manna swa him gemet ðuhte.

þa wæs gesyne þæt se sið ne ðah

þam ðe unrihte inne gehydde

wræte under wealle. Weard ær ofsloh

feara sumne; þa sio fæhð gewearð

gewrecen wraðlice. Wundur hwar þonne

eorl ellenrof ende gefere

lifgesceafta, þonne leng ne mæg

mon mid his magum meduseld buan.

Swa wæs Biowulfe, þa he biorges weard

sohte, searoniðas; seolfa ne cuðe

þurh hwæt his worulde gedal weorðan sceolde.

Swa hit oð domes dæg diope benemdon

þeodnas mære, þa ðæt þær dydon,

þæt se secg wære synnum scildig,

hergum geheaðerod, hellbendum fæst,

wommum gewitnad, se ðone wong strude,

næs he goldhwæte gearwor hæfde

agendes est ær gesceawod.

Wiglaf maðelode, Wihstanes sunu:

"Oft sceall eorl monig anes willan

wræc adreogan, swa us geworden is.

Ne meahton we gelæran leofne þeoden,

rices hyrde, ræd ænigne,

þæt he ne grette goldweard þone,

lete hyne licgean þær he longe wæs,

wicum wunian oð woruldende;

heold on heahgesceap. Hord ys gesceawod,

grimme gegongen; wæs þæt gifeðe to swið

þe ðone þeodcyning þyder ontyhte.

Ic wæs þær inne ond þæt eall geondseh,

recedes geatwa, þa me gerymed wæs,

nealles swæslice sið alyfed

inn under eorðweall. Ic on ofoste gefeng

micle mid mundum mægenbyrðenne

hordgestreona, hider ut ætbær

cyninge minum. Cwico wæs þa gena,

wis ond gewittig; worn eall gespræc

gomol on gehðo ond eowic gretan het,

bæd þæt ge geworhton æfter wines dædum

in bælstede beorh þone hean,

micelne ond mærne, swa he manna wæs

wigend weorðfullost wide geond eorðan,

þenden he burhwelan brucan moste.

Uton nu efstan oðre siðe,