In Old English

719-739
heardran hæle, healðegnas fand!
Com þa to recede rinc siðian
dreamum bedæled. Duru sona onarn
fyrbendum fæst, syþðan he hire folmum æthran;
onbræd þa bealohydig, ða he gebolgen wæs,
recedes muþan. Raþe æfter þon
on fagne flor feond treddode,
eode yrremod; him of eagum stod
ligge gelicost leoht unfæger.
Geseah he in recede rinca manige,
swefan sibbegedriht samod ætgædere,
magorinca heap. Þa his mod ahlog;
mynte þæt he gedælde, ær þon dæg cwome,
atol aglæca, anra gehwylces
lif wið lice, þa him alumpen wæs
wistfylle wen. Ne wæs þæt wyrd þa gen,
þæt he ma moste manna cynnes
ðicgean ofer þa niht. Þryðswyð beheold
mæg Higelaces, hu se manscaða
under færgripum gefaran wolde.
Ne þæt se aglæca yldan þohte,

740-761
ac he gefeng hraðe forman siðe
slæpendne rinc, slat unwearnum,
bat banlocan, blod edrum dranc,
synsnædum swealh; sona hæfde
unlyfigendes eal gefeormod,
fet ond folma. Forð near ætstop,
nam þa mid handa higeþihtigne
rinc on ræste, ræhte ongean
feond mid folme; he onfeng hraþe
inwitþancum ond wið earm gesæt.
Sona þæt onfunde fyrena hyrde,
þæt he ne mette middangeardes,
eorþan sceata on elran men
mundgripe maran; he on mode wearð
forht on ferhðe; no þy ær fram meahte.
Hyge wæs him hinfus, wolde on heolster fleon,
secan deofla gedræg; ne wæs his drohtoð þær
swylce he on ealderdagum ær gemette.
Gemunde þa se goda, mæg Higelaces,
æfenspræce, uplang astod
ond him fæste wiðfeng; fingras burston;
eoten wæs utweard; eorl furþur stop.

762-782
Mynte se mæra, þær he meahte swa,
widre gewindan ond on weg þanon
fleon on fenhopu; wiste his fingra geweald
on grames grapum. Þæt wæs geocor sið,
þæt se hearmscaþa to Heorute ateah!
Dryhtsele dynede; Denum eallum wearð,
ceasterbuendum, cenra gehwylcum,
eorlum ealuscerwen. Yrre wæron begen,
reþe renweardas. Reced hlynsode.
Þa wæs wundor micel, þæt se winsele
wiðhæfde heaþodeorum, þæt he on hrusan ne feol,
fæger foldbold; ac he þæs fæste wæs
innan ond utan irenbendum
searoþoncum besmiþod. Þær fram sylle abeag
medubenc monig mine gefræge
golde geregnad, þær þa graman wunnon.
Þæs ne wendon ær witan Scyldinga,
þæt hit a mid gemete manna ænig
betlic ond banfag tobrecan meahte,
listum tolucan, nymþe liges fæþm
swulge on swaþule. Sweg up astag

783-803
niwe geneahhe: Norð-Denum stod
atelic egesa, anra gehwylcum
þara þe of wealle wop gehyrdon,
gryreleoð galan Godes andsacan,
sigeleasne sang, sar wanigean
helle hæfton. Heold hine fæste
se þe manna wæs mægene strengest
on þæm dæge þysses lifes.
XII Nolde eorla hleo ænige þinga
þone cwealmcuman cwicne forlætan,
ne his lifdagas leoda ænigum
nytte tealde. Þær genehost brægd
eorl Beowulfes ealde lafe,
wolde freadrihtnes feorh ealgian,
mæres þeodnes, ðær hie meahton swa.
Hie þæt ne wiston, þa hie gewin drugon,
heardhicgende hildemecgas,
ond on healfa gehwone heawan þohton,
sawle secan: þone synscaðan
ænig ofer eorþan irenna cyst,
guðbilla nan, gretan nolde;

804-826
ac he sigewæpnum forsworen hæfde,
ecga gehwylcre. Scolde his aldorgedal
on ðæm dæge þysses lifes
earmlic wurðan, ond se ellorgast
on feonda geweald feor siðian.---
Ða þæt onfunde se þe fela æror
modes myrðe manna cynne,
fyrene gefremede --- he wæs fag wið God--- ,
þæt him se lichoma læstan nolde,
ac hine se modega mæg Hygelaces
hæfde be honda; wæs gehwæþer oðrum
lifigende lað. Licsar gebad
atol æglæca; him on eaxle wearð
syndolh sweotol, seonowe onsprungon,
burston banlocan. Beowulfe wearð
guðhreð gyfeþe; scolde Grendel þonan
feorhseoc fleon under fenhleoðu,
secean wynleas wic; wiste þe geornor
þæt his aldres wæs ende gegongen,
dogera dægrim. Denum eallum wearð
æfter þam wælræse willa gelumpen.
Hæfde þa gefælsod se þe ær feorran com,
snotor ond swyðferhð, sele Hroðgares,

827-8367
genered wið niðe. Nihtweorce gefeh,
ellenmærþum. Hæfde East-Denum
Geatmecga leod gilp gelæsted,
swylce oncyþðe ealle gebette,
inwidsorge, þe hie ær drugon
ond for þreanydum þolian scoldon,
torn unlytel. Þæt wæs tacen sweotol,
syþðan hildedeor hond alegde,
earm ond eaxle --- þær wæs eal geador
Grendles grape--- under geapne hrof.

837-849
XIII Ða wæs on morgen mine gefræge
ymb þa gifhealle guðrinc monig;
ferdon folctogan feorran ond nean
geond widwegas wundor sceawian,
laþes lastas. No his lifgedal
sarlic þuhte secga ænegum
þara þe tirleases trode sceawode,
hu he werigmod on weg þanon,
niða ofercumen, on nicera mere
fæge ond geflymed feorhlastas bær.
Ðær wæs on blode brim weallende,
atol yða geswing eal gemenged
haton heolfre, heorodreore weol;

850-872
deaðfæge deog, siððan dreama leas
in fenfreoðo feorh alegde,
hæþene sawle; þær him hel onfeng.
Þanon eft gewiton ealdgesiðas
swylce geong manig of gomenwaþe,
fram mere modge mearum ridan,
beornas on blancum. Ðær wæs Beowulfes
mærðo mæned; monig oft gecwæð,
þætte suð ne norð be sæm tweonum
ofer eormengrund oþer nænig
under swegles begong selra nære
rondhæbbendra, rices wyrðra. ---
Ne hie huru winedrihten wiht ne logon,
glædne Hroðgar, ac þæt wæs god cyning. ---
Hwilum heaþorofe hleapan leton,
on geflit faran fealwe mearas,
ðær him foldwegas fægere þuhton,
cystum cuðe. Hwilum cyninges þegn,
guma gilphlæden, gidda gemyndig,
se ðe ealfela ealdgesegena
worn gemunde, word oþer fand
soðe gebunden; secg eft ongan
sið Beowulfes snyttrum styrian,