BEOWULF
diacritically-marked text and facing translation
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last updated on 21-July-2005
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II |
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| Gewát ðá néosian syþðan niht becóm |
115 | He then went to visit and see --when night came-- | |
| héän húses· hú hit Hring-Dene |
| the high house how it, the Ring-Danes | |
| æfter béorþege gebún hæfdon· |
| after the beer-feast, had occupied; | |
| fand þá ðaér inne æþelinga gedriht |
| he found then therein the nobles' company | |
| swefan æfter symble· sorge ne cúðon |
| slumbering after the feast; they did not know sorrow, | |
| wonsceaft wera· wiht unhaélo |
120 | misery of men; that damned creature, | |
| grim ond graédig gearo sóna wæs |
| grim and greedy, soon was ready, | |
| réoc ond réþe ond on ræste genam |
| savage and cruel and from their rest seized | |
| þrítig þegna· þanon eft gewát |
| thirty thanes; thence back he went | |
| húðe hrémig tó hám faran |
| proud in plunder to his home, faring | |
| mid þaére wælfylle wíca néosan. |
125 | with the banquet of bodies to seek his shelter. | |
| Ðá wæs on úhtan mid aérdæge |
| Then was in the dark of dawn before the day | |
| Grendles gúðcræft gumum undyrne· |
| Grendel's war-might revealed to the men; | |
| þá wæs æfter wiste wóp up áhafen |
| then it was after their feasting they raised up lament | |
| micel morgenswég. Maére þéoden |
| in a great morning-cry. The mighty chieftain, | |
| æþeling aérgod unblíðe sæt· |
130 | the prince, old and good, sat in sorrow, | |
| þolode ðrýðswýð þegnsorge dréah |
| the great mighty one suffered, anguish of thane-loss oppressed him | |
| syðþan híe þæs láðan lást scéawedon, |
| when they the foe's tracks beheld, | |
| wergan gástes· wæs þæt gewin tó strang |
| of the wicked ghoul; that strife was too strong, | |
| láð ond longsum. Næs hit lengra fyrst |
| loathsome and lingering. Nor was it a longer time | |
| ac ymb áne niht eft gefremede |
135 | but after a single night again he perpetuated | |
| morðbeala máre ond nó mearn fore, |
| more brutal slaughter, and it grieved him not, | |
| faéhðe ond fyrene· wæs tó fæst on þám. |
| violence and viciousness, he was too entrenched in these. | |
| Þá wæs éaðfynde þé him elles hwaér |
| Then was it easily found, one who would somewhere else, | |
| gerúmlícor ræste sóhte |
| further away, seek rest: | |
| bed æfter búrum ðá him gebéacnod wæs |
140 | a bed among the bowers, when it was made clear to him, | |
| gesægd sóðlíce sweotolan tácne |
| truly told, by an unmistakable token | |
| healðegnes hete· héold hyne syðþan |
| the enmity of the hall's occupier; he held himself then | |
| fyr ond fæstor sé þaém féonde ætwand. |
| further and safer, he who shunned that fiend. | |
| Swá ríxode ond wið rihte wan |
| Thus he ruled and challenged justice, | |
| ána wið eallum oð þæt ídel stód |
145 | one against all, until empty stood | |
| húsa sélest· wæs séo hwíl micel, |
| that finest of houses; the time was long | |
| twelf wintra tíd torn geþolode |
| --the space of twelve winters-- that bitter anguish endured | |
| wine Scyldenda, wéana gehwelcne |
| the friend, the shielder, --every woe, | |
| sídra sorga· forðám secgum wearð |
| immense miseries; therefore to men became | |
| ylda bearnum undyrne cúð, |
150 | to sons of men, clearly known | |
| gyddum geómore þætte Grendel wan |
| in mournful ballads, that Grendel had contended | |
| hwíle wið Hróþgár· heteníðas wæg |
| long against Hrothgar, sustained fierce enmity, | |
| fyrene ond faéhðe fela misséra, |
| felony and feud, for many seasons | |
| singále sæce· sibbe ne wolde |
| continual strife; he did not want peace | |
| wið manna hwone mægenes Deniga, |
155 | with any man of the Danish contingent, | |
| feorhbealo feorran, féa þingian |
| to desist in life-destruction, to settle it with payment, | |
| né þaér naénig witena wénan þorfte |
| none of the counsellors had any need to hope for | |
| beorhtre bóte tó banan folmum |
| noble recompense from the slayer's hands, | |
| ac se aéglaéca éhtende wæs |
| but the wretch was persecuting | |
| deorc déaþscua duguþe ond geogoþe |
160 | --the dark death-shade-- warriors old and young; | |
| seomade ond syrede· sinnihte héold |
| he lay in wait and set snares, in the endless night he held | |
| mistige móras· men ne cunnon |
| the misty moors; men do not know | |
| hwyder helrúnan hwyrftum scríþað. |
| where such hellish enigmas slink in their haunts. | |
| Swá fela fyrena féond mancynnes |
| Thus many offences that foe of mankind, | |
| atol ángengea oft gefremede, |
165 | that terrible lone traveller, often committed, | |
| heardra hýnða· Heorot eardode |
| hard humiliations; he dwelt in Heorot, | |
| sincfáge sel sweartum nihtum |
| the richly-adorned hall, in the black nights | |
| --nó hé þone gifstól grétan móste, |
| --by no means he the gift-throne was compelled to approach respectfully, | |
| máþðum for metode, né his myne wisse-- |
| the treasure, by the Maker, nor did he feel love for it-- | |
| Þæt wæs wraéc micel wine Scyldinga, |
170 | That was great misery for the Friend of the Scyldings, | |
| módes brecða. Monig oft gesæt |
| a breaking of his spirit. Many often sat | |
| ríce tó rúne· raéd eahtedon· |
| the mighty at counsel; pondered a plan, | |
| hwæt swíðferhðum sélest waére |
| what by strong-minded men would be best, | |
| wið faérgryrum tó gefremmanne· |
| against the sudden horror, to do; | |
| hwílum híe gehéton æt hærgtrafum |
175 | sometimes they pledged at holy temples | |
| wígweorþunga· wordum baédon |
| sacred honouring, in words bid | |
| þæt him gástbona géoce gefremede |
| that them the demon-slayer would offer succour | |
| wið þéodþréaum· swylc wæs þéaw hyra· |
| from the plight of the people; such was their habit: | |
| haéþenra hyht· helle gemundon |
| the hope of heathens; on hell they pondered | |
| in módsefan· metod híe ne cúþon |
180 | in the depths of their hearts; the Creator they did not know, | |
| daéda démend· ne wiston híe drihten god |
| the Judge of deeds, they were not aware of the Lord God, | |
| né híe húru heofena helm herian ne cúþon |
| nor yet they the Helm of the Heavens were able to honour, | |
| wuldres waldend. Wá bið þaém ðe sceal |
| Glory's Wielder. Woe be to him who must, | |
| þurh slíðne níð sáwle bescúfan |
| through dire terror, thrust his soul | |
| in fýres fæþm, frófre ne wénan, |
185 | into fire's embrace; hope not for relief, | |
| wihte gewendan· wél bið þaém þe mót |
| or to change at all; well be he who may | |
| æfter déaðdæge drihten sécean |
| after death-day seek the Lord | |
| ond tó fæder fæþmum freoðo wilnian. |
| and in his Father's arms yearn towards Nirvana. |