BEOWULF
diacritically-marked text and facing translation
| Images of the Beowulf MS are reproduced by kind permission
of the British Library Board (who retain
copyright) All other material on this site under copyright 2002-5, Please include proper citation reference if quoting a short passage; otherwise no part of these documents may be reproduced without expressed permission from the author. |
last updated on 15-June-2005
(click on the 'lyre icon' [ 
] to listen to a reading of selected passages in Old
English)
|
XLII |
| |
| Þá wæs gesýne þæt se síð ne ðáh |
3058 | Then it was seen that the venture did not benefit |
| þám ðe unrihte inne gehýdde |
| who he unrightly had hidden inside, |
| wræce under wealle· weard aér ofslóh |
| vengeance under the walls; this warden earlier slew |
| féara sumne· þá sío faéhð gewearð |
| one man of a few; then was the feud |
| gewrecen wráðlíce. Wundur hwár þonne |
| wrathfully avenged. It is a wonder where then |
| eorl ellenróf ende gefére |
3063 | a man famed for courage should meet end |
| lífgesceafta þonne leng ne mæg |
| of his fated life, when he can no longer |
| mon mid his maégum meduseld búan· |
| one among his kinsmen, inhabit a mead-hall; |
| swá wæs Bíowulfe, þá hé biorges weard |
| thus it was for Beowulf, when he the barrow's ward |
| sóhte searoníðas: seolfa ne cúðe |
| sought treacherous quarrels: he himself did not know |
| þurh hwæt his worulde gedál weorðan sceolde. |
3068 | through what his parting from this world must bring about. |
| Swá hit oð dómes dæg díope benemdon |
| Thus until judgement's day deeply declared |
| þéodnas maére þá ðæt þaér dydon· |
| the great princes, who put it there, |
| þæt se secg waére synnum scildig |
| that the man would be guilty of crimes, |
| hergum geheaðerod hellbendum fæst |
| banned from sacred places, in hell-bonds fast, |
| wommum gewítnad sé ðone wong strude· |
3073 | reproached for his transgressions, he who plundered that place; |
| næs hé goldhwæte gearwor hæfde |
| he was not liberal with gold (nor) had he readily |
| ágendes ést aér gescéawod. |
| the kindness of a lord ever shown. |
| Wígláf maðelode Wíhstánes sunu: |
| Wiglaf spoke, the son of Weohstan, |
| 'Oft sceall eorl monig ánes willan |
| 'Often must many men, for the will of one, |
| wraéc ádréogan swá ús geworden is· |
3078 | endure exile, as it has happened to us; |
| ne meahton wé gelaéran léofne þéoden |
| we could not convince the beloved prince, |
| ríces hyrde raéd aénigne· |
| the keeper of the kingdom, by any counsel, |
| þæt hé ne grétte goldweard þone· |
| that he not greet the gold-ward, |
| léte hyne licgean þaér hé longe wæs, |
| let him lie, where he long had been, |
| wícum wunian oð woruldende· |
3083 | inhabiting his abodes until the world's end; |
| heoldon héahgesceap· hord ys gescéawod, |
| he held to his noble destiny; the hoard is exposed, |
| grimme gegongen· þæt gifeðe wæs |
| grimly gained; that was granted |
| tó swíð þé ðone þyder ontyhte. |
| too harshly which him impelled thither. |
| Ic wæs þaér inne ond þæt eall geondseh |
| I was there inside and looked over all of it, |
| recedes geatwa þá mé gerýmed wæs, |
3088 | the trappings of the hall, when the way was cleared for me, |
| nealles swaéslíce síð álýfed |
| not at all sweetly was the errand allowed |
| inn under eorðweall· ic on ofoste geféng |
| inside the earthwall; I seized in haste |
| micle mid mundum mægenbyrðenne |
| much with my hands, a mighty burden |
| hordgestréona· hider út ætbær |
| of hoard-treasures, bore it out hither |
| cyninge mínum· cwico wæs þá géna |
3093 | to my king; he was still alive then, |
| wís ond gewittig· worn eall gespræc |
| wise and knowing; he spoke much on many things, |
| gomol on gehðo ond éowic grétan hét· |
| old in his grief, and commanded me greet you all, |
| bæd þæt gé geworhton æfter wines daédum |
| bid that you build in accord of your friend's deeds |
| in baélstede beorh þone héän |
| in the cremation place a high barrow, |
| micelne ond maérne swá hé manna wæs |
3098 | large and splendid, as he was of men |
| wígend weorðfullost wíde geond eorðan |
| a warrior most honoured thought this wide earth, |
| þenden hé burhwelan brúcan móste. |
| while he the prosperity of a city could enjoy. |
| Uton nú efstan óðre síðe |
| Let us now hasten another time |
| séon ond sécean on searogeþræc |
| to see and to seek in that heap of cunningly wrought things, |
| wundur under wealle· ic éow wísige |
3103 | a wonder under the walls; I shall guide you, |
| þæt gé genóge néon scéawiað |
| so that you sufficient close-up will see |
| béagas ond brád gold· síe sío baér gearo |
| rings and broad gold; let the bier be ready, |
| aédre geæfned þonne wé út cymen |
| quickly prepared, when we come out, |
| ond þonne geferian fréan úserne |
| and then carry our lord, |
| léofne mannan þaér hé longe sceal |
3108 | beloved man, where he must long |
| on ðæs waldendes waére geþolian.' |
| in the Ruler's protection endure.' |
| Hét ðá gebéodan byre Wíhstánes |
| He then commanded to direct, the son of Weohstan, |
| hæle hildedíor hæleða monegum |
| the battle-brave hero, many warriors, |
| boldágendra þæt híe baélwudu |
| house-holders, that they the pyre-wood |
| feorran feredon folcágende |
3113 | to fetch from afar, folk-chieftains, |
| gódum tógénes: 'Nú sceal gléd fretan, |
| to the good man: 'Now must the fire devour, |
| weaxan wonna lég wigena strengel |
| the dim flame grow, the ruler of warriors, |
| þone ðe oft gebád ísernscúre |
| he who often endured shower of iron, |
| þonne straéla storm strengum gebaéded |
| when the storm of arrows, impelled by bow-strings, |
| scóc ofer scildweall· sceft nytte héold |
3118 | shot over the shield-wall; shaft held true to task, |
| fæðergearwum fús· fláne fulléode.' |
| its feather-trappings eager, arrow-head followed.' |
| Húru se snotra sunu Wíhstánes |
| Indeed the wise son of Weohstan |
| ácígde of corðre cyniges þegnas |
| summoned from the troop of king's thanes, |
| syfone tósomne þá sélestan· |
| seven altogether, the best; |
| éode eahta sum under inwithróf |
3123 | he went, one of eight, under the evil roof |
| hilderinc·sum on handa bær |
| one battle-man bore in his hands |
| aéledléoman sé ðe on orde géong. |
| a fire-brand, he who went in the fore-front. |
| Næs ðá on hlytme hwá þæt hord strude |
| It was not in a casting of lots, who would plunder that hoard, |
| syððan orwearde aénigne daél |
| when unprotected any part |
| secgas geségon on sele wunian |
3128 | the men saw remaining in the hall, |
| laéne licgan· lýt aénig mearn |
| lying frail; little did anyone mourn |
| þæt hí ofostlíce út geferedon |
| that they quickly carried out |
| dýre máðmas· dracan éc scufun |
| precious treasures; the dragon too they shoved, |
| wyrm ofer weallclif· léton wég niman, |
| the wyrm over the cliff-wall, they let the waves take, |
| flód fæðmian frætwa hyrde· |
3133 | the flood enfold, that keeper of baubles; |
| þæt wæs wundengold on waén hladen |
| that was braided gold loaded on the waggon, |
| aéghwæs unrím, æþelinge boren |
| of each kind countless, to the prince bore, |
| hárum hilde tó hrones næsse. |
| hoary grey from battle, to the whale's headland. |