BEOWULF

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last updated on 15-June-2005


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I

 

Ðá wæs on burgum      Béowulf Scyldinga

 

Then was in boroughs,      Beowulf the Scylding (Beaw),
léof léodcyning      longe þráge

 

beloved king of the people      a long age
folcum gefraége      --fæder ellor hwearf

55

famed among the folk      --his father having gone elsewhere,
aldor of earde--      oþ þæt him eft onwóc

 

elder on earth--      until unto him in turn was born
héah Healfdene      héold þenden lifde

 

high Half-Dane,      he ruled so long as he lived
gamol ond gúðréouw      glæde Scyldingas·

 

old and battle-fierce,      the glad Scyldings;
ðaém féower bearn      forðgerímed

 

to him four sons      in succession
in worold wócun      weoroda raéswan:

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woke in the world,      the leader of the legions:
Heorogár ond Hróðgár      ond Hálga til·

 

Heorogar and Hrothgar      and good Halga;
hýrde ic þæt Ýrse      wæs Onelan cwén

 

I heard that Yrse      was Onela's queen,
Heaðo-Scilfingas      healsgebedda.

 

the War-Scylfing's      belovèd embraced in bed.
Þá wæs Hróðgáre      herespéd gyfen

 

Then was to Hrothgar      success in warcraft given,
wíges weorðmynd      þæt him his winemágas

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honour in war,      so that his retainers
georne hýrdon      oðð þæt séo geogoð gewéox

 

eagerly served him      until the young war-band grew
magodriht micel·      him on mód bearn

 

into a mighty battalion;      it came into his mind
þæt healreced      hátan wolde

 

that a hall-house,      he wished to command,
medoærn micel      men gewyrcean

 

a grand mead-hall,      be built by men
þone yldo bearn      aéfre gefrúnon

70

which the sons of men      should hear of forever,
ond þaér on innan      eall gedaélan

 

and there within      share out all
geongum ond ealdum      swylc him god sealde

 

to young and old,      such as God gave him,
búton folcscare      ond feorum gumena·

 

except the common land      and the lives of men;
ða ic wíde gefrægn      weorc gebannan

 

Then, I heard, widely      was the work commissioned
manigre maégþe      geond þisne middangeard·

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from many peoples      throughout this middle-earth,
folcstede frætwan.      Him on fyrste gelomp

 

to furnish this hall of the folk.      For him in time it came to pass,
aédre mid yldum      þæt hit wearð ealgearo

 

early, through the men,      that it was fully finished,
healærna maést·      scóp him Heort naman

 

the best of royal halls;      he named it Heorot,
sé þe his wordes geweald      wíde hæfde·

 

he whose words weight      had everywhere;
hé béot ne áléh·      béagas daélde

80

he did not lie when he boasted;      rings he dealt out,
sinc æt symle.      Sele hlífade

 

riches at his feasts.      The hall towered,
héah ond horngéap·      heaðowylma bád

 

high and horn-gabled;      it awaited the cruel surges
láðan líges·      ne wæs hit lenge þá gén

 

of hateful flames;      nor was the time yet nigh
þæt se ecghete      áþumswéoran

 

that the furious edge-malice      of son-in-law and father-in-law,
æfter wælníðe      wæcnan scolde.

85

arising from deadly enmity      would inevitably awaken.
Ðá se ellengaést      earfoðlíce

 

Then the bold spirit,      impatiently
þráge geþolode      sé þe in þýstrum bád

 

endured dreary time,      he who dwelt in darkness,
þæt hé dógora gehwám      dréam gehýrde

 

he that every day      heard noise of revelry
hlúdne in healle·      þaér wæs hearpan swég

 

loud in the hall;      there was the harmony of the harp,
swutol sang scopes·      sægde sé þe cúþe

90

the sweet song of the poet;      he spoke who knew how
**90ff.**
frumsceaft fíra      feorran reccan·

 

the origin of men      to narrate from afar;
cwæð þæt se ælmihtiga      eorðan worhte

 

said he that the almighty one      wrought the earth,
wlitebeorhtne wang      swá wæter bebúgeð·

 

(that) fair, sublime field      bounded by water;
gesette sigehréþig      sunnan ond mónan

 

set up triumphant      the sun and moon,
léoman tó léohte      land-búendum

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luminaries as lamps      for the land-dwellers
ond gefrætwade      foldan scéatas

 

and adorned      the corners of the earth
leomum ond léafum·      líf éac gesceóp

 

with limbs and leaves;      life too He formed
cynna gehwylcum      þára ðe cwice hwyrfaþ·

 

for each of the species      which lives and moves.
Swá ðá drihtguman      dréamum lifdon

 

So the lord's men      lived in joys,
éadiglice      oð ðæt án ongan

100

happily,      until one began
fyrene fremman      féond on helle·

 

to execute atrocities,      a fiend in hell;
wæs se grimma gaést      Grendel háten

 

this ghastly demon was      named Grendel,
maére mearcstapa      sé þe móras héold

 

infamous stalker in the marches,      he who held the moors,
fen ond fæsten·      fífelcynnes eard

 

fen and desolate strong-hold;      the land of marsh-monsters,
wonsaélí wer      weardode hwíle

105

the wretched creature      ruled for a time
siþðan him scyppend      forscrifen hæfde

 

since him the Creator      had condemned
in Cames cynne      þone cwealm gewræc

 

with the kin of Cain (Cham);      that killing avenged
éce drihten      þæs þe hé Ábel slóg·

 

the eternal Lord,      in which he slew Abel;
ne gefeah hé þaére faéhðe      ac hé hine feor forwræc

 

this feud he did not enjoy,      for He drove him far away,
metod for þý máne      mancynne fram·

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the Ruler, for this crime,      from mankind;
þanon untýdras      ealle onwócon

 

thence unspeakable offspring      all awoke:
eotenas ond ylfe      ond orcnéäs

 

ogres and elves      and spirits from the underworld;
swylce gígantas      þá wið gode wunnon

 

also giants,      who strove with God
lange þráge·      hé him ðæs léan forgeald.

 

for an interminable season;      He gave them their reward for that.