Þā ic snūde gefrægn sunu Wīhstānes
æfter word-cwydum wundum dryhtne
2755 hȳran heaðo-sīocum, hring-net beran,
brogdne beadu-sercean under beorges hrōf.
Geseah þā sige-hrēðig, þā hē bī sesse gēong,
mago-þegn mōdig māððum-sigla fela,
gold glitinian grunde getenge,
2760 wundur on wealle and þæs wyrmes denn,
ealdes ūht-flogan, orcas stondan,
fyrn-manna fatu feormend-lēase,
hyrstum behrorene: þǣr wæs helm monig,
eald and ōmig, earm-bēaga fela,
2765 searwum gesǣled. Sinc ēaðe mæg,
gold on grunde, gumena cynnes
gehwone ofer-hīgian, hȳde sē þe wylle!
Swylce hē siomian geseah segn eall-gylden
hēah ofer horde, hond-wundra mǣst,
2770 gelocen leoðo-cræftum: of þām lēoma stōd,
þæt hē þone grund-wong ongitan meahte,
wrǣte giond-wlītan. Næs þæs wyrmes þǣr
onsȳn ǣnig, ac hyne ecg fornam.
Þā ic on hlǣwe gefrægn hord rēafian,
2775 eald enta geweorc ānne mannan,
him on bearm hladan bunan and discas
sylfes dōme, segn ēac genom,
bēacna beorhtost; bill ǣr-gescōd
(ecg wæs īren) eald-hlāfordes
2780 þām þāra māðma mund-bora wæs
longe hwīle, līg-egesan wæg
hātne for horde, hioro-weallende,
middel-nihtum, oð þæt hē morðre swealt.
Ār wæs on ofoste eft-sīðes georn,
2785 frætwum gefyrðred: hyne fyrwet bræc,
hwæðer collen-ferð cwicne gemētte
in þām wong-stede Wedra þēoden,
ellen-sīocne, þǣr hē hine ǣr forlēt.
Hē þā mid þām māðmum mǣrne þīoden,
2790 dryhten sīnne drīorigne fand
ealdres æt ende: hē hine eft ongon
wæteres weorpan, oð þæt wordes ord
brēost-hord þurhbræc. Bēowulf maðelode,
gomel on giohðe (gold scēawode):
2795 "Ic þāra frætwa frēan ealles þanc
"wuldur-cyninge wordum secge,
"ēcum dryhtne, þē ic hēr on starie,
"þæs þe ic mōste mīnum lēodum
"ǣr swylt-dæge swylc gestrȳnan.
2800 "Nū ic on māðma hord mīne bebohte
"frōde feorh-lege, fremmað gē nū
"lēoda þearfe; ne mæg ic hēr leng wesan.
"Hātað heaðo-mǣre hlǣw gewyrcean,
"beorhtne æfter bǣle æt brimes nosan;
2805 "se scel tō gemyndum mīnum lēodum
"hēah hlīfian on Hrones næsse,
"þæt hit sǣ-līðend syððan hātan
"Bīowulfes biorh, þā þe brentingas
"ofer flōda genipu feorran drīfað."
2810 Dyde him of healse hring gyldenne
þīoden þrīst-hȳdig, þegne gesealde,
geongum gār-wigan, gold-fāhne helm,
bēah and byrnan, hēt hyne brūcan well:
"Þū eart ende-lāf ūsses cynnes,
2815 "Wǣgmundinga; ealle Wyrd forswēof,
"mīne māgas tō metod-sceafte,
"eorlas on elne: ic him æfter sceal."
Þæt wæs þām gomelan gingeste word
brēost-gehygdum, ǣr hē bǣl cure,
2820 hāte heaðo-wylmas: him of hreðre gewāt
sāwol sēcean sōð-fæstra dōm.