Þâ him Hrôðgâr gewât mid his häleða gedryht,
eodur Scyldinga ût of healle;
665 wolde wîg-fruma Wealhþeó sêcan,
cwên tô gebeddan Häfde kyninga wuldor
Grendle tô-geánes, swâ guman gefrungon,
sele-weard âseted, sundor-nytte beheóld
ymb aldor Dena, eoton weard âbeád;
670 hûru Geáta leód georne trûwode
môdgan mägnes, metodes hyldo.
Þâ he him of dyde îsern-byrnan,
helm of hafelan, sealde his hyrsted sweord,
îrena cyst ombiht-þegne,
675 and gehealdan hêt hilde-geatwe.
Gespräc þâ se gôda gylp-worda sum
Beówulf Geáta, ær he on bed stige:
"Nô ic me an here-wæsmum hnâgran talige
"gûð-geweorca, þonne Grendel hine;
680 "forþan ic hine sweorde swebban nelle,
"aldre beneótan, þeáh ic eal mæge.
"Nât he þâra gôda, þät he me on-geán sleá,
"rand geheáwe, þeáh þe he rôf sîe
"nîð-geweorca; ac wit on niht sculon
685 "secge ofersittan, gif he gesêcean dear
"wîg ofer wæpen, and siððan witig god
"on swâ hwäðere hond hâlig dryhten
"mærðo dême, swâ him gemet þince."
Hylde hine þâ heaðo-deór, hleór-bolster onfêng
690 eorles andwlitan; and hine ymb monig
snellîc sæ-rinc sele-reste gebeáh.
Nænig heora þôhte þät he þanon scolde
eft eard-lufan æfre gesêcean,
folc oððe freó-burh, þær he âfêded wäs,
695 ac hie häfdon gefrunen, þät hie ær tô fela micles
in þäm wîn-sele wäl-deáð fornam,
Denigea leóde. Ac him dryhten forgeaf
wîg-spêda gewiofu, Wedera leódum
frôfor and fultum, þät hie feónd heora
700 þurh ânes cräft ealle ofercômon,
selfes mihtum: sôð is gecýðed,
þät mihtig god manna cynnes
weóld wîde-ferhð. Com on wanre niht
scrîðan sceadu-genga. Sceótend swæfon,
705 þâ þät horn-reced healdan scoldon,
ealle bûton ânum. Þät wäs yldum cûð,
þät hie ne môste, þâ metod nolde,
se syn-scaða under sceadu bregdan;
ac he wäccende wrâðum on andan
710 bâd bolgen-môd beadwa geþinges.