Geseah þâ on searwum sige-eádig bil,
eald sweord eotenisc ecgum þyhtig,
1560 wîgena weorð-mynd: þät wäs wæpna cyst,
bûton hit wäs mâre þonne ænig mon ôðer
tô beadu-lâce ätberan meahte
gôd and geatolîc giganta geweorc.
He gefêng þâ fetel-hilt, freca Scildinga,
1565 hreóh and heoro-grim hring-mæl gebrägd,
aldres orwêna, yrringa slôh,
þät hire wið halse heard grâpode,
bân-hringas bräc, bil eal þurh-wôd
fægne flæsc-homan, heó on flet gecrong;
1570 sweord wäs swâtig, secg weorce gefeh.
Lixte se leóma, leóht inne stôd,
efne swâ of hefene hâdre scîneð
rodores candel. He äfter recede wlât,
hwearf þâ be wealle, wæpen hafenade
1575 heard be hiltum Higelâces þegn,
yrre and ân-ræd. Näs seó ecg fracod
hilde-rince, ac he hraðe wolde
Grendle forgyldan gûð-ræsa fela
þâra þe he geworhte tô West-Denum
1580 oftor micle þonne on ænne sîð,
þonne he Hrôðgâres heorð-geneátas
slôh on sweofote, slæpende frät
folces Denigea fýf-tyne men
and ôðer swylc ût of-ferede,
1585 lâðlîcu lâc. He him þäs leán forgeald,
rêðe cempa, tô þäs þe he on räste geseah
gûð-wêrigne Grendel licgan,
aldor-leásne, swâ him ær gescôd
hild ät Heorote; hrâ wîde sprong,
1590 syððan he äfter deáðe drepe þrowade,
heoro-sweng heardne, and hine þâ heáfde becearf,
Sôna þät gesâwon snottre ceorlas,
þâ þe mid Hrôðgâre on holm wliton,
þät wäs ýð-geblond eal gemenged,
1595 brim blôde fâh: blonden-feaxe
gomele ymb gôdne ongeador spræcon,
þät hig þäs äðelinges eft ne wêndon,
þät he sige-hrêðig sêcean côme
mærne þeóden; þâ þäs monige gewearð,
1600 þät hine seó brim-wylf âbroten häfde.
Þâ com nôn däges. Näs ofgeâfon
hwate Scyldingas; gewât him hâm þonon
gold-wine gumena. Gistas sêtan,
môdes seóce, and on mere staredon,
1605 wiston and ne wêndon, þät hie heora wine-drihten
selfne gesâwon. Þâ þät sweord ongan
äfter heaðo-swâte hilde-gicelum
wîg-bil wanian; þät wäs wundra sum,
þät hit eal gemealt îse gelîcost,
1610 þonne forstes bend fäder onlæteð,
onwindeð wäl-râpas, se þe geweald hafað
sæla and mæla; þät is sôð metod.
Ne nom he in þæm wîcum, Weder-Geáta leód,
mâðm-æhta mâ, þêh he þær monige geseah,
1615 bûton þone hafelan and þâ hilt somod,
since fâge; sweord ær gemealt,
forbarn broden mæl: wäs þät blôd tô þäs hât,
ættren ellor-gæst, se þær inne swealt.
Sôna wäs on sunde, se þe ær ät säcce gebâd
1620 wîg-hryre wrâðra, wäter up þurh-deáf;
wæron ýð-gebland eal gefælsod,
eácne eardas, þâ se ellor-gâst
oflêt lîf-dagas and þâs lænan gesceaft.
Com þâ tô lande lid-manna helm
1625 swîð-môd swymman, sæ-lâce gefeah,
mägen-byrðenne þâra þe he him mid häfde.
Eodon him þâ tôgeánes, gode þancodon,
þryðlîc þegna heáp, þeódnes gefêgon,
þäs þe hi hyne gesundne geseón môston.
1630 Þâ wäs of þäm hrôran helm and byrne
lungre âlýsed: lagu drusade,
wäter under wolcnum, wäl-dreóre fâg.
Fêrdon forð þonon fêðe-lâstum
ferhðum fägne, fold-weg mæton,
1635 cûðe stræte; cyning-balde men
from þäm holm-clife hafelan bæron
earfoðlîce heora æghwäðrum
fela-môdigra: feówer scoldon
on ðäm wäl-stenge weorcum geferian
1640 tô þäm gold-sele Grendles heáfod,
ôð þät semninga tô sele cômon
frome fyrd-hwate feówer-tyne
Geáta gongan; gum-dryhten mid
môdig on gemonge meodo-wongas träd.
1645 Þâ com in gân ealdor þegna,
dæd-cêne mon dôme gewurðad,
häle hilde-deór. Hrôðgâr grêtan:
Þâ wäs be feaxe on flet boren
Grendles heáfod, þær guman druncon,
1650 egeslîc for eorlum and þære idese mid:
wlite-seón wrätlîc weras onsâwon.