VII
Hrōðgāt maþelode, helm Scyldinga:'For [g]ewy[r]htum þū, wine mīn Bēowulf,
ond for ārstafum ūsic sōhtest.
Geslōh þīn fæder fǣhðe mǣste;
460wearþ, hē Heaþolāfe tō handbonan
mid Wilfingum; ðā hine Wedera cyn
for herebrōgan habban ne mihte.
þanon hē gesōhte Sūð-Dena folc
ofer ȳaða gewealc, Ār-Scyldinga;
465ðā ic furþum wēold folce Deniga
ond on geogoðe hēold ginne rīce,
hordburh hæleþa ; ðā wæs Heregār dēad,
mīn yldra mǣg unlifigende,
bearn Healfdenes; sē wæs betera ðonne ic!
470Siððan þā fǣhðe fēo þingode;
sende ic Wylfingum ofer wæteres hrycg
ealde mādmas; hē mē āþas swōr.
Sorh is mē tō secgan on sefan mīnum
gumena ǣngum, hwæt mē Grendel hafað
475hȳnðo on Heorote mid his heteþancum,
fǣrnīða gefremed; is mīn fletwerod,
wīghēap gewanod; hīe wyrd forswēop
on Grendles gryre. God ēaþe mæg
þone dolsceaðan dǣda getwǣfan!
480Ful oft gebēotedon bēore druncne
ofer ealdowǣge ōretmecgas,
þæt hīe in bēorsele bīdan woldon
Grendles gūþe mid gryrum ecga.
Ðonne wæs þeos medoheal on morgentīd,
485drihtsele drēorfāh, þonne dæg līxte,
eal bencþelu blōde bestȳmed,
heall heorutrēore; āhte ic hoidra þȳ lǣs,
dēorre duguðe, þē þā dēað fornam.
Site nū tō symle ond onsǣl meoto,
490sigehrēð secgum, swā þīn sefa hwette.'
þā wæs Gēatmæcgum geador ætsomne
on bēorele benc gerȳmed;
þǣr swiðferhþe sittan ēodon,
þrȳðum dealle. þegn nytte behēold,
495sē þe on handa bær hroden ealowǣge,
scencte scīr wered. Scop hwīlum sang
hādor on Heorote. þǣr wæs hæleða drēam,
duguð unlȳtel Dena ond Wedera.
