Chapter XV: Hrothgar's Gratulation

Hrôðgâr maðelode (he tô healle geóng,
stôd on stapole, geseah steápne hrôf
golde fâhne and Grendles hond):
"þisse ansýne al-wealdan þanc
930 "lungre gelimpe! Fela ic lâðes gebâd,
"grynna ät Grendle: â mäg god wyrcan
"wunder äfter wundre, wuldres hyrde!
"Þät wäs ungeâra, þät ic ænigra me
"weána ne wênde tô wîdan feore
935 "bôte gebîdan þonne blôde fâh
"hûsa sêlest heoro-dreórig stôd;
"weá wîd-scofen witena gehwylcne
"þâra þe ne wêndon, þät hie wîde-ferhð
"leóda land-geweorc lâðum beweredon
940 "scuccum and scinnum. Nu scealc hafað
"þurh drihtnes miht dæd gefremede,
"þe we ealle ær ne meahton
"snyttrum besyrwan. Hwät! þät secgan mäg
"efne swâ hwylc mägða, swâ þone magan cende
945 "äfter gum-cynnum, gyf heó gyt lyfað,
"þät hyre eald-metod êste wære
"bearn-gebyrdo. Nu ic Beówulf
"þec, secg betsta, me for sunu wylle
"freógan on ferhðe; heald forð tela
950 "niwe sibbe. Ne bið þe nænigra gâd
"worolde wilna, þe ic geweald häbbe.
"Ful-oft ic for lässan leán teohhode
"hord-weorðunge hnâhran rince,
"sæmran ät säcce. Þu þe self hafast
955 "dædum gefremed, þät þîn dôm lyfað
"âwâ tô aldre. Alwalda þec
"gôde forgylde, swâ he nu gyt dyde!"
Beówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeówes:
"We þät ellen-weorc êstum miclum,
960 "feohtan fremedon, frêcne genêðdon
"eafoð uncûðes; ûðe ic swîðor,
"þät þu hinc selfne geseón môste,
"feónd on frätewum fyl-wêrigne!
"Ic hine hrädlîce heardan clammum
965 "on wäl-bedde wrîðan þôhte,
"þät he for mund-gripe mînum scolde
"licgean lîf-bysig, bûtan his lîc swice;
"ic hine ne mihte, þâ metod nolde,
"ganges getwæman, nô ic him þäs georne ätfealh,
970 "feorh-genîðlan; wäs tô fore-mihtig
"feónd on fêðe. Hwäðere he his folme forlêt
"tô lîf-wraðe lâst weardian,
"earm and eaxle; nô þær ænige swâ þeáh
"feá-sceaft guma frôfre gebohte:
975 "nô þý leng leofað lâð-geteóna
"synnum geswenced, ac hyne sâr hafað
"in nýd-gripe nearwe befongen,
"balwon bendum: þær âbîdan sceal
"maga mâne fâh miclan dômes,
980 "hû him scîr metod scrîfan wille."
Þâ wäs swîgra secg, sunu Ecglâfes,
on gylp-spræce gûð-geweorca,
siððan äðelingas eorles cräfte
ofer heáhne hrôf hand sceáwedon,
985 feóndes fingras, foran æghwylc;
wäs stêde nägla gehwylc, stýle gelîcost,
hæðenes hand-sporu hilde-rinces
egle unheóru; æg-hwylc gecwäð,
þät him heardra nân hrînan wolde
990 îren ær-gôd, þät þäs ahlæcan
blôdge beadu-folme onberan wolde.