Chapter XXXIX: The Coward-Thanes

Þâ wäs gegongen guman unfrôdum
earfoðlîce, þät he on eorðan geseah
þone leófestan lîfes ät ende
2825 bleáte gebæran. Bona swylce läg,
egeslîc eorð-draca, ealdre bereáfod,
bealwe gebæded: beáh-hordum leng
wyrm woh-bogen wealdan ne môste,
ac him îrenna ecga fornâmon,
2830 hearde heaðo-scearpe homera lâfe,
þät se wîd-floga wundum stille
hreás on hrusan hord-ärne neáh,
nalles äfter lyfte lâcende hwearf
middel-nihtum, mâðm-æhta wlonc
2835 ansýn ýwde: ac he eorðan gefeóll
for þäs hild-fruman hond-geweorce.
Hûru þät on lande lyt manna þâh
mägen-âgendra mîne gefræge,
þeáh þe he dæda gehwäs dyrstig wære,
2840 þät he wið âttor-sceaðan oreðe geræsde,
oððe hring-sele hondum styrede,
gif he wäccende weard onfunde
bûan on beorge. Biówulfe wearð
dryht-mâðma dæl deáðe forgolden;
2845 häfde æghwäðer ende gefêred
lænan lîfes. Näs þâ lang tô þon,
þät þâ hild-latan holt ofgêfan,
tydre treów-logan tyne ätsomne,
þâ ne dorston ær dareðum lâcan
2850 on hyra man-dryhtnes miclan þearfe;
ac hy scamiende scyldas bæran,
gûð-gewædu, þær se gomela läg:
wlitan on Wîglâf. He gewêrgad sät,
fêðe-cempa freán eaxlum neáh,
2855 wehte hyne wätre; him wiht ne speów;
ne meahte he on eorðan, þeáh he ûðe wel,
on þam frum-gâre feorh gehealdan,
ne þäs wealdendes willan wiht oncirran;
wolde dôm godes dædum rædan
2860 gumena gehwylcum, swâ he nu gen dêð.
Þâ wäs ät þam geongan grim andswaru
êð-begête þâm þe ær his elne forleás.
Wîglâf maðelode, Weohstânes sunu,
secg sârig-ferð seah on unleófe:
2865 "Þät lâ mäg secgan, se þe wyle sôð sprecan,
"þät se mon-dryhten, se eów þâ mâðmas geaf,
"eóred-geatwe, þe ge þær on standað,
"þonne he on ealu-bence oft gesealde
"heal-sittendum helm and byrnan,
2870 "þeóden his þegnum, swylce he þryðlîcost
"ôhwær feor oððe neáh findan meahte,
"þät he genunga gûð-gewædu
"wrâðe forwurpe. Þâ hyne wîg beget,
"nealles folc-cyning fyrd-gesteallum
2875 "gylpan þorfte; hwäðre him god ûðe,
"sigora waldend, þät he hyne sylfne gewräc
"âna mid ecge, þâ him wäs elnes þearf,
"Ic him lîf-wraðe lytle meahte
"ätgifan ät gûðe and ongan swâ þeáh
2880 "ofer mîn gemet mæges helpan:
"symle wäs þý sæmra, þonne ic sweorde drep
"ferhð-genîðlan, fýr unswîðor
"weóll of gewitte. Wergendra tô lyt
"þrong ymbe þeóden, þâ hyne sió þrag becwom.
2885 "Nu sceal sinc-þego and swyrd-gifu
"eall êðel-wyn eówrum cynne,
"lufen âlicgean: lond-rihtes môt
"þære mæg-burge monna æghwylc
"îdel hweorfan, syððan äðelingas
2890 "feorran gefricgean fleám eówerne,
"dôm-leásan dæd. Deáð bið sêlla
"eorla gehwylcum þonne edwît-lîf!"