Beowulf

Scyldes eafera Scede-landum in.
Swâ sceal geong guma, gôde gewyrcean, fromum feoh-giftum on fäder wine,
þät hine on ylde eft gewunigen wil-gesiðas, þonne wîg cume, leóde gelæsten.
lof-dædum sceal in mægða gehwære man geþeón.

Hrôðgâr maðelode, helm Scyldinga:
"Ic hine cûðe cniht-wesende. Wäs his eald-fäder Ecgþeó hâten, þäm tô hâm forgeaf Hrêðel Geáta ângan dôhtor; is his eafora nu heard her cumen, sôhte holdne wine."
Wes þu Hrôðgâr hâl! ic eom Higelâces mæg and mago-þegn; häbbe ic mærða fela ongunnen on geogoðe.

Gewât þâ neósian, syððan niht becom, heán hûses, hû hit Hring-Dene äfter beór-þege gebûn häfdon.
Fand þâ þær inne äðelinga gedriht swefan äfter symble; sorge ne cûðon, won-sceaft wera.
Wiht unhælo grim and grædig gearo sôna wäs, reóc and rêðe, and on räste genam þritig þegna.

Wes þu Hrôðgâr hâl! ic eom Higelâces mæg and mago-þegn; häbbe ic mærða fela ongunnen on geogoðe.
Me wearð Grendles þing on mînre êðel-tyrf undyrne cûð: secgað sæ-lîðend, þät þes sele stande, reced sêlesta, rinca gehwylcum îdel and unnyt, siððan æfen-leóht under heofenes hâdor beholen weorðeð.
Ic þät þonne forhicge, swâ me Higelâc sîe, mîn mon-drihten, môdes blîðe, þät ic sweord bere oððe sîdne scyld geolo-rand tô gûðe.

Þâ wäs Hrôðgâre here-spêd gyfen, wîges weorð-mynd, þät him his wine-mâgas georne hýrdon, ôð þät seó geogoð geweôx, mago-driht micel.
Him on môd bearn, þät heal-reced hâtan wolde, medo-ärn micel men gewyrcean, þone yldo bearn æfre gefrunon, and þær on innan eall gedælan geongum and ealdum, swylc him god sealde, bûton folc-scare and feorum gumena.
Nu ic suna mînum syllan wolde gûð-gewædu, þær me gifeðe swâ ænig yrfe-weard äfter wurde.

Him þâ Scyld gewât þu gescäp-hwîle fela-hrôr fêran on freán wære; hi hyne þâ ätbæron þu brimes faroðe, swæse gesiðas, swâ he selfa bäd.
Þær ät hýðe stôd hringed-stefna, îsig and ûtfûs, äðelinges fär; â-lêdon þâ leófne þeóden, beága bryttan on bearm scipes, mærne be mäste.
Þær wäs mâdma fela, of feor-wegum frätwa gelæded: ne hýrde ic cymlîcor ceól gegyrwan hilde-wæpnum and heaðo-wædum, billum and byrnum; him on bearme läg mâdma mänigo, þâ him mid scoldon on flôdes æht feor gewîtan.

Sceal se hearda helm hyrsted golde fätum befeallen, sceal frôd wîg-fold wâpned-geborgan, sceal se wonna wîg-hrefn wel mære weorðan, sceal æfter hæleða hryre hwate Scylfingas folc-ræd fremede oððe furður gen eorl-scipe efnde.
nalles Ic tê, Ellen-rof, þurh mînne selfes dom, mid sîde herige sêcean wolde, oððe þurh swylc swîðor-gewinn sêcean þeóden, swâ þu selfes gefeán moston, þurh holdne hige, þu þe her on standest.

Ic þäs leóde heóld fîftig wintra: näs se folc-cyning ymbe-sittendra ænig þâra, þe mec gûð-winum grêtan dorste, egesan þeón. Ic on earde bâd mæl-gesceafta, heóld mîn tela, ne sôhte searo-nîðas, ne me swôr fela âða on unriht.
Nu ys leódum wên orleg-hwîle, syððan underne Froncum and Frysum fyll cyninges wîde weorðeð.
Forþon sceall gâr wesan monig morgen-ceald mundum bewunden, häfen on handa, nalles hearpan swêg wîgend weccean, ac se wonna hrefn fûs ofer fægum, fela reordian, earne secgan, hû him ät æte speów, þenden he wið wulf wäl reáfode.