Hwæt! We Gardena         in geardagum,  
     þeodcyninga,         þrym gefrunon,  
     hu ða æþelingas         ellen fremedon.  
     Oft Scyld Scefing         sceaþena þreatum,  
5 monegum mægþum,         meodosetla ofteah,  
     egsode eorlas.         Syððan ærest wearð  
     feasceaft funden,         he þæs frofre gebad,  
     weox under wolcnum,         weorðmyndum þah,  
     oðþæt him æghwylc         þara ymbsittendra  
10 ofer hronrade         hyran scolde,  
     gomban gyldan.         þæt wæs god cyning!  
     ðæm eafera wæs         æfter cenned,  
     geong in geardum,         þone god sende  
     folce to frofre;         fyrenðearfe ongeat  
15 þe hie ær drugon         aldorlease  
     lange hwile.         Him þæs liffrea,  
     wuldres wealdend,         woroldare forgeaf;  
     Beowulf wæs breme         (blæd wide sprang),  
     Scyldes eafera         Scedelandum in.  
20 Swa sceal geong guma         gode gewyrcean,  
     fromum feohgiftum         on fæder bearme,  
     þæt hine on ylde         eft gewunigen  
     wilgesiþas,         þonne wig cume,  
     leode gelæsten;         lofdædum sceal  
25 in mægþa gehwære         man geþeon.  
     Him ða Scyld gewat         to gescæphwile  
     felahror feran         on frean wære.  
     Hi hyne þa ætbæron         to brimes faroðe,  
     swæse gesiþas,         swa he selfa bæd,  
30 þenden wordum weold         wine Scyldinga;  
     leof landfruma         lange ahte.  
     þær æt hyðe stod         hringedstefna,  
     isig ond utfus,         æþelinges fær.  
     Aledon þa         leofne þeoden, 
35 beaga bryttan,         on bearm scipes,
     mærne be mæste.         þær wæs madma fela 
     of feorwegum,         frætwa, gelæded; 
     ne hyrde ic cymlicor         ceol gegyrwan 
     hildewæpnum         ond heaðowædum, 
40 billum ond byrnum;         him on bearme læg 
     madma mænigo,         þa him mid scoldon 
     on flodes æht         feor gewitan. 
     Nalæs hi hine læssan         lacum teodan, 
     þeodgestreonum,         þon þa dydon 
45 þe hine æt frumsceafte         forð onsendon 
     ænne ofer yðe         umborwesende. 
     þa gyt hie him asetton         segen geldenne 
     heah ofer heafod,         leton holm beran, 
     geafon on garsecg;         him wæs geomor sefa, 
50 murnende mod.         Men ne cunnon 
     secgan to soðe,         selerædende, 
     hæleð under heofenum,         hwa þæm hlæste onfeng. 
     ða wæs on burgum         Beowulf Scyldinga, 
     leof leodcyning,         longe þrage 
55 folcum gefræge         (fæder ellor hwearf, 
     aldor of earde),         oþþæt him eft onwoc 
     heah Healfdene;         heold þenden lifde, 
     gamol ond guðreouw,         glæde Scyldingas. 
     ðæm feower bearn         forð gerimed 
60 in worold wocun,         weoroda ræswan, 
     Heorogar ond Hroðgar         ond Halga til; 
     hyrde ic þæt         wæs Onelan cwen, 
     Heaðoscilfingas         healsgebedda. 
     þa wæs Hroðgare         heresped gyfen, 
65 wiges weorðmynd,         þæt him his winemagas 
     georne hyrdon,         oðð þæt seo geogoð geweox, 
     magodriht micel.         Him on mod bearn 
     þæt healreced         hatan wolde, 
     medoærn micel,         men gewyrcean 
70 þonne yldo bearn         æfre gefrunon, 
     ond þær on innan         eall gedælan 
     geongum ond ealdum,         swylc him god sealde, 
     buton folcscare         ond feorum gumena. 
     ða ic wide gefrægn         weorc gebannan 
75 manigre mægþe         geond þisne middangeard, 
     folcstede frætwan.         Him on fyrste gelomp, 
     ædre mid yldum,         þæt hit wearð ealgearo, 
     healærna mæst;         scop him Heort naman 
     se þe his wordes geweald         wide hæfde. 
80 He beot ne aleh,         beagas dælde, 
     sinc æt symle.         Sele hlifade, 
     heah ond horngeap,         heaðowylma bad, 
     laðan liges;         ne wæs hit lenge þa gen 
     þæt se ecghete         aþumsweorum 
85 æfter wælniðe         wæcnan scolde. 
     ða se ellengæst         earfoðlice 
     þrage geþolode,         se þe in þystrum bad, 
     þæt he dogora gehwam         dream gehyrde 
     hludne in healle;         þær wæs hearpan sweg, 
90 swutol sang scopes.         Sægde se þe cuþe 
     frumsceaft fira         feorran reccan, 
     cwæð þæt se ælmihtiga         eorðan worhte, 
     wlitebeorhtne wang,         swa wæter bebugeð, 
     gesette sigehreþig         sunnan ond monan 
95 leoman to leohte         landbuendum 
     ond gefrætwade         foldan sceatas 
     leomum ond leafum,         lif eac gesceop 
     cynna gehwylcum         þara ðe cwice hwyrfaþ. 
     Swa ða drihtguman         dreamum lifdon 
100 eadiglice,         oððæt an ongan 
     fyrene fremman         feond on helle. 
     Wæs se grimma gæst         Grendel haten, 
     mære mearcstapa,         se þe moras heold, 
     fen ond fæsten;         fifelcynnes eard 
105 wonsæli wer         weardode hwile, 
     siþðan him scyppend         forscrifen hæfde 
     in Caines cynne.         þone cwealm gewræc 
     ece drihten,         þæs þe he Abel slog; 
     ne gefeah he þære fæhðe,         ac he hine feor forwræc, 
110 metod for þy mane,         mancynne fram. 
     þanon untydras         ealle onwocon, 
     eotenas ond ylfe         ond orcneas, 
     swylce gigantas,         þa wið gode wunnon 
     lange þrage;         he him ðæs lean forgeald. 
115 Gewat ða neosian,         syþðan niht becom, 
     hean huses,         hu hit Hringdene 
     æfter beorþege         gebun hæfdon. 
     Fand þa ðær inne         æþelinga gedriht 
     swefan æfter symble;         sorge ne cuðon, 
120 wonsceaft wera