"þät þec âdl oððe ecg eafoðes getwæfeð,
1765 "oððe fýres feng oððe flôdes wylm,
"oððe gripe mêces oððe gâres fliht,
"oððe atol yldo, oððe eágena bearhtm
"forsiteð and forsworceð; semninga bið,
"þät þec, dryht-guma, deáð oferswýðeð.
1770 "Swâ ic Hring-Dena hund missera
"weóld under wolcnum, and hig wîge beleác
"manigum mægða geond þysne middan-geard,
"äscum and ecgum, þät ic me ænigne
"under swegles begong gesacan ne tealde.
1775 "Hwät! me þäs on êðle edwenden cwom,
"gyrn äfter gomene, seoððan Grendel wearð,
"eald-gewinna, in-genga mîn:
"ic þære sôcne singales wäg
"môd-ceare micle. Þäs sig metode þanc,
1780 "êcean drihtne, þäs þe ic on aldre gebâd,
"þät ic on þone hafelan heoro-dreórigne
"ofer eald gewin eágum starige!
"Gâ nu tô setle, symbel-wynne dreóh
"wîgge weorðad: unc sceal worn fela
1785 "mâðma gemænra, siððan morgen bið."
Geát wäs gläd-môd, geóng sôna tô,
setles neósan, swâ se snottra hêht.
Þâ wäs eft swâ ær ellen-rôfum,
flet-sittendum fägere gereorded
1790 niówan stefne. Niht-helm geswearc
deorc ofer dryht-gumum. Duguð eal ârâs;
wolde blonden-feax beddes neósan,
gamela Scylding. Geát ungemetes wel,