Beowulf by Anonymous, James Albert Harrison, Robert Sharp, John Lesslie Hall
XVII. Song of Hrothgar's Poet—The Lay of Hnaef and Hengest
Þâ gyt æghwylcum eorla drihten
þâra þe mid Beówulfe brim-lâde teáh,
on þære medu-bence mâððum gesealde,
yrfe-lâfe, and þone ænne hêht
golde forgyldan, þone þe Grendel ær
mâne âcwealde, swâ he hyra mâ wolde,
nefne him witig god wyrd forstôde
and þäs mannes môd: metod eallum weóld
gumena cynnes, swâ he nu git dêð;
forþan bið andgit æghwær sêlest,
ferhðes fore-þanc! fela sceal gebîdan
leófes and lâðes, se þe longe her
on þyssum win-dagum worolde brûceð.
Þær wäs sang and swêg samod ätgädere
fore Healfdenes hilde-wîsan,
gomen-wudu grêted, gid oft wrecen,
þonne heal-gamen Hrôðgâres scôp
äfter medo-bence mænan scolde
Finnes eaferum, þâ hie se fær begeat:
"Häleð Healfdenes, Hnäf Scyldinga,
"in Fr..es wäle feallan scolde.
"Ne hûru Hildeburh hêrian þorfte
"Eotena treówe: unsynnum wearð
"beloren leófum ät þam lind-plegan
"bearnum and brôðrum; hie on gebyrd hruron
"gâre wunde; þät wäs geômuru ides.
"Nalles hôlinga Hôces dôhtor
"meotod-sceaft bemearn, syððan morgen com,
"þâ heó under swegle geseón meahte
"morðor-bealo mâga, þær heó ær mæste heóld
"worolde wynne: wîg ealle fornam
"Finnes þegnas, nemne feáum ânum,
"þät he ne mehte on þäm meðel-stede
"wîg Hengeste wiht gefeohtan,
"ne þâ weá-lâfe wîge forþringan
"þeódnes þegne; ac hig him geþingo budon,
"þät hie him ôðer flet eal gerýmdon,
"healle and heáh-setl, þät hie healfre geweald
"wið Eotena bearn âgan môston,
"and ät feoh-gyftum Folcwaldan sunu
"dôgra gehwylce Dene weorðode,
"Hengestes heáp hringum wenede,
"efne swâ swîðe sinc-gestreónum
"fättan goldes, swâ he Fresena cyn
"on beór-sele byldan wolde.
"Þâ hie getrûwedon on twâ healfa
"fäste frioðu-wære; Fin Hengeste
"elne unflitme âðum benemde,
"þät he þâ weá-lâfe weotena dôme
"ârum heolde, þät þær ænig mon
"wordum ne worcum wære ne bræce,
"ne þurh inwit-searo æfre gemænden,
"þeáh hie hira beág-gyfan banan folgedon
"þeóden-leáse, þâ him swâ geþearfod wäs:
"gyf þonne Frysna hwylc frêcnan spræce
"þäs morðor-hetes myndgiend wære,
"þonne hit sweordes ecg syððan scolde.
"Âð wäs geäfned and icge gold
"âhäfen of horde. Here-Scyldinga
"betst beado-rinca wäs on bæl gearu;
"ät þäm âde wäs êð-gesýne
"swât-fâh syrce, swýn eal-gylden,
"eofer îren-heard, äðeling manig
"wundum âwyrded; sume on wäle crungon.
"Hêt þâ Hildeburh ät Hnäfes âde
"hire selfre sunu sweoloðe befästan,
"bân-fatu bärnan and on bæl dôn.
"Earme on eaxle ides gnornode,
"geômrode giddum; gûð-rinc âstâh.
"Wand tô wolcnum wäl-fýra mæst,
"hlynode for hlâwe; hafelan multon,
"ben-geato burston, þonne blôd ätspranc
"lâð-bite lîces. Lîg ealle forswealg,
"gæsta gîfrost, þâra þe þær gûð fornam
"bega folces; wäs hira blæd scacen.