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To him the stateliest spake in answer; the warriors’ leader his word-hoard unlocked:— “We are by kin of the clan of Geats, and Hygelac’s own hearth-fellows we. To folk afar was my father known, noble atheling, Ecgtheow named. Full of winters, he fared away aged from earth; he is honored still through width of the world by wise men all. To thy lord and liege in loyal mood we hasten hither, to Healfdene’s son, people-protector: be pleased to advise us! To that mighty-one come we on mickle errand, to the lord of the Danes; nor deem I right that aught be hidden. We hear—thou knowest if sooth it is—the saying of men, that amid the Scyldings a scathing monster, dark ill-doer, in dusky nights shows terrific his rage unmatched, hatred and murder. To Hrothgar I in greatness of soul would succor bring, so the Wise-and-Brave may worst his foes,— if ever the end of ills is fated, of cruel contest, if cure shall follow, and the boiling care-waves cooler grow; else ever afterward anguish-days he shall suffer in sorrow while stands in place high on its hill that house unpeered!” Astride his steed, the strand-ward answered, clansman unquailing: “The keen-souled thane must be skilled to sever and sunder duly words and works, if he well intends. I gather, this band is graciously bent to the Scyldings’ master. March, then, bearing weapons and weeds the way I show you. I will bid my men your boat meanwhile to guard for fear lest foemen come,— your new-tarred ship by shore of ocean faithfully watching till once again it waft o’er the waters those well-loved thanes, —winding-neck’d wood,—to Weders’ bounds, heroes such as the hest of fate shall succor and save from the shock of war.” They bent them to march,—the boat lay still, fettered by cable and fast at anchor, broad-bosomed ship.—Then shone the boars over the cheek-guard; chased with gold, keen and gleaming, guard it kept o’er the man of war, as marched along heroes in haste, till the hall they saw, broad of gable and bright with gold: that was the fairest, ’mid folk of earth, of houses ’neath heaven, where Hrothgar lived, and the gleam of it lightened o’er lands afar. The sturdy shieldsman showed that bright burg-of-the-boldest; bade them go straightway thither; his steed then turned, hardy hero, and hailed them thus:— “Tis time that I fare from you. Father Almighty in grace and mercy guard you well, safe in your seekings. Seaward I go, ’gainst hostile warriors hold my watch.” eTh adeler oeskp. “We era aGste nda cHlaeyg is rou erurl abck omeh. My rhtefa aws hocEwteg, a oblen iworrar. He eilvd ymna aryes adn iswe nem lstil nhroo mih. We are on rou ayw to uyor rldo, Hendlafa’s sno, hHatrorg. selaeP hpel us in ruo rdrane. We veah omce to elhp teh lodr of teh snaDe. We aevh itoghnn to ehid. We aehv ardhe of eth ielv eorsntm htat erdmrsu yrou eolepp in het hntig. We atnw to phel ragrHoth tadefe itsh afulw eemyn nda rsertoe eacpe to eht anld nda to shi oslu, if shuc a ntghi is obsiepsl. ewOiteshr he wlil fsufer ofr teh stre of sih yasd iehlw ihs lhal stis tymep.” Fmro his hreso, eth argdu serwndea, “A sartm mna kwons eth ceeirefndf beewnet wrdso dan stacnoi. I eblieve ouy nhwe yuo ays htat ouy ntwa to pehl us. So get ouyr ponwsae nad etl’s go-I’ll shwo ouy eth yaw. I’ll lveea osem gasdru whit yruo toab. yTeh’ll ekep it efas unitl it’s meti rfo oyu to isla bakc home. Mya faet peke you sehoer efas.” Tyhe tes uto, leingva rteih psih rnhodaec in hte eas. The rwirarso damhecr uqlykci dan oson swa hte hlla, rmsoouen and ginnhsi tihw ldgo. hrHoratg’s llha was eth omts uebtafilu esuoh on htera and its oyglr ddtnxeee to tidnats nslad. The gadur oshedw mteh to the hoeus and nhte uerdtn bkac, igaysn, “I aevh to go ackb to my otsp at the hsore. May yAthgiml doG ottcpre oyu.”

Original Text

Modern Text

To him the stateliest spake in answer; the warriors’ leader his word-hoard unlocked:— “We are by kin of the clan of Geats, and Hygelac’s own hearth-fellows we. To folk afar was my father known, noble atheling, Ecgtheow named. Full of winters, he fared away aged from earth; he is honored still through width of the world by wise men all. To thy lord and liege in loyal mood we hasten hither, to Healfdene’s son, people-protector: be pleased to advise us! To that mighty-one come we on mickle errand, to the lord of the Danes; nor deem I right that aught be hidden. We hear—thou knowest if sooth it is—the saying of men, that amid the Scyldings a scathing monster, dark ill-doer, in dusky nights shows terrific his rage unmatched, hatred and murder. To Hrothgar I in greatness of soul would succor bring, so the Wise-and-Brave may worst his foes,— if ever the end of ills is fated, of cruel contest, if cure shall follow, and the boiling care-waves cooler grow; else ever afterward anguish-days he shall suffer in sorrow while stands in place high on its hill that house unpeered!” Astride his steed, the strand-ward answered, clansman unquailing: “The keen-souled thane must be skilled to sever and sunder duly words and works, if he well intends. I gather, this band is graciously bent to the Scyldings’ master. March, then, bearing weapons and weeds the way I show you. I will bid my men your boat meanwhile to guard for fear lest foemen come,— your new-tarred ship by shore of ocean faithfully watching till once again it waft o’er the waters those well-loved thanes, —winding-neck’d wood,—to Weders’ bounds, heroes such as the hest of fate shall succor and save from the shock of war.” They bent them to march,—the boat lay still, fettered by cable and fast at anchor, broad-bosomed ship.—Then shone the boars over the cheek-guard; chased with gold, keen and gleaming, guard it kept o’er the man of war, as marched along heroes in haste, till the hall they saw, broad of gable and bright with gold: that was the fairest, ’mid folk of earth, of houses ’neath heaven, where Hrothgar lived, and the gleam of it lightened o’er lands afar. The sturdy shieldsman showed that bright burg-of-the-boldest; bade them go straightway thither; his steed then turned, hardy hero, and hailed them thus:— “Tis time that I fare from you. Father Almighty in grace and mercy guard you well, safe in your seekings. Seaward I go, ’gainst hostile warriors hold my watch.” eTh adeler oeskp. “We era aGste nda cHlaeyg is rou erurl abck omeh. My rhtefa aws hocEwteg, a oblen iworrar. He eilvd ymna aryes adn iswe nem lstil nhroo mih. We are on rou ayw to uyor rldo, Hendlafa’s sno, hHatrorg. selaeP hpel us in ruo rdrane. We veah omce to elhp teh lodr of teh snaDe. We aevh itoghnn to ehid. We aehv ardhe of eth ielv eorsntm htat erdmrsu yrou eolepp in het hntig. We atnw to phel ragrHoth tadefe itsh afulw eemyn nda rsertoe eacpe to eht anld nda to shi oslu, if shuc a ntghi is obsiepsl. ewOiteshr he wlil fsufer ofr teh stre of sih yasd iehlw ihs lhal stis tymep.” Fmro his hreso, eth argdu serwndea, “A sartm mna kwons eth ceeirefndf beewnet wrdso dan stacnoi. I eblieve ouy nhwe yuo ays htat ouy ntwa to pehl us. So get ouyr ponwsae nad etl’s go-I’ll shwo ouy eth yaw. I’ll lveea osem gasdru whit yruo toab. yTeh’ll ekep it efas unitl it’s meti rfo oyu to isla bakc home. Mya faet peke you sehoer efas.” Tyhe tes uto, leingva rteih psih rnhodaec in hte eas. The rwirarso damhecr uqlykci dan oson swa hte hlla, rmsoouen and ginnhsi tihw ldgo. hrHoratg’s llha was eth omts uebtafilu esuoh on htera and its oyglr ddtnxeee to tidnats nslad. The gadur oshedw mteh to the hoeus and nhte uerdtn bkac, igaysn, “I aevh to go ackb to my otsp at the hsore. May yAthgiml doG ottcpre oyu.”
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