Þâ com of môre under mist-hleoðum Grendel gongan, godes yrre bär. Mynte se mân-scaða manna cynnes sumne besyrwan in sele þam heán; 715 wôd under wolcnum, tô þäs þe he wîn-reced, gold-sele gumena, gearwost wisse fättum fâhne. Ne wäs þät forma sîð, þät he Hrôðgâres hâm gesôhte: næfre he on aldor-dagum ær ne siððan 720 heardran häle, heal-þegnas fand! Com þâ tô recede rinc sîðian dreámum bedæled. Duru sôna onarn fýr-bendum fäst, syððan he hire folmum hrân; onbräd þâ bealo-hydig, þâ he âbolgen wäs, 725 recedes mûðan. Raðe äfter þon on fâgne flôr feónd treddode, eode yrre-môd; him of eágum stôd lîge gelîcost leóht unfäger. Geseah he in recede rinca manige, 730 swefan sibbe-gedriht samod ätgädere, mago-rinca heáp: þâ his môd âhlôg, mynte þät he gedælde, ær þon däg cwôme, atol aglæca, ânra gehwylces lîf wið lîce, þâ him âlumpen wäs 735 wist-fylle wên. Ne wäs þät wyrd þâ gen, þät he mâ môste manna cynnes þicgean ofer þâ niht. Þrýð-swýð beheóld mæg Higelâces, hû se mân-scaða under fær-gripum gefaran wolde. 740 Ne þät se aglæca yldan þôhte, ac he gefêng hraðe forman siðe slæpendne rinc, slât unwearnum, bât bân-locan, blôd êdrum dranc, syn-snædum swealh: sôna häfde 745 unlyfigendes eal gefeormod fêt and folma. Forð neár ätstôp, nam þâ mid handa hige-þihtigne rinc on räste; ræhte ongeán feónd mid folme, he onfêng hraðe 750 inwit-þancum and wið earm gesät. Sôna þät onfunde fyrena hyrde, þät he ne mêtte middan-geardes eorðan sceáta on elran men mund-gripe mâran: he on môde wearð 755 forht on ferhðe, nô þý ær fram meahte; hyge wäs him hin-fûs, wolde on heolster fleón, sêcan deófla gedräg: ne wäs his drohtoð þær, swylce he on ealder-dagum ær gemêtte. Gemunde þâ se gôda mæg Higelâces 760 æfen-spræce, up-lang âstôd and him fäste wiðfêng. Fingras burston; eoten wäs ût-weard, eorl furður stôp. Mynte se mæra, þær he meahte swâ, wîdre gewindan and on weg þanon 765 fleón on fen-hopu; wiste his fingra geweald on grames grâpum. Þät wäs geócor sîð, þät se hearm-scaða tô Heorute âteáh: dryht-sele dynede, Denum eallum wearð, ceaster-bûendum, cênra gehwylcum, 770 eorlum ealu-scerwen. Yrre wæron begen, rêðe rên-weardas. Reced hlynsode; þâ wäs wundor micel, þät se wîn-sele wiðhäfde heaðo-deórum, þät he on hrusan ne feól, fäger fold-bold; ac he þäs fäste wäs 775 innan and ûtan îren-bendum searo-þoncum besmiðod. Þær fram sylle âbeág medu-benc monig mîne gefræge,