Þâ se gäst ongan glêdum spîwan, beorht hofu bärnan; bryne-leóma stôd 2315 eldum on andan; nô þær âht cwices lâð lyft-floga læfan wolde. Wäs þäs wyrmes wîg wîde gesýne, nearo-fâges nîð neán and feorran, hû se gûð-sceaða Geáta leóde 2320 hatode and hýnde: hord eft gesceát, dryht-sele dyrnne ær däges hwîle. Häfde land-wara lîge befangen, bæle and bronde; beorges getrûwode, wîges and wealles: him seó wên geleáh. 2325 Þâ wäs Biówulfe brôga gecýðed snûde tô sôðe, þät his sylfes him bolda sêlest bryne-wylmum mealt, gif-stôl Geáta. Þät þam gôdan wäs hreów on hreðre, hyge-sorga mæst: 2330 wênde se wîsa, þät he wealdende, ofer ealde riht, êcean dryhtne bitre gebulge: breóst innan weóll þeóstrum geþoncum, swâ him geþýwe ne wäs. Häfde lîg-draca leóda fästen, 2335 eá-lond ûtan, eorð-weard þone glêdum forgrunden. Him þäs gûð-cyning, Wedera þióden, wräce leornode. Hêht him þâ gewyrcean wîgendra hleó eall-îrenne, eorla dryhten 2340 wîg-bord wrätlîc; wisse he gearwe, þät him holt-wudu helpan ne meahte, lind wið lîge. Sceolde læn-daga äðeling ær-gôd ende gebîdan worulde lîfes and se wyrm somod; 2345 þeáh þe hord-welan heólde lange. Oferhogode þâ hringa fengel, þät he þone wîd-flogan weorode gesôhte, sîdan herge; nô he him þâ säcce ondrêd, ne him þäs wyrmes wîg for wiht dyde, 2350 eafoð and ellen; forþon he ær fela nearo nêðende nîða gedîgde, hilde-hlemma, syððan he Hrôðgâres, sigor-eádig secg, sele fælsode and ät gûðe forgrâp Grendeles mægum, 2355 lâðan cynnes. Nô þät läsest wäs hond-gemota, þær mon Hygelâc slôh, syððan Geáta cyning gûðe ræsum, freá-wine folces Freslondum on, Hrêðles eafora hioro-dryncum swealt, 2360 bille gebeáten; þonan Biówulf com sylfes cräfte, sund-nytte dreáh; + häfde him on earme ... XXX hilde-geatwa, þâ he tô holme stâg. Nealles Hetware hrêmge þorfton 2365 fêðe-wîges, þe him foran ongeán linde bæron: lyt eft becwom fram þam hild-frecan hâmes niósan. Oferswam þâ sióleða bigong sunu Ecgþeówes, earm ân-haga eft tô leódum, 2370 þær him Hygd gebeád hord and rîce, beágas and brego-stôl: bearne ne trûwode, þät he wið äl-fylcum êðel-stôlas healdan cûðe, þâ wäs Hygelâc deád. Nô þý ær feá-sceafte findan meahton 2375 ät þam äðelinge ænige þinga, þät he Heardrêde hlâford wære, oððe þone cyne-dôm ciósan wolde; hwäðre he him on folce freónd-lârum heóld, êstum mid âre, ôð þät he yldra wearð, 2380 Weder-Geátum weóld. Hyne wräc-mäcgas