Nu sceall billes ecg, 2510 "hond and heard sweord ymb hord wîgan." Beówulf maðelode, beót-wordum spräc niéhstan sîðe: "Ic genêðde fela "gûða on geogoðe; gyt ic wylle, "frôd folces weard, fæhðe sêcan, 2515 "mærðum fremman, gif mec se mân-sceaða "of eorð-sele ût gesêceð!" Gegrêtte þâ gumena gehwylcne, hwate helm-berend hindeman sîðe, swæse gesîðas: "Nolde ic sweord beran, 2520 "wæpen tô wyrme, gif ic wiste hû "wið þam aglæcean elles meahte "gylpe wiðgrîpan, swâ ic gió wið Grendle dyde; "ac ic þær heaðu-fýres hâtes wêne, "rêðes and-hâttres: forþon ic me on hafu 2525 "bord and byrnan. Nelle ic beorges weard "oferfleón fôtes trem, feónd unhýre, "ac unc sceal weorðan ät wealle, swâ unc Wyrd geteóð, "metod manna gehwäs. Ic eom on môde from, "þät ic wið þone gûð-flogan gylp ofersitte. 2530 "Gebîde ge on beorge byrnum werede, "secgas on searwum, hwäðer sêl mæge "äfter wäl-ræse wunde gedýgan "uncer twega. Nis þät eówer sîð, "ne gemet mannes, nefne mîn ânes, 2535 "þät he wið aglæcean eofoðo dæle, "eorl-scype efne. Ic mid elne sceall "gold gegangan oððe gûð nimeð, "feorh-bealu frêcne, freán eówerne!" Ârâs þâ bî ronde rôf oretta, 2540 heard under helm, hioro-sercean bär under stân-cleofu, strengo getrûwode ânes mannes: ne bið swylc earges sîð. Geseah þâ be wealle, se þe worna fela, gum-cystum gôd, gûða gedîgde, 2545 hilde-hlemma, þonne hnitan fêðan, (stôd on stân-bogan) streám ût þonan brecan of beorge; wäs þære burnan wälm heaðo-fýrum hât: ne meahte horde neáh unbyrnende ænige hwîle 2550 deóp gedýgan for dracan lêge. Lêt þâ of breóstum, þâ he gebolgen wäs, Weder-Geáta leód word ût faran, stearc-heort styrmde; stefn in becom heaðo-torht hlynnan under hârne stân. 2555 Hete wäs onhrêred, hord-weard oncniów mannes reorde; näs þær mâra fyrst, freóde tô friclan. From ærest cwom oruð aglæcean ût of stâne, hât hilde-swât; hruse dynede. 2560 Biorn under beorge bord-rand onswâf wið þam gryre-gieste, Geáta dryhten: þâ wäs hring-bogan heorte gefýsed säcce tô sêceanne. Sweord ær gebräd gôd gûð-cyning gomele lâfe, 2565 ecgum ungleáw, æghwäðrum wäs bealo-hycgendra brôga fram ôðrum. Stîð-môd gestôd wið steápne rond winia bealdor, þâ se wyrm gebeáh snûde tôsomne: he on searwum bâd. 2570 Gewât þâ byrnende gebogen scrîðan tô, gescîfe scyndan. Scyld wel gebearg lîfe and lîce lässan hwîle mærum þeódne, þonne his myne sôhte, þær he þý fyrste forman dôgore