Hƿæt! Ƿe Gardena in geardagum, þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon. Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum,

monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah, egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest ƿearð feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad, ƿeox under ƿolcnum, ƿeorðmyndum þah, oðþæt him æghƿylc þara ymbsittendra

ofer hronrade hyran scolde, gomban gyldan. þæt ƿæs god cyning! Ðæm eafera ƿæs æfter cenned, geong in geardum, þone god sende folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat

þe hie ær drugon aldorlease lange hƿile. Him þæs liffrea, ƿuldres ƿealdend, ƿoroldare forgeaf; Beoƿulf ƿæs breme (blæd ƿide sprang), Scyldes eafera Scedelandum in.

Sƿa sceal geong guma gode geƿyrcean, fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme, þæt hine on ylde eft geƿunigen wilgesiþas, þonne ƿig cume, leode gelæsten; lofdædum sceal

in mægþa gehƿære man geþeon. Him ða Scyld geƿat to gescæphƿile felahror feran on frean ƿære. Hi hyne þa ætbæron to brimes faroðe, sƿæse gesiþas, sƿa he selfa bæd,

þenden ƿordum ƿeold ƿine Scyldinga; leof landfruma lange ahte. þær æt hyðe stod hringedstefna, isig ond utfus, æþelinges fær. Aledon þa leofne þeoden,

beaga bryttan, on bearm scipes, mærne be mæste. þær ƿæs madma fela of feorƿegum, frætƿa, gelæded; ne hyrde ic cymlicor ceol gegyrƿan hildeƿæpnum ond heaðoƿædum,

billum ond byrnum; him on bearme læg madma mænigo, þa him mid scoldon on flodes æht feor geƿitan. Nalæs hi hine læssan lacum teodan, þeodgestreonum, þon þa dydon

þe hine æt frumsceafte forð onsendon ænne ofer yðe umborƿesende. þa gyt hie him asetton segen geldenne heah ofer heafod, leton holm beran, geafon on garsecg; him ƿæs geomor sefa,

murnende mod. Men ne cunnon secgan to soðe, selerædende, hæleð under heofenum, hƿa þæm hlæste onfeng.