Hwæt! We Gardena      in geardagum,

þeodcyninga,      þrym gefrunon,

hu ða æþelingas      ellen fremedon.

Oft Scyld Scefing      sceaþena þreatum,

monegum mægþum,      meodosetla ofteah,

egsode eorlas .      Syððan ærest wearð

feasceaft funden,      he þæs frofre gebad,

weox under wolcnum,      weorðmyndum þah,

oðþæt him æghwylc      þara ymbsittendra

ofer hronrade      hyran scolde,

gomban gyldan.      þæt wæs god cyning!

ðæm eafera wæs      æfter cenned,

geong in geardum,      þone god sende

folce to frofre;      fyrenðearfe ongeat

þe hie ær drugon      aldorlease

lange hwile.      Him þæs liffrea,

wuldres wealdend,      woroldare forgeaf;

Beowulf wæs breme      (blæd wide sprang),

Scyldes eafera      Scedelandum in.

Swa sceal geong guma      gode gewyrcean,

fromum feohgiftum      on fæder bearme ,

LO, praise of the prowess of people-kings

of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped,

we have heard, and what honor the athelings won!

Oft Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes,

from many a tribe, the mead-bench tore,

awing the earls. Since erst he lay

friendless, a foundling, fate repaid him:

for he waxed under welkin, in wealth he throve,

till before him the folk, both far and near,

who house by the whale-path, heard his mandate,

gave him gifts: a good king he!

To him an heir was afterward born,

a son in his halls, whom heaven sent

to favor the folk, feeling their woe

that erst they had lacked an earl for leader

so long a while; the Lord endowed him,

the Wielder of Wonder, with world's renown.

Famed was this Beowulf:

far flew the boast of him,

son of Scyld, in the Scandian lands.

So becomes it a youth to quit him well

with his father's friends, by fee and gift,