ic maguþegnas mine hate
wið feonda gehwone flotan eowerne,
niwtyrwydne nacan on sande 295
arum healdan, oþ ðæt eft byreð
ofer lagustreamas leofne mannan
wudu wundenhals to Wedermearce,
Be good to us with words of your counsel!
We have a grand mission to fulfill for the renowned 270
Lord of the Danes; there shall not be anything
Hidden, of which I think. You know—if it is
Indeed so as we have heard—that with the Danes
A ravager, of what sort I do not know,
An unknown evil-doer in the dark nights, 275
Manifests in a terrible manner strange hostility,
Injury, and slaughter; about this I can offer
Advice to Hrothgar in all good intention
On how he, wise and good, can overcome the fiend,
If reversal, relief from the distress of the afflictions, 280
Should ever come for him again,
And the boiling of care may become cooler;
Or ever after he will have to endure tribulation
And distress, so long as stands there
On the lofty place even the best of all halls.” 285
The watchman spoke, seated on his horse,
A dauntless officer: “A sharp shield-bearer
Shall be a judge of each of the two,
Words and deeds, if he can think well.
I hear that this is a band of men well-disposed 290
To the lord of the Danes. Go forth, bearing
Your arms and armors. I will lead you;
Also I will order my young retainers to guard
Your ship against any of the enemies—
Your fresh-tarred boat on the shore— 295
Upon their honor, till again it will bear
Over the sea-streams its dear man—
The ship with a curved prow—to the land of the Geats.
godfremmendra swylcum gifeþe bið
þæt þone hilderæs hal gedigeð.” 300
Gewiton him þa feran. Flota stille bad,
seomode on sale sidfæþmed scip,
on ancre fæst. Eoforlic scionon
ofer hleorber[g]an gehroden golde,
fah ond fyrheard; ferhwearde heold 305
guþmod grimmon.* Guman onetton,
sigon ætsomne, oþ þæt hy sæl timbred,
geatolic ond goldfah, ongyton mihton;
þæt wæs foremærost foldbuendum
receda under roderum, on þæm se rica bad; 310
lixte se leoma ofer landa fela.
Him þa hildedeor hof modigra
torht getæhte, þæt hie him to mihton
gegnum gangan; guðbeorna sum
wicg gewende, word æfter cwæð: 315
“Mæl is me to feran; Fæder alwalda
mid ar-stafum eowic gehealde
siða gesunde! Ic to sæ wille
wið wrað werod wearde healdan.”
(V) Stræt wæs stanfah, stig wisode 320
gumum ætgædere. Guðbyrne scan
heard hondlocen, hringiren scir
song in searwum, þa hie to sele furðum
in hyra gryregeatwum gangan cwomon.
Setton sæmeþe side scyldas, 325
rondas regnhearde, wið þæs recedes weal,
bugon þa to bence; byrnan hringdon,
guðsearo gumena; garas stodon,
Be it granted to such of those acting bravely
That he pass through a battle-storm, unharmed.” 300
Then they set out. The ship stayed still;
The wide-floored ship remained attached to a rope,
Fastened on anchor. The boar-figures shone
Over the cheek-guards decorated with gold,
Glittering and fire-hardened: the warlike emblem held 305
Guard over life for the grim fighters. Men hastened,
Marched together, till they could see
A timbered hall stately and gold-adorned.
That was the hall most renowned under the sky
Among earth-dwellers, in which the mighty one dwelled; 310
Its beam shone over many a land.
Then the battle-brave one pointed out for them
The bright dwelling of the brave, so that they might
Go straight to it. A worthy warrior as he was,
He turned his horse, and spoke thus: 315
“Time for me to turn back. The Almighty Father
May guard you with His favors,
Safe in your ventures! I will to the sea,
And return to my task of guarding against any foes.”
(V) The road was paved with stones, the path led 320
The
