Chapter XXXVI: Wiglaf Helps Beówulf in the Feud

Wîglâf wäs hâten Weoxstânes sunu,
leóflîc lind-wiga, leód Scylfinga,
2605 mæg Älfheres: geseah his mon-dryhten
under here-grîman hât þrowian.
Gemunde þâ þâ âre, þe he him ær forgeaf
wîc-stede weligne Wægmundinga,
folc-rihta gehwylc, swâ his fäder âhte;
2610 ne mihte þâ forhabban, hond rond gefêng,
geolwe linde, gomel swyrd geteáh,
þät wäs mid eldum Eánmundes lâf,
suna Ôhteres, þam ät säcce wearð
wracu wine-leásum Weohstânes bana
2615 mêces ecgum, and his mâgum ätbär
brûn-fâgne helm, hringde byrnan,
eald sweord eotonisc, þät him Onela forgeaf,
his gädelinges gûð-gewædu,
fyrd-searo fûslîc: nô ymbe þâ fæhðe spräc,
2620 þeáh þe he his brôðor bearn âbredwade.
He frätwe geheóld fela missera,
bill and byrnan, ôð þät his byre mihte
eorl-scipe efnan, swâ his ær-fäder;
geaf him þâ mid Geátum gûð-gewæda
2625 æghwäs unrîm; þâ he of ealdre gewât,
frôd on forð-weg. Þâ wäs forma sîð
geongan cempan, þät he gûðe ræs
mid his freó-dryhtne fremman sceolde;
ne gemealt him se môd-sefa, ne his mæges lâf
2630 gewâc ät wîge: þät se wyrm onfand,
syððan hie tôgädre gegân häfdon.
Wîglâf maðelode word-rihta fela,
sägde gesîðum, him wäs sefa geômor:
"Ic þät mæl geman, þær we medu þêgun,
2635 "þonne we gehêton ûssum hlâforde
"in biór-sele, þe ûs þâs beágas geaf,
"þät we him þâ gûð-geatwa gyldan woldon,
"gif him þyslîcu þearf gelumpe,
"helmas and heard sweord: þê he ûsic on herge geceás
2640 "tô þyssum sîð-fate sylfes willum,
"onmunde ûsic mærða and me þâs mâðmas geaf,
"þê he ûsic gâr-wîgend gôde tealde,
"hwate helm-berend, þeáh þe hlâford ûs
"þis ellen-weorc âna âþôhte
2645 "tô gefremmanne, folces hyrde,
"forþam he manna mæst mærða gefremede,
"dæda dollîcra. Nu is se däg cumen,
"þät ûre man-dryhten mägenes behôfað
"gôdra gûð-rinca: wutun gangan tô,
2650 "helpan hild-fruman, þenden hyt sý,
"glêd-egesa grim! God wât on mec,
"þät me is micle leófre, þät mînne lîc-haman
"mid mînne gold-gyfan glêd fäðmie.
"Ne þynceð me gerysne, þät we rondas beren
2655 "eft tô earde, nemne we æror mægen
"fâne gefyllan, feorh ealgian
"Wedra þiódnes. Ic wât geare,
"þät næron eald-gewyrht, þät he âna scyle
"Geáta duguðe gnorn þrowian,
2660 "gesîgan ät säcce: sceal ûrum þät sweord and helm,
"byrne and byrdu-scrûd bâm gemæne."
Wôd þâ þurh þone wäl-rêc, wîg-heafolan bär
freán on fultum, feá worda cwäð:
"Leófa Biówulf, læst eall tela,
2665 "swâ þu on geoguð-feore geâra gecwæde,
"þät þu ne âlæte be þe lifigendum
"dôm gedreósan: scealt nu dædum rôf,
"äðeling ân-hydig, ealle mägene
"feorh ealgian; ic þe fullæstu!"
2670 Äfter þâm wordum wyrm yrre cwom,
atol inwit-gäst ôðre sîðe,
fýr-wylmum fâh fiónda niósan,
lâðra manna; lîg-ýðum forborn
bord wið ronde: byrne ne meahte
2675 geongum gâr-wigan geóce gefremman:
ac se maga geonga under his mæges scyld
elne geeode, þâ his âgen wäs
glêdum forgrunden. Þâ gen gûð-cyning
mærða gemunde, mägen-strengo,
2680 slôh hilde-bille, þät hyt on heafolan stôd
nîðe genýded: Nägling forbärst,
geswâc ät säcce sweord Biówulfes
gomol and græg-mæl. Him þät gifeðe ne wäs,
þät him îrenna ecge mihton
2685 helpan ät hilde; wäs sió hond tô strong,
se þe mêca gehwane mîne gefræge
swenge ofersôhte, þonne he tô säcce bär
wæpen wundrum heard, näs him wihte þê sêl.
Þâ wäs þeód-sceaða þriddan sîðe,
2690 frêcne fýr-draca fæhða gemyndig,
ræsde on þone rôfan, þâ him rûm âgeald,
hât and heaðo-grim, heals ealne ymbefêng
biteran bânum; he geblôdegod wearð
sâwul-drióre; swât ýðum weóll.