Chapter XLII: Wîglaf Speaks. the Building of the Bale-Fire

Þâ wäs gesýne, þät se sîð ne þâh
3060 þam þe unrihte inne gehýdde
wräte under wealle. Weard ær ofslôh
feára sumne; þâ sió fæhð gewearð
gewrecen wrâðlîce. Wundur hwâr, þonne
eorl ellen-rôf ende gefêre
3065 lîf-gesceafta, þonne leng ne mäg
mon mid his mâgum medu-seld bûan.
Swâ wäs Biówulfe, þâ he biorges weard
sôhte, searo-nîðas: seolfa ne cûðe,
þurh hwät his worulde gedâl weorðan sceolde;
3070 swâ hit ôð dômes däg diópe benemdon
þeódnas mære, þâ þät þær dydon,
þät se secg wære synnum scildig,
hergum geheaðerod, hell-bendum fäst,
wommum gewitnad, se þone wong strâde.
3075 Näs he gold-hwät: gearwor häfde
âgendes êst ær gesceáwod.
Wîglâf maðelode, Wihstânes sunu:
"Oft sceall eorl monig ânes willan
"wræc âdreógan, swâ ûs geworden is.
3080 "Ne meahton we gelæran leófne þeóden,
"rîces hyrde ræd ænigne,
"þät he ne grêtte gold-weard þone,
"lête hyne licgean, þær he longe wäs,
"wîcum wunian ôð woruld-ende.
3085 "Heóldon heáh gesceap: hord ys gesceáwod,
"grimme gegongen; wäs þät gifeðe tô swîð,
"þe þone þeóden þyder ontyhte.
"Ic wäs þær inne and þät eall geond-seh,
"recedes geatwa, þâ me gerýmed wäs,
3090 "nealles swæslîce sîð âlýfed
"inn under eorð-weall. Ic on ôfoste gefêng
"micle mid mundum mägen-byrðenne
"hord-gestreóna, hider ût ätbär
"cyninge mînum: cwico wäs þâ gena,
3095 "wîs and gewittig; worn eall gespräc
"gomol on gehðo and eówic grêtan hêt,
"bäd þät ge geworhton äfter wines dædum
"in bæl-stede beorh þone heán
"micelne and mærne, swâ he manna wäs
3100 "wîgend weorð-fullost wîde geond eorðan,
"þenden he burh-welan brûcan môste.
"Uton nu êfstan ôðre sîðe
"seón and sêcean searo-geþräc,
"wundur under wealle! ic eów wîsige,
3105 "þät ge genôge neán sceáwiað
"beágas and brâd gold. Sîe sió bær gearo
"ädre geäfned, þonne we ût cymen,
"and þonne geferian freán ûserne,
"leófne mannan, þær he longe sceal
3110 "on þäs waldendes wære geþolian."
Hêt þâ gebeódan byre Wihstânes,
häle hilde-diór, häleða monegum
bold-âgendra, þät hie bæl-wudu
feorran feredon, folc-âgende
3115 gôdum tôgênes: "Nu sceal glêd fretan
"(weaxan wonna lêg) wîgena strengel,
"þone þe oft gebâd îsern-scûre,
"þonne stræla storm, strengum gebæded,
"scôc ofer scild-weall, sceft nytte heóld,
3120 "feðer-gearwum fûs flâne full-eode."
Hûru se snotra sunu Wihstânes
âcîgde of corðre cyninges þegnas
syfone tôsomne þâ sêlestan,
eode eahta sum under inwit-hrôf;
3125 hilde-rinc sum on handa bär
äled-leóman, se þe on orde geóng.
Näs þâ on hlytme, hwâ þät hord strude,
syððan or-wearde ænigne dæl
secgas gesêgon on sele wunian,
3130 læne licgan: lyt ænig mearn,
þät hi ôfostlice ût geferedon
dýre mâðmas; dracan êc scufun,
wyrm ofer weall-clif, lêton wæg niman,
flôd fäðmian frätwa hyrde.
3135 Þær wäs wunden gold on wæn hladen,
æghwäs unrîm, äðeling boren,
hâr hilde-rinc tô Hrones nässe.