Chapter IV: Hygelac's Thane

Swâ þâ mæl-ceare maga Healfdenes
190 singala seáð; ne mihte snotor häleð
weán onwendan: wäs þät gewin tô swýð,
lâð and longsum, þe on þâ leóde becom,
nýd-wracu nîð-grim, niht-bealwa mæst.
Þät fram hâm gefrägn Higelâces þegn,
195 gôd mid Geátum, Grendles dæda:
se wäs mon-cynnes mägenes strengest
on þäm däge þysses lîfes,
äðele and eácen. Hêt him ýð-lidan
gôdne gegyrwan; cwäð he gûð-cyning
200 ofer swan-râde sêcean wolde,
mærne þeóden, þâ him wäs manna þearf.
Þone sîð-fät him snotere ceorlas
lyt-hwôn lôgon, þeáh he him leóf wære;
hwetton higerôfne, hæl sceáwedon.
205 Häfde se gôda Geáta leóda
cempan gecorone, þâra þe he cênoste
findan mihte; fîftena sum
sund-wudu sôhte; secg wîsade,
lagu-cräftig mon, land-gemyrcu.
210 Fyrst forð gewât: flota wäs on ýðum,
bât under beorge. Beornas gearwe
on stefn stigon; streámas wundon
sund wið sande; secgas bæron
on bearm nacan beorhte frätwe,
215 gûð-searo geatolîc; guman ût scufon,
weras on wil-sîð wudu bundenne.
Gewât þâ ofer wæg-holm winde gefýsed
flota fâmig-heals fugle gelîcost,
ôð þät ymb ân-tîd ôðres dôgores
220 wunden-stefna gewaden häfde,
þät þâ lîðende land gesâwon,
brim-clifu blîcan, beorgas steápe,
sîde sæ-nässas: þâ wäs sund liden,
eoletes ät ende. Þanon up hraðe
225 Wedera leóde on wang stigon,
sæ-wudu sældon (syrcan hrysedon,
gûð-gewædo); gode þancedon,
þäs þe him ýð-lâde eáðe wurdon.
Þâ of wealle geseah weard Scildinga,
230 se þe holm-clifu healdan scolde,
beran ofer bolcan beorhte randas,
fyrd-searu fûslîcu; hine fyrwyt bräc
môd-gehygdum, hwät þâ men wæron.
Gewât him þâ tô waroðe wicge rîdan
235 þegn Hrôðgâres, þrymmum cwehte
mägen-wudu mundum, meðel-wordum frägn:
"Hwät syndon ge searo-häbbendra
"byrnum werede, þe þus brontne ceól
"ofer lagu-stræte lædan cwômon,
240 "hider ofer holmas helmas bæron?
"Ic wäs ende-sæta, æg-wearde heóld,
"þät on land Dena lâðra nænig
"mid scip-herge sceððan ne meahte.
"Nô her cûðlîcor cuman ongunnon
245 "lind-häbbende; ne ge leáfnes-word
"gûð-fremmendra gearwe ne wisson,
"mâga gemêdu. Næfre ic mâran geseah
"eorla ofer eorðan, þonne is eówer sum,
"secg on searwum; nis þät seld-guma
250 "wæpnum geweorðad, näfne him his wlite leóge,
"ænlîc an-sýn. Nu ic eówer sceal
"frum-cyn witan, ær ge fyr heonan
"leáse sceáweras on land Dena
"furður fêran. Nu ge feor-bûend,
255 "mere-lîðende, mînne gehýrað
"ân-fealdne geþôht: ôfost is sêlest
"tô gecýðanne, hwanan eówre cyme syndon."