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| 8a | 1: Oft ic sceolde ana | 1: Often (or always) I had alone |
| 3: uhtna gehwylce | 2: to speak of my trouble |
| 2: mine ceare cwiþan. | 3: each morning before dawn. |
| Nis nu cwicra nan | There is none now living |
| 1: þe ic him 5: modsefan | 1: to whom I 2: dare |
| 4: minne 2: durre | 3: clearly speak |
| 3: sweotule asecgan. | 4: of my 5: innermost thoughts. |
| Ic to soþe wat | I know it truly, |
| 12a | þæt biþ in eorle | that it is in men |
| indryhten þeaw, | a noble custom, |
| 1: þæt he 3: his ferðlocan | 1: that one 2: should keep secure |
| 2: fæste binde, | 3: his spirit-chest (mind), |
| healde his hordcofan, | guard his treasure-chamber (thoughts), |
| hycge swa he wille. | think as he wishes. |
| Ne mæg werig mod | The weary spirit cannot |
| wyrde wiðstondan, | withstand fate (the turn of events), |
| 16a | ne se hreo hyge | nor does a rough or sorrowful mind |
| helpe gefremman. | do any good (perform anything helpful). |
| Forðon domgeorne | Thus those eager for glory |
| 3: dreorigne 1: oft | 1: often 2: keep secure |
| 4: in hyra breostcofan | 3: dreary thoughts |
| 2: bindað fæste; | 4: in their breast; |
| 1: swa ic 8: modsefan | 1: So I, |
| 7: minne 5: sceolde, | 2: often wretched and sorrowful, |
| 20a | 2: oft earmcearig, | 3: bereft of my homeland, |
| 3: eðle bidæled, | 4: far from noble kinsmen, |
| 4: freomægum feor | 5: have had to 6: bind in fetters |
| 6: feterum sælan, | 7: my 8: inmost thoughts, |
| siþþan geara iu | Since long years ago |
| 2: goldwine minne | 1: I hid 2: my lord |
| 3: hrusan heolstre 1: biwrah, | 3: in the darkness of the earth, |
| ond ic hean þonan | and I, wretched, from there |
| 24a | wod wintercearig | travelled most sorrowfully |
| ofer waþema gebind, | over the frozen waves, |
| sohte seledreorig | sought, sad at the lack of a hall, |
| sinces bryttan, | a giver of treasure, |
| hwær ic feor oþþe neah | where I, far or near, |
| findan meahte | might find |
| þone þe in meoduhealle | one in the meadhall who |
| mine wisse, | knew my people, |
| 28a | 1: oþþe 3: mec freondleasne | 1: or 2: wished to console |
| 2: frefran wolde, | 3: the friendless one, me, |
| wenian mid wynnum. | entertain (me) with delights. |
| Wat se þe cunnað | He who has tried it knows |
| hu sliþen bið | how cruel is |
| sorg to geferan | sorrow as a companion |
| þam þe him lyt hafað | to the one who has few |
| leofra geholena: | beloved friends: |
| 32a | warað hine wræclast, | the path of exile (wræclast) holds him, |
| nales wunden gold, | not at all twisted gold, |
| ferðloca freorig, | a frozen spirit, |
| nalæs foldan blæd. | not the bounty of the earth. |
| Gemon he selesecgas | He remembers hall-warriors |
| ond sincþege, | and the giving of treasure |
| 1: hu 5: hine 2: on geoguðe | 1: How 2: in youth 3: his lord (gold-friend) |
| 3: his goldwine | 4: accustomed 5: him |
| 36a | 4: wenede 6: to wiste. | 6: to the feasting. |
| Wyn eal gedreas! | All the joy has died! |
| | |
| Forþon wat se þe sceal | And so he knows it, he who must |
| 3: his 5: winedryhtnes | 1: forgo for a long time |
| 4: leofes 2: larcwidum | 2: the counsels |
| 1: longe forþolian: | 3: of his 4: beloved 5: lord: |
| ðonne sorg ond slæð | Then sorrow and sleep |
| somod ætgædre | both together |
| 40a | 2: earmne anhogan | 1: often tie up |
| 1: oft gebindað. | 2: the wretched solitary one. |
| þinceð him on mode | He thinks in his mind |
| 1: þæt he 3: his mondryhten | 1: that he 2: embraces and kisses |
| 2: clyppe ond cysse, | 3: his lord, |
| ond on cneo lecge | and on his (the lord's) knees lays |
| honda ond heafod, | his hands and his head, |
| swa he hwilum ær | Just as, at times (hwilum), before, |
| 44a | in geardagum | in days gone by, |
| giefstolas breac. | he enjoyed the gift-seat (throne). |
| 1: Ðonne 3: onwæcneð eft | 1: Then 2: the friendless man |
| 2: wineleas guma, | 3: wakes up again, |
| gesihð him biforan | He sees before him |
| fealwe wegas, | fallow waves |
| baþian brimfuglas, | Sea birds bathe, |
| brædan feþra, | preening their feathers, |
| 48a | hreosan hrim ond snaw | Frost and snow fall, |
| hagle gemenged. | mixed with hail. |
| | |
| Forþon ic geþencan ne mæg | Indeed I cannot think |
| 8: geond þas woruld | 1: why 2: my 3: spirit |
| 1: for hwan 3: modsefa | 4: does not darken |
| 2: min 4: ne gesweorce | 5: when I 6: ponder on the whole |
| 60a | 5: þonne ic 7: eorla lif | 7: life of men |
| 6: eal geondþence, | 8: throughout the world, |
| hu hi færlice | How they suddenly |
| flet ofgeafon, | left the floor (hall), |
| modge maguþegnas. | the proud thanes. |
| Swa þes middangeard | So this middle-earth, |
| ealra dogra gehwam | a bit each day, |
| dreoseð ond fealleð; | droops and decays - |
| 64a | 1: forþon 3: ne mæg weorþan wis | 1: Therefore 2: man (wer) |
| 2: wer, 4: ær he age | 3: cannot call himself wise, 4: before he has |
| wintra dæl in woruldrice. | a share of years in the world. |
| Wita sceal geþyldig, | A wise man must be patient, |
| ne sceal no to hatheort | He must never be too impulsive |
| ne to hrædwyrde, | nor too hasty of speech, |
| ne to wac wiga | nor too weak a warrior |
| ne to wanhydig, | nor too reckless, |
| 68a | ne to forht ne to fægen, | nor too fearful, nor too cheerful, |
| ne to feohgifre | nor too greedy for goods, |
| ne næfre gielpes to georn, | nor ever too eager for boasts, |
| ær he geare cunne. | before he sees clearly. |
| Beorn sceal gebidan, | A man must wait |
| þonne he beot spriceð, | when he speaks oaths, |
| oþþæt collenferð | until the proud-hearted one |
| cunne gearwe | sees clearly |
| 72a | hwider hreþra gehygd | whither the intent of his heart |
| hweorfan wille. | will turn. |
| Ongietan sceal gleaw hæle | A wise hero must realize |
| hu gæstlic bið, | how terrible it will be, |
| þonne ealre þisse worulde wela | when all the wealth of this world |
| weste stondeð, | lies waste, |
| swa nu missenlice | as now in various places |
| geond þisne middangeard | throughout this middle-earth |
| 76a | 2: winde biwaune | 1: walls stand, |
| 1: weallas stondaþ, | 2: blown by the wind, |
| hrime bihrorene, | covered with frost, |
| hryðge þa ederas. | storm-swept the buildings. |
| Woriað þa winsalo, | The halls decay, |
| waldend licgað | their lords lie |
| dreame bidrorene, | deprived of joy, |
| duguþ eal gecrong, | the whole troop has fallen, |
| 80a | wlonc bi wealle. | the proud ones, by the wall. |
| Sume wig fornom, | War took off some, |
| ferede in forðwege, | carried them on their way, |
| sumne fugel oþbær | one, the bird took off |
| ofer heanne holm, | across the deep sea, |
| sumne se hara wulf | one, the gray wolf |
| deaðe gedælde, | shared one with death, |
| sumne dreorighleor | one, the dreary-faced |
| 84a | 2: in eorðscræfe | 1: man buried |
| 1: eorl gehydde. | 2: in a grave. |
| Yþde swa þisne eardgeard | And so He destroyed this city, |
| ælda scyppend | He, the Creator of Men, |
| oþþæt 2: burgwara | until 1: deprived of the noise |
| 1: breahtma lease | 2: of the citizens, |
| eald enta geweorc | the ancient work of giants |
| idlu stodon. | stood empty. |
| | |
| 92a | Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago? [#] | Where is the horse gone? Where the rider? |
| Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa? | Where the giver of treasure? |
| Hwær cwom symbla gesetu? | Where are the seats at the feast? |
| Hwær sindon seledreamas? | Where are the revels in the hall? |
| Eala beorht bune! | Alas for the bright cup! |
| Eala byrnwiga! | Alas for the mailed warrior! |
| Eala þeodnes þrym! | Alas for the splendour of the prince! |
| Hu seo þrag gewat, | How that time has passed away, |
| 96a | genap under nihthelm, | dark under the cover of night, |
| swa heo no wære. | as if it had never been! |
| Stondeð nu on laste | Now there stands in the trace |
| leofre duguþe | of the beloved troop |
| weal wundrum heah, | a wall, wondrously high, |
| wyrmlicum fah. | wound round with serpents. |
| Eorlas fornoman | The warriors taken off |
| asca þryþe, | by the glory of spears, |
| 100a | wæpen wælgifru, | the weapons greedy for slaughter, |
| wyrd seo mære, | the famous fate (turn of events), |
| ond 2: þas stanhleoþu | and 1: storms beat |
| 1: stormas cnyssað, | 2: these rocky cliffs, |
| hrið hreosende | falling frost |
| hrusan bindeð, | fetters the earth, |
| wintres woma, | the harbinger of winter; |
| þonne won cymeð, | Then dark comes, |
| 104a | nipeð nihtscua, | nightshadows deepen, |
| norþan onsendeð | from the north there comes |
| hreo hæglfare | a rough hailstorm |
| hæleþum on andan. | in malice against men. |
| Eall is earfoðlic | All is troublesome |
| eorþan rice, | in this earthly kingdom, |
| onwendeð wyrda gesceaft | the turn of events changes |
| weoruld under heofonum. | the world under the heavens. |
| 108a | Her bið feoh læne, | Here money is fleeting, |
| her bið freond læne, | here friend is fleeting, |
| her bið mon læne, | here man is fleeting, |
| her bið mæg læne, | here kinsman is fleeting, |
| eal þis eorþan gesteal | all the foundation of this world |
| idel weorþeð! | turns to waste! |
| | |
| Swa cwæð snottor on mode, | So spake the wise man in his mind, |
| gesæt him sundor æt rune. | where he sat apart in counsel. |
| 112a | Til biþ se þe his treowe gehealdeþ, | Good is he who keeps his faith, |
| 2: ne sceal næfre 4: his torn 6: to rycene | And 1: a warrior 2: must never 3: speak |
| 1: beorn 5: of his breostum 3: acyþan, | 4: his grief 5: of his breast 6: too quickly, |
| nemþe he ær þa bote cunne, | unless he already knows the remedy - |
| eorl mid elne gefremman. | a hero must act with courage. |
| Wel bið þam þe him are seceð, | It is better for the one that seeks mercy, |
| frofre to Fæder on heofonum, | consolation from the father in the heavens, |
| þær us eal seo fæstnung stondeð. | where, for us, all permanence rests. |