XXXVI. WIGLAF HELPS BEÓWULF IN THE FEUD

Wîglâf wäs hâten Weoxstânes sunu,

leóflîc lind-wiga, leód Scylfinga,

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;

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

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,

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

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

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,

"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

"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

"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,

"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

"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,

"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,

"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!"

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

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,

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

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,

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.