The Parting Words
Beówulf maðelode, bearn Ecgþeówes:"Nu we sæ-lîðend secgan wyllað"feorran cumene, þät we fundiað"Higelâc sêcan. Wæron her tela"willum bewenede; þu ûs wel dohtest."Gif ic þonne on eorðan ôwihte mäg"þînre môd-lufan mâran tilian,"gumena dryhten, þonne ic gyt dyde,"gûð-geweorca ic beó gearo sôna."Gif ic þät gefricge ofer flôda begang,"þät þec ymbe-sittend egesan þýwað,"swâ þec hetende hwîlum dydon,"ic þe þûsenda þegna bringe,"häleða tô helpe. Ic on Higelâce wât,"Geáta dryhten, þeáh þe he geong sý,
Beowulf spoke, son of Ecgtheow:“Now we seafarers wish to say,we who have comefrom far away, that we are eager to seek Hygelac.We were entertained here well, exactly as we wished;you have treated us with honor.If there is anything moreI can ever do, on this earth, to win your heart’s love,ruler of men, than what I have already done,I will be ready at once for deeds of war.If I learn, across the sea’s expanse,that your neighbors threaten you with terror,as enemies did before, I will bring youa thousand thanes, warriors to help you.I know of Hygelac, lord of the Geats,
"folces hyrde, þät he mec fremman wile"wordum and worcum, þät ic þe wel herige,"and þe tô geóce gâr-holt bere"mägenes fultum, þær þe bið manna þearf;"gif him þonne Hrêðrîc tô hofum Geáta"geþingeð, þeódnes bearn, he mäg þær fela"freónda findan: feor-cýððe beóð"sêlran gesôhte þäm þe him selfa deáh."Hrôðgâr maðelode him on andsware:"Þe þâ word-cwydas wittig drihten"on sefan sende! ne hýrde ic snotorlîcor"on swâ geongum feore guman þingian:"þu eart mägenes strang and on môde frôd,"wîs word-cwida. Wên ic talige,
protector of the people, that though he is young,he will back me with words and with deeds,so that I may honor you properly,and bring you a forest of spears as aid,the strength of my hand, wherever you need men;and if Hrethric should ever come to the court of the Geats,the king’s own son,he will find many friends there:far countries are best sought by one who is worthy in himself.”Hrothgar spoke to him in answer:“The wise Lord sent those very words into your mind!I never heard a man speak so wisely,and so young. You are strong in mightand wise in mind, careful in your speech.
"gif þät gegangeð, þät þe gâr nymeð,"hild heoru-grimme Hrêðles eaferan,"âdl oððe îren ealdor þînne,"folces hyrde, and þu þîn feorh hafast,"þät þe Sæ-Geátas sêlran näbben"tô geceósenne cyning ænigne,"hord-weard häleða, gif þu healdan wylt"mâga rîce. Me þîn môd-sefa"lîcað leng swâ wel, leófa Beówulf:"hafast þu gefêred, þät þâm folcum sceal,"Geáta leódum and Gâr-Denum"sib gemænum and sacu restan,"inwit-nîðas, þe hie ær drugon;"wesan, þenden ic wealde wîdan rîces,
I trust and hope, if it should ever happenthat the spear, savage battle, takes Hrethel’s heir,illness or iron takes your own ruler,the shepherd of his people, and you still have your life,that the Sea-Geats will find no better manto choose as king, as guardian of the hoard of heroes,if you are willing to hold your kinsmen’s kingdom.Your character pleases me more, the longer I know it,dear Beowulf: you have brought it aboutthat between these peoples,the Geats and the Spear-Danes,there shall be peace in common, and strife shall rest,the old hostilities they suffered through;and that, as long as I rule this wide kingdom,
"mâðmas gemæne, manig ôðerne"gôdum gegrêtan ofer ganotes bäð;"sceal hring-naca ofer heáðu bringan"lâc and luf-tâcen. Ic þâ leóde wât"ge wið feónd ge wið freónd fäste geworhte"æghwäs untæle ealde wîsan."Þâ git him eorla hleó inne gesealde,mago Healfdenes mâðmas twelfe,hêt hine mid þæm lâcum leóde swæsesêcean on gesyntum, snûde eft cuman.Gecyste þâ cyning äðelum gôd,þeóden Scildinga, þegen betstanand be healse genam; hruron him teáras,blonden-feaxum: him wäs bega wên,
treasure shall be shared, many a man shall greet anotherwith fine gifts across the gannet’s bath;the ring-necked ship shall carry over the seapresents and tokens of love. I know this peoplestand firm toward both friend and foe,blameless in every way, by the old custom.”Then the protector of earls gave him even more,the kinsman of Healfdene, twelve treasures;bade him seek his own dear people safelywith those gifts, and come back again soon.Then the king, noble by birth, kissed that best of thanesand took him by the neck; tears fell from him,the grey-haired man:he expected, old and wise as he was,
ealdum infrôdum, ôðres swîðor,þät hî seoððan geseón môstonmôdige on meðle. Wäs him se man tô þon leóf,þät he þone breóst-wylm forberan ne mehte,ac him on hreðre hyge-bendum fästäfter deórum men dyrne langaðbeorn wið blôde. Him Beówulf þanan,gûð-rinc gold-wlanc gräs-moldan träd,since hrêmig: sæ-genga bâdâgend-freán, se þe on ancre râd.Þâ wäs on gange gifu Hrôðgâresoft geæhted: þät wäs ân cyningæghwäs orleahtre, ôð þät hine yldo benammägenes wynnum, se þe oft manegum scôd.
both things might happen, but feared the second more —that they would never see each other again,brave men in council. The man was so dear to himthat he could not hold back the welling in his breast,but in his heart, bound fast by feeling,a secret longing for the beloved manburned in his blood. Beowulf then went from there,treading the grassy ground, a warrior proud with gold,exulting in treasure; the sea-goer waitedfor its owner, riding fast at anchor.Then, on the journey, Hrothgar’s giftwas often praised: that was a king without faultin anything, until old age took from himthe joys of his strength — as it has injured many.