The Errand
Him se yldesta andswarode,werodes wîsa, word-hord onleác:"We synt gum-cynnes Geáta leóde"and Higelâces heorð-geneátas."Wäs mîn fäder folcum gecýðed,"äðele ord-fruma Ecgþeów hâten;"gebâd wintra worn, ær he on weg hwurfe,"gamol of geardum; hine gearwe geman"witena wel-hwylc wîde geond eorðan.—"We þurh holdne hige hlâford þinne,"sunu Healfdenes, sêcean cwômon,"leód-gebyrgean: wes þu ûs lârena gôd!"Habbað we tô þäm mæran micel ærende"Deniga freán; ne sceal þær dyrne sum"wesan, þäs ic wêne. Þu wâst, gif hit is,"swâ we sôðlice secgan hýrdon,
The eldest of them answered him,the war-band’s leader, unlocked his word-hoard:“We are, by kin, people of the Geats,and Hygelac’s hearth-companions.My father was known among the nations,a noble chieftain called Ecgtheow;he lived through many winters before he went his way,old, from his home; wise men everywhereacross the earth still remember him well.We have come, with loyal purpose, seeking your lord,the son of Healfdene,the people’s protector: be good counsel to us!We carry a great errand to that famouslord of the Danes; nothing shall be hiddenin it, as I judge. You know, if it isas we have truly heard it said,
"þät mid Scyldingum sceaða ic nât hwylc,"deógol dæd-hata, deorcum nihtum"eáweð þurh egsan uncûðne nîð,"hýnðu and hrâ-fyl. Ic þäs Hrôðgâr mäg"þurh rûmne sefan ræd gelæran,"hû he frôd and gôd feónd oferswýðeð,"gyf him ed-wendan æfre scolde"bealuwa bisigu, bôt eft cuman"and þâ cear-wylmas côlran wurðað;"oððe â syððan earfoð-þrage,"þreá-nýd þolað, þenden þær wunað"on heáh-stede hûsa sêlest."Weard maðelode, þær on wicge sätombeht unforht: "Æghwäðres sceal"scearp scyld-wîga gescâd witan,"worda and worca, se þe wel þenceð.
that among the Scyldings some enemy — I know not who —some secret doer of harm, on the darkest nights,shows through terror an uncanny malice,humiliation and the piling of corpses. Concerning this I can give Hrothgaradvice, in the fullness of my heart,how he, wise and good, might overcome the enemy —if ever a turn should come for him,relief from that affliction, comfort come again,and those surging cares grow cooler;or else forever after he must endurehard times, distress, so long as it stands thereon its high place, that best of houses.”The watchman spoke, still seated on his horse,the fearless officer: “A sharp shield-warriorwho thinks clearly must know the differencebetween words and deeds, in either case.
"Ic þät gehýre, þät þis is hold weorod"freán Scyldinga. Gewîtað forð beran"wæpen and gewædu, ic eów wîsige:"swylce ic magu-þegnas mîne hâte"wið feónda gehwone flotan eówerne,"niw-tyrwedne nacan on sande"ârum healdan, ôð þät eft byreð"ofer lagu-streámas leófne mannan"wudu wunden-hals tô Weder-mearce."Gûð-fremmendra swylcum gifeðe bið,"þät þone hilde-ræs hâl gedîgeð."Gewiton him þâ fêran (flota stille bâd,seomode on sâle sîd-fäðmed scyp,on ancre fäst); eofor-lîc sciononofer hleór-beran gehroden golde
I hear this much: that this is a loyal companytoward the lord of the Scyldings. Go forward, bearingyour weapons and armor; I will guide you:and I will command my own young thanesto hold your ship in honor against every enemy,your freshly-tarred vessel there on the sand,until it carries againover the sea-streams the beloved man,the ship with its curved neck, back to the Weder lands.To one who does such deeds it shall be grantedto survive that rush of battle unharmed.”They set out then walking (the ship stayed still,rode at anchor on its rope, the broad-bellied craft,fast at its mooring); boar-images shoneabove their cheek-guards, adorned with gold,
fâh and fýr-heard, ferh wearde heóld.Gûðmôde grummon, guman onetton,sigon ätsomne, ôð þät hy säl timbredgeatolîc and gold-fâh ongytan mihton;þät wäs fore-mærost fold-bûendumreceda under roderum, on þäm se rîca bâd;lixte se leóma ofer landa fela.Him þâ hilde-deór hof môdigratorht getæhte, þät hie him tô mihtongegnum gangan; gûð-beorna sumwicg gewende, word äfter cwäð:"Mæl is me tô fêran; fäder alwalda"mid âr-stafum eówic gehealde"sîða gesunde! ic tô sæ wille,"wið wrâð werod wearde healdan."
bright and fire-hardened; life the boar guarded.Battle-minded, they hurried, the men pressed on,marched together, until they could make outthe timbered hall, splendid and gold-adorned;that was, for people of the earth, the most renownedof buildings under the heavens, where the mighty one waited;its light shone out over many lands.Then the battle-brave one pointed out to themthe bright court of the proud ones, so that they mightgo straight there; one of the war-menturned his horse then, and spoke these words:“It is time for me to go; may the almighty Fatherhold you in his grace,safe in your undertaking! I will go back to the sea,to keep watch there against a hostile force.”