Her syndon geferede, feorran cumene ofer geofenes begang Geata leode; þone yldestan oretmecgas Beowulf nemnað. Hy benan synt þæt hie, þeoden min, wið þe moton wordum wrixlan. No ðu him wearne geteoh ðinra gegncwida, glædman Hroðgar. Hy on wiggetawum wyrðe þinceað eorla geæhtlan; huru se aldor deah, se þæm heaðorincum hider wisade.". Hroðgar maþelode, helm Scyldinga: "Ic hine cuðe cnihtwesende. Wæs his ealdfæder Ecgþeo haten, ðæm to ham forgeaf Hreþel Geata angan dohtor; is his eafora nu heard her cumen, sohte holdne wine. Ðonne sægdon þæt sæliþende, þa ðe gifsceattas Geata fyredon þyder to þance, þæt he þritiges manna mægencræft on his mundgripe.
Heaþorof hæbbe. Hine halig god for arstafum us onsende, to Westdenum, þæs ic wen hæbbe, wið Grendles gryre. Ic þæm godan sceal for his modþræce madmas beodan. Beo ðu on ofeste, hat in gan seon sibbegedriht samod ætgædere; gesaga him eac wordum þæt hie sint wilcuman Deniga leodum." word inne abead. "Eow het secgan sigedrihten min, aldor Eastdena, þæt he eower æþelu can, ond ge him syndon ofer sæwylmas heardhicgende hider wilcuman. Nu ge moton gangan in eowrum guðgeatawum under heregriman Hroðgar geseon; lætað hildebord her onbidan, wudu, wælsceaftas, worda geþinges." Aras þa se rica, ymb hine rinc manig, þryðlic þegna heap; sume þær bidon.