manna mildust ond monðwærust,
leodum liðost ond lofgeornost. (ll. 3181−82)
The emphatic use of the superlatives notwithstanding, the repeatedly heard sound [st] somehow leaves the lingering note of wistfulness over the poem that has reached its end. The epic opened with the powerful and fully inflated ejaculation, “Hwæt!” Now the very last lines create the feeling that the air is being released from an inflated ball. With the four adjectives in the superlative, carrying with them the tired minstrel’s hoarse voice, the poet himself steps back into the past, as does the hero of the epic.
Translation means reliving the moments when the poet was composing the lines. It is not a later-age person’s attempt to record what he or she has understood while reading the original lines for the readers. As a translator’s pen glides on a blank sheet, it should be a moment that resurrects the agony that the poet embraced, while groping for the right words, line after line.
Beowulf
In Parallel Texts
Hwæt! We Gar-dena in gear-dagum,
þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum,
monegum mægþum meodosetla ofteah, 5
egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest weartð
feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad,
weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah,
oð þæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra
ofer hronrade hyran scolde, 10
gomban gyldan. Þæt wæs god cyning!
Đæm eafera wæs æfter cenned
geong in geardum, þone God sende
folce to frofre; fyrenðearfe ongeat,
þe* hie ær drugon aldorlease 15
lange hwile; him þæs Liffrea,
wuldres Wealdend, worold-are forgeaf;
Beowulf* wæs breme —blæd wide sprang—
Scyldes eafera Scedelandum in.
Swa sceal geong guma gode gewyrcean, 20
fromum feohgiftum on fæder bearme,
þæt hine on ylde eft gewunigen
wilgesiþas, þonne wig cume,
leode gelæsten; lofdædum sceal
in mægþa gehwære man geþeon. 25
Him ða Scyld gewat to gescæphwile
felahror feran on Frean wære.
Hi hyne þa ætbæron to brimes faroðe,
What! We have heard of the glory
Of the Spear-Danes’ kings in olden days—
How those princes performed deeds of valor.
Not a few times Scyld Scefing seized
The seats of banquet from many a tribe, 5
Mighty opponents, and terrified the earls.
Since the time when he was found a deserted infant,
He grew up in tender care, soared to the sky,*
And prospered with unparalleled honor, till
All neighboring nations over the sea came 10
To obey and pay tribute to him: a good king he was!
To him a son was born later—a toddler
In his large dwelling, whom God sent
To comfort the nation. He saw the dire distress
Of those who had long suffered without a lord 15
To rule them; in that cause, the Lord of life,
The Ruler of glory granted him worldly honor.
Beow* attained renown—his name spread wide—
The son of Scyld, all over the land of the Danes.
Such is what a young man, while in his father’s protection, 20
Must do, through manly acts and bounteous bestowing,
To secure the blessing in old age of having
Close kinsmen and loyal subjects to stay near
In times of war; of whatever clan, a man
Is bound to prosper through praiseworthy deeds. 25
Then at his destined hour Scyld the strongman departed,
Embarking on a journey to the bosom of the Lord.
Then his dear followers carried him to where
swæse gesiþas, swa he selfa bæd,
þenden wordum weold wine Scyldinga; 30
leof landfruma lange ahte.
Þær æt hyðe stod hringedstefna,
isig ond utfus, æþelinges fær;
aledon þa leofne þeoden,
beaga bryttan on bearm scipes, 35
mærne be mæste. Þær wæs madma fela
of feorwegum frætwa gelæded;
ne hyrde ic cymlicor ceol gegyrwan
hildewæpnum ond heaðowædum,
billum ond byrnum; him on bearme læg 40
madma mænigo, þa him mid scoldon
on flodes æht feor gewitan.
Nalæs hi hine læssan lacum teodan,
þeodgestreonum, þon þa dydon,
þe hine æt frumsceafte forð onsendon 45
ænne ofer yðe umborwesende.
Þa gyt hie him asetton segen g[yl]denne
heah ofer heafod, leton holm beran,
geafon on garsecg; him wæs geomor sefa,
murdnende mod. Men ne cunnon 50
secgan to soðe, selerædende,
hæleð under heofenum, hwa þæm hlæste onfeng.
(I) Đa wæs on burgum Beowulf Scyldinga,
leof leodcyning longe þrage
folcum gefræge —fæder ellor hwearf, 55
aldor of earde—, oþ þæt him eft onwoc
heah Healfdene; heold þenden lifde,
gamol ond guðreouw, glæde Scyldingas.
The waves surge, as he himself had bidden,
When the lord of the Danes ruled with his words. 30
He had kept them long as their dear lord.
There at the harbor stood the ring-prowed ship,
The prince’s vessel, covered with ice and ready to set out.
Then they laid down their dear lord,
Their renowned ring-giver, in the bosom of the ship, 35
Right by the mast. Many a treasure had been
Brought