Hwæt. We Gar-Dena in geardagum, þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon, hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum, monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah, egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad, weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah, oþþæt him aeghwylc þara ymbsittendra ofer hronrade hyran scolde, gomban gyldan. Þæt wæs god cyning.
Þa þæs ymbsittendra wornon, wiges weorðmynd, ond æfter þæm on feolefeormas foldan hleoðru, siþþan þa scyld weras onfengan, swa hi on eorðan sæton, sume sættrum gearwe, sume siþþan meodu and medowæst, swa hyra dryhten forgeaf.
Him ða wæs gesewen, se ðe eallunga on beorhtricum beorhte, Byrhtnoth haten, beald in gebedum, bearnum to drihtne, leodum to lofe. He oþres mannes geþoht forsecgde, forþan þe he wiste þæt to neode wæs to feohtenne, fram eastdæle eft to wearde, swa him God sealde mod and metodes gife.
Ða becom to þære ealdan mere mycel here, se ðe on East-Denum wæs, and ofer eorðan cræftig cearu bindan, cyningas to cyme, ofer sæs wege secga gehwylc forð gewat; hi woldon on þære tide to þam lande frecne feohtende, and feorh to sylan, gold and gimmas niman.
Byrhtnoth orde hadede, his folc tofrægn, and his maga, swa he meahte, and his maegenas mid him genam; he hæfde secg geworht and gespayned casere, and his cnihtas cræftas ætgædere, and cwenas and cnihtra, eall þæt him þurh dæg gelæsted wæs.
Þa wæs cyning onsund, and his cuðe cempan mihtig, and forþon he þone flota fonde, and forwærceas, and æt nytenu recede, and þa scipu stodon stiðe on þam brimclife; manige ofer brim bunden wræclastas, wægnas and segl, and sæhæleþas stodon stiðe.
Ða mabbe, þa mære mægen, mid micle modgeþanc, Byrhtnoth het his hors afsacan, and his here bealdor berstan, to forðsiþe to eorðan, and sægde to his secgum: 'Ne forwyrne ge nu, mine bearn, eower begeat, ac standað swa ge sceolon, and ne gewiðrað to eorðan. Ic eom ealdundurh gearo, and ge beþ to me gearwe. God mæg us helpan.'
Him þa cnihtas cwædon, 'Wes þu hal, ealdor min, and ne lete us to lyre, forþan þe we willaþ to weorðe and to wige; nu we sceolon onfengan and ongietan þa here, þæt we ealra geleaffæst syngað, and swa we forð gewitan, gif God us syððan to þrym brohte.'
Þa togædre hi forðon feohtan, and secgas swarede; swa feorh to lufan hlafordsefan, and mid ealre miht bræc þæt folc, and æghwylc his drihten hold wæs. Þa wearð se dæg swiðe swincful, and men forðæton ofermode, and leorningas and læðeras lytton geþracodon.
Ða cay, þæt wæs beorht on oþer tid, Byrhtnoth adraf his here, and sæde him sylfum: 'Nu is þis eal to ende, and min sīedfeoh to sceat, ic wille nu mid wæpnum winnan, and tofeallan. Ne wene ge me swyðe bearn of to beorgian, ac ge mote beon blissofule and beorhte on niþe.'
Him þa wæs eall þæt folc to frætwum, and þa ceorlas clypode, and þa butu beornas blæd, and þær wearð byrht eorla andswaru. Byrhtnoth ferde on þone stede, and his heorte for eallum swanc, and swa dyde þa þe mid him wæron, manfullice forhæft.