lines 115-164

II
Gewát ðá néosian      syþðan niht becóm	
He then went to visit and see      --when night came—      115
héän húses·      hú hit Hring-Dene	
the high house      how it, the Ring-Danes
æfter béorþege      gebún hæfdon·	
after the beer-feast,      had occupied;
fand þá ðaér inne      æþelinga gedriht	
he found then therein      the nobles' company
swefan æfter symble·      sorge ne cúðon	
slumbering after the feast;      they did not know sorrow,
wonsceaft wera·      wiht unhaélo	
misery of men;      that damned creature,                            120
grim ond graédig      gearo sóna wæs	
grim and greedy,      soon was ready,
réoc ond réþe      ond on ræste genam	
savage and cruel      and from their rest seized
þrítig þegna·      þanon eft gewát	
thirty thanes;      thence back he went
húðe hrémig      tó hám faran	
proud in plunder      to his home, faring
mid þaére wælfylle      wíca néosan.	
with the banquet of bodies      to seek his shelter.               125
Ðá wæs on úhtan      mid aérdæge	
Then was in the dark of dawn      before the day
Grendles gúðcræft      gumum undyrne·	
Grendle's war-might      revealed to the men;
þá wæs æfter wiste      wóp up áhafen	
then it was after their feasting      they raised up lament
micel morgenswég.      Maére þéoden	
in a great morning-cry.      The mighty chieftain,
æþeling aérgod      unblíðe sæt·	
the prince, old and good,      sat in sorrow,                         130
þolode ðrýðswýð      þegnsorge dréah	
The great mighty one suffered,      anguish of thane-loss   oppressed him
syðþan híe þæs láðan      lást scéawedon,	
when they the foe's      tracks beheld,

wergan gástes·      wæs þæt gewin tó strang	
of the wicked ghoul;      that strife was too strong,
láð ond longsum.      Næs hit lengra fyrst	
loathsome and lingering.      Nor was it a longer time                 135
ac ymb áne niht      eft gefremede	
but after a single night      again he perpetuated                  
morðbeala máre      ond nó mearn fore,	
more brutal slaughter,      and it grieved him not,
faéhðe ond fyrene·      wæs tó fæst on þám.	
violence and viciousness,      he was too entrenched in these.
Þá wæs éaðfynde      þé him elles hwaér	
Then was it easily found,      one who would somewhere else,
gerúmlícor      ræste sóhte	
further away,      seek rest:
bed æfter búrum      ðá him gebéacnod wæs	
a bed among the bowers,      when it was made clear to him,      140
gesægd sóðlíce      sweotolan tácne	
truly told,      by an unmistakable token
healðegnes hete·      héold hyne syðþan	
the enmity of the hall's occupier;      he held himself then
fyr ond fæstor      sé þaém féonde ætwand.	
further and safer,      he who shunned that fiend.
Swá ríxode      ond wið rihte wan	
Thus he ruled      and challenged justice,
ána wið eallum      oð þæt ídel stód	
one against all,      until empty stood                                           145
húsa sélest·      wæs séo hwíl micel,	
that finest of houses;      the time was long
twelf wintra tíd      torn geþolode	
--the space of twelve winters--      that bitter anguish endured
wine Scyldenda,      wéana gehwelcne	
the friend, the shielder,      --every woe,   
sídra sorga·      forðám secgum wearð	
immense miseries;      therefore to men became
ylda bearnum      undyrne cúð,	
to sons of men,      clearly known                                                 150
gyddum geómore      þætte Grendel wan	
in mournful ballads,      that Grendle had contended
hwíle wið Hróþgár·      heteníðas wæg	
long against Hrothgar,      sustained fierce enmity,
fyrene ond faéhðe      fela misséra,	
felony and feud,      for many seasons
singále sæce·      sibbe ne wolde	
continual strife;      he did not want peace
wið manna hwone      mægenes Deniga,	
with any man      of the Danish contingent,                               155
feorhbealo feorran,      féa þingian	
to desist in life-destruction,      to settle it with payment,
né þaér naénig witena      wénan þorfte	
none of the counsellors      had any need to hope for
beorhtre bóte      tó banan folmum	
noble recompense      from the slayer's hands,
ac se aéglaéca      éhtende wæs	
but the wretch      was persecuting
deorc déaþscua      duguþe ond geogoþe
--the dark death-shade--      warriors old and young;
seomade ond syrede·      sinnihte héold	
he lay in wait and set snares,      in the endless night he held    160
mistige móras·      men ne cunnon	
the misty moors;      men do not know
hwyder helrúnan      hwyrftum scríþað.	
where such hellish enigmas      slink in their haunts.