This version was taken from the Complete Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Poetry and is freely distributable .

Verse Indeterminate Saxon

1 Hwæt! Ic swefna cyst secgan wylle, Click for translation
hwæt me gemætte to midre nihte,
syðþan reordberend reste wunedon!
þuhte me þæt ic gesawe syllicre treow
5 on lyft lædan, leohte bewunden, Click for translation
beama beorhtost. Eall þæt beacen wæs
begoten mid golde. Gimmas stodon
fægere æt foldan sceatum, swylce þær fife wæron
uppe on þam eaxlegespanne. Beheoldon þær engel dryhtnes ealle,
10 fægere þurh forðgesceaft. Ne wæs ðær huru fracodes gealga, Click for translation
ac hine þær beheoldon halige gastas,
men ofer moldan, ond eall þeos mære gesceaft.
Syllic wæs se sigebeam, ond ic synnum fah,
forwunded mid wommum.   Geseah ic wuldres treow,
15 wædum geweorðode, wynnum scinan, Click for translation
gegyred mid golde; gimmas hæfdon
bewrigene weorðlice wealdendes treow.
Hwæðre ic þurh þæt gold   ongytan meahte
earmra ærgewin, þæt hit ærest ongan
20 swætan on þa swiðran healfe. Eall ic wæs mid sorgum gedrefed, Click for translation
forht ic wæs for þære fægran gesyhðe. Geseah ic þæt fuse beacen
wendan wædum ond bleom; hwilum hit wæs mid wætan bestemed,
beswyled mid swates gange, hwilum mid since gegyrwed.
Hwæðre ic þær licgende lange hwile
25 beheold hreowcearig   hælendes treow, Click for translation
oððæt ic gehyrde þæt hit hleoðrode.
Ongan þa word sprecan wudu selesta:
"þæt wæs geara iu, (ic þæt gyta geman),
þæt ic wæs aheawen holtes on ende,
30 astyred of stefne minum. Genaman me ðær strange feondas, Click for translation
geworhton him þær to wæfersyne, heton me heora wergas hebban.
Bæron me ðær beornas on eaxlum, oððæt hie me on beorg asetton,
gefæstnodon me þær feondas genoge.   Geseah ic þa frean mancynnes
efstan elne mycle þæt he me wolde on gestigan.
35 þær ic þa ne dorste ofer dryhtnes word Click for translation
bugan oððe berstan, þa ic bifian geseah
eorðan sceatas. Ealle ic mihte
feondas gefyllan, hwæðre ic fæste stod.
Ongyrede hine þa geong hæleð, (þæt wæs god ælmihtig),
40 strang ond stiðmod. Gestah he on gealgan heanne, Click for translation
modig on manigra gesyhðe, þa he wolde mancyn lysan.
Bifode ic þa me se beorn ymbclypte. Ne dorste ic hwæðre bugan to eorðan,
feallan to foldan sceatum, ac ic sceolde fæste standan.
Rod wæs ic aræred. Ahof ic ricne cyning,
45 heofona hlaford, hyldan me ne dorste. Click for translation
þurhdrifan hi me mid deorcan næglum. On me syndon þa dolg gesiene,
opene inwidhlemmas. Ne dorste ic hira nænigum sceððan.
Bysmeredon hie unc butu ætgædere. Eall ic wæs mid blode bestemed,
begoten of þæs guman sidan,   siððan he hæfde his gast onsended.
50 Feala ic on þam beorge gebiden hæbbe Click for translation
Lines 51 - 100