[Intro — immediate full-speed pulse, starts with a short solo before the lyrics] Fiftig wintra frið us heold; þa þeof of beorge dryncfæt bær. Gold wearð astyred; se wyrm onwoc, lig ofer lande, rec under wolcnum. Beowulf aras, har under helme; irenbord nam, Nægling æt sidan. We lytel werod to hlæwe ferdon— ic mid him eode, swa ic ær oft dyde. [Verse 1] Stanbogan dim, steam of eorðan; se cyning beadurop under beorge ahof. Þa draca hwearf, deaðfyr bleow, lig ymb irenbord, leoht us ablænde. Mid Næglinge sloh—ac seo ecg ne deah; eald sweord bræc under eorles mægen. We stodon ærest. Þa bugon we. To holte we flugon. Ic eac fleah. Ic, þe Grendles niht mid him abad, ic, þe æt mere his scyld geheold— fram minum frean ic for fyre fleah. An ne fleah. Wiglaf ne fleah. [Refrain] Lig ofer lande! Rec under wolcnum! Draca of beorge! Dryhten him ongean! Beowulf standeþ! (Wiglaf standeþ!) Twegen wið wyrme—ne bugon hie nu! Lig ofer lande! Rec ofer sæ! Fyr wið feorh and fang wið fang! [Verse 2] Wiglaf þurh wælfyr to wine geræsde, lindbord forbarn; irenscyld hie heold. Draca eft hwearf, attres gitsung; Wiglaf him sloh under sidan. Þa se wyrm gebat þone ealdan cyning, sweoran ymbfeng; sweart blod weoll. Beowulf seax brægd, beaduheard ecg; twegen þone dracan to deaðe brohton. Lig aswac; se wyrm on foldan læg. Ac attor in ædrum ealdne frean sohte. He het þone hord sceawian; Wiglaf gold brohte. Gold he geseah, þa his eagan dimmodon. Hring and helm he þam geongan sealde— siðþan seo hond, þe Grendel heold, stille on Wiglafes handa læg. [Refrain] Lig wearð stille! Rec gyt aras! Draca is dead! Dryhten is wund! Sige wæs gewunnen; deað stod neah! Attor in ædrum; eald cyning feoll! Lig wearð stille! Rec gyt aras! Beowulf feoll! (Beowulf feoll!) [Verse 3] We of holte comon, hleor under sceame, scyldas gyt hæfdon, sige nænne. Wiglaf us beheold; word his biton heardor þonne ecg and hatra þonne lig. Næfre ic andswarode. Hwæt mihte ic cweþan? Se cyning læg dead. Ic hæfde fleon. Wudu we bæron to hwæles næsse, helm and byrnan mid hlaforde lægdon. Fyr we onældon; flæsc wearð to ascan, wudurec wand up, won to heofonum. [Final Refrain] Lig ofer lande! Rec under wolcnum! Ær wæs dracan fyr—nu dryhtnes bæl! Beowulf forþ! (Beowulf forþ!) Fiftig wintra and fyr æt ende! Wif Geata weop; wigan swigedon. Rec ofer hlæwe; randas æt fyre. An fyr forbærnde burh. An fyr bær ure cyning. [Outro — same pulse, abrupt cutoff, ends with a short solo after the lyrics] Ic stod æt bæle, eald and gesceamod, se þe mid him swanrad ær oferfor. Ic fleah þa from fyre— forþon secge ic nu. Wæpen gebræcon; wigan forþferdon; gold under stane, gemynd under breostum. Swa lange swa word leofaþ, ne biþ Beowulf forgyten. ———————— English Translation ———————— [Intro] Fifty winters peace had held us; then a thief carried a drinking-cup from the barrow. The gold was disturbed; the serpent awoke, flame over the land, smoke beneath the clouds. Beowulf rose, grey beneath his helmet; he took the iron shield, Nægling at his side. A small company of us went toward the mound— I went with him, as I had so often before. [Verse 1] A dark stone arch, steam from the earth; the king raised his battle-cry beneath the barrow. Then the dragon wheeled and breathed death-fire, flame around the iron shield, light blinding us. He struck with Nægling—but the edge failed; the old sword broke beneath the warrior's strength. At first we stood. Then we gave way. We fled to the woods. I fled too. I, who had endured Grendel's night beside him, I, who had held his shield beside the mere— from my lord I fled before the fire. One man did not flee. Wiglaf did not flee. [Refrain] Flame over the land! Smoke beneath the clouds! Dragon from the barrow! The lord goes against him! Beowulf stands! (Wiglaf stands!) Two against the dragon—they will not yield now! Flame over the land! Smoke above the sea! Fire against life and grip against grip! [Verse 2] Wiglaf rushed through the slaughter-fire to his friend; his linden shield burned, but the iron shield protected them. The dragon wheeled again, hungry with venom; Wiglaf struck beneath its side. Then the serpent bit the ancient king, closed upon his neck; dark blood welled out. Beowulf drew his knife, its battle-edge hard; together they brought the dragon to death. The flame died; the serpent lay upon the ground. But venom in his veins sought the old lord. He bade Wiglaf look upon the hoard; Wiglaf brought gold. Beowulf saw it as his eyes grew dim. He gave the young man his ring and helmet— then the hand that once held Grendel lay motionless in Wiglaf's hands. [Refrain] The flame grew still! The smoke still rose! The dragon is dead! The lord is wounded! Victory was won; death stood near! Venom in his veins; the old king fell! The flame grew still! The smoke still rose! Beowulf fell! (Beowulf fell!) [Verse 3] We came back from the woods, our faces bowed in shame, still carrying shields, but carrying no victory. Wiglaf looked upon us; his words cut harder than an edge and hotter than flame. I never answered. What could I say? The king lay dead. I had fled. We carried wood to the Whale's Headland, laid helmet and mail beside our lord. We kindled the fire; flesh became ash, and wood-smoke twisted dark toward the heavens. [Final Refrain] Flame over the land! Smoke beneath the clouds! Before it was the dragon's fire—now our lord's pyre! Beowulf is gone! (Beowulf is gone!) Fifty winters, and fire at the end! A Geatish woman wept; the warriors were silent. Smoke above the mound; shields beside the fire. One fire burned a stronghold. One fire carried away our king. [Outro] I stood beside the pyre, old and ashamed, the man who once crossed the swan-road with him. I fled from the fire then— that is why I speak now. Weapons broke; warriors passed away; gold beneath stone, memory within our hearts. As long as words live, Beowulf will not be forgotten.
