Lines 1–121

tweode
gifena in ðys ginnan grunde. Heo ðar ða gearwe funde
mundbyrd æt ðam mæran þeodne, þa heo ahte mæste þearfe,
hyldo þæs hehstan deman, þæt he hie wið þæs hehstan brogan
gefriðode, frymða waldend. Hyre ðæs fæder on roderum
torhtmod tiðe gefremede, þe heo ahte trumne geleafan
a to ðam ælmihtigan. Gefrægen ic ða Holofernus
winhatan wyrcean georne ond eallum wundrum þrymlic
girwan up swæsendo. To ðam het se gumena baldor
ealle ða yldestan ðegnas; hie ðæt ofstum miclum
ræfndon, rondwiggende, comon to ðam rican þeodne
feran, folces ræswan. þæt wæs þy feorðan dogore
þæs ðe Iudith hyne, gleaw on geðonce,
ides ælfscinu, ærest gesohte.
Hie ða to ðam symle sittan eodon,
wlance to wingedrince, ealle his weagesiðas,
bealde byrnwiggende. þær wæron bollan steape
boren æfter bencum gelome, swylce eac bunan ond orcas
fulle fletsittendum; hie þæt fæge þegon,
rofe rondwiggende, þeah ðæs se rica ne wende,
egesful eorla dryhten. ða wearð Holofernus,
goldwine gumena, on gytesalum,
hloh ond hlydde, hlynede ond dynede,
þæt mihten fira bearn feorran gehyran
hu se stiðmoda styrmde ond gylede,
modig ond medugal, manode geneahhe
bencsittende þæt hi gebærdon wel.
Swa se inwidda ofer ealne dæg
dryhtguman sine drencte mid wine,
swiðmod sinces brytta, oðþæt hie on swiman lagon,
oferdrencte his duguðe ealle, swylce hie wæron deaðe geslegene,
agotene goda gehwylces. Swa het se gumena aldor
fylgan fletsittendum, oðþæt fira bearnum
nealæhte niht seo þystre. Het ða niða geblonden
þa eadigan mægð ofstum fetigan
to his bedreste beagum gehlæste,
hringum gehrodene. Hie hraðe fremedon,
anbyhtscealcas, swa him heora ealdor bebead,
byrnwigena brego, bearhtme stopon
to ðam gysterne, þær hie Iudithðe
fundon ferhðgleawe, ond ða fromlice
lindwiggende lædan ongunnon
þa torhtan mægð to træfe þam hean,
þær se rica hyne reste on symbel
nihtes inne, nergende lað,
Holofernus. þær wæs eallgylden
fleohnet fæger ymbe þæs folctogan
bed ahongen, þæt se bealofulla
mihte wlitan þurh, wigena baldor,
on æghwylcne þe ðær inne com
hæleða bearna, ond on hyne nænig
monna cynnes, nymðe se modiga hwæne
niðe rofra him þe near hete
rinca to rune gegangan. Hie ða on reste gebrohton
snude ða snoteran idese; eodon ða stercedferhðe,
hæleð heora hearran cyðan þæt wæs seo halige meowle
gebroht on his burgetelde. þa wearð se brema on mode
bliðe, burga ealdor, þohte ða beorhtan idese
mid widle ond mid womme besmitan. Ne wolde þæt wuldres dema
geðafian, þrymmes hyrde, ac he him þæs ðinges gestyrde,
dryhten, dugeða waldend. Gewat ða se deofulcunda,
galferhð gumena ðreate
bealofull his beddes neosan, þær he sceolde his blæd forleosan
ædre binnan anre nihte; hæfde ða his ende gebidenne
on eorðan unswæslicne, swylcne he ær æfter worhte,
þearlmod ðeoden gumena, þenden he on ðysse worulde
wunode under wolcna hrofe. Gefeol ða wine swa druncen
se rica on his reste middan, swa he nyste ræda nanne
on gewitlocan. Wiggend stopon
ut of ðam inne ofstum miclum,
weras winsade, þe ðone wærlogan,
laðne leodhatan, læddon to bedde
nehstan siðe. þa wæs nergendes
þeowen þrymful, þearle gemyndig
hu heo þone atolan eaðost mihte
ealdre benæman ær se unsyfra,
womfull, onwoce. Genam ða wundenlocc
scyppendes mægð scearpne mece,
scurum heardne, ond of sceaðe abræd
swiðran folme; ongan ða swegles weard
be naman nemnan, nergend ealra
woruldbuendra, ond þæt word acwæð:
"Ic ðe, frymða god ond frofre gæst,
bearn alwaldan, biddan wylle
miltse þinre me þearfendre,
ðrynesse ðrym. þearle ys me nu ða
heorte onhæted ond hige geomor,
swyðe mid sorgum gedrefed. Forgif me, swegles ealdor,
sigor ond soðne geleafan, þæt ic mid þys sweorde mote
geheawan þysne morðres bryttan; geunne me minra gesynta,
þearlmod þeoden gumena. Nahte ic þinre næfre
miltse þon maran þearfe. Gewrec nu, mihtig dryhten,
torhtmod tires brytta, þæt me ys þus torne on mode,
hate on hreðre minum." Hi ða se hehsta dema
ædre mid elne onbryrde, swa he deð anra gehwylcne
herbuendra þe hyne him to helpe seceð
mid ræde ond mid rihte geleafan. þa wearð hyre rume on mode,
haligre hyht geniwod; genam ða þone hæðenan mannan
fæste be feaxe sinum, teah hyne folmum wið hyre weard
bysmerlice, ond þone bealofullan
listum alede, laðne mannan,
swa heo ðæs unlædan eaðost mihte
wel gewealdan. Sloh ða wundenlocc
þone feondsceaðan fagum mece,
heteþoncolne, þæt heo healfne forcearf
þone sweoran him, þæt he on swiman læg,
druncen ond dolhwund. Næs ða dead þa gyt,
ealles orsawle; sloh ða eornoste
ides ellenrof oðre siðe
þone hæðenan hund, þæt him þæt heafod wand
forð on ða flore. Læg se fula leap
gesne beæftan, gæst ellor hwearf
under neowelne næs ond ðær genyðerad wæs,
susle gesæled syððan æfre,
wyrmum bewunden, witum gebunden,
hearde gehæfted in hellebryne
æfter hinsiðe. Ne ðearf he hopian no,
þystrum forðylmed, þæt he ðonan mote
of ðam wyrmsele, ac ðær wunian sceal
awa to aldre butan ende forð
in ðam heolstran ham, hyhtwynna leas.