Lines 275–349

þa wearð sið ond late sum to ðam arod
þara beadorinca, þæt he in þæt burgeteld
niðheard neðde, swa hyne nyd fordraf.
Funde ða on bedde blacne licgan
his goldgifan gæstes gesne,
lifes belidenne. He þa lungre gefeoll
freorig to foldan, ongan his feax teran,
hreoh on mode, ond his hrægl somod,
ond þæt word acwæð to ðam wiggendum
þe ðær unrote ute wæron:
"Her ys geswutelod ure sylfra forwyrd,
toweard getacnod þæt þære tide ys
mid niðum neah geðrungen, þe we sculon nyde losian,
somod æt sæcce forweorðan. Her lið sweorde geheawen,
beheafdod healdend ure." Hi ða hreowigmode
wurpon hyra wæpen of dune, gewitan him werigferhðe
on fleam sceacan. Him mon feaht on last,
mægeneacen folc, oð se mæsta dæl
þæs heriges læg hilde gesæged
on ðam sigewonge, sweordum geheawen,
wulfum to willan ond eac wælgifrum
fuglum to frofre. Flugon ða ðe lyfdon,
laðra lindwerod. Him on laste for
sweot Ebrea sigore geweorðod,
dome gedyrsod; him feng dryhten god
fægre on fultum, frea ælmihtig.
Hi ða fromlice fagum swyrdum,
hæleð higerofe, herpað worhton
þurh laðra gemong, linde heowon,
scildburh scæron. Sceotend wæron
guðe gegremede, guman Ebrisce;
þegnas on ða tid þearle gelyste
gargewinnes. þær on greot gefeoll
se hyhsta dæl heafodgerimes
Assiria ealdorduguðe,
laðan cynnes. Lythwon becom
cwicera to cyððe. Cirdon cynerofe,
wiggend on wiðertrod, wælscel on innan,
reocende hræw. Rum wæs to nimanne
londbuendum on ðam laðestan,
hyra ealdfeondum unlyfigendum
heolfrig herereaf, hyrsta scyne,
bord ond bradswyrd, brune helmas,
dyre madmas. Hæfdon domlice
on ðam folcstede fynd oferwunnen
eðelweardas, ealdhettende
swyrdum aswefede. Hie on swaðe reston,
þa ðe him to life laðost wæron
cwicera cynna. þa seo cneoris eall,
mægða mærost, anes monðes fyrst,
wlanc, wundenlocc, wagon ond læddon
to ðære beorhtan byrig, Bethuliam,
helmas ond hupseax, hare byrnan,
guðsceorp gumena golde gefrætewod,
mærra madma þonne mon ænig
asecgan mæge searoþoncelra;
eal þæt ða ðeodguman þrymme geeodon,
cene under cumblum on compwige
þurh Iudithe gleawe lare,
mægð modigre. Hi to mede hyre
of ðam siðfate sylfre brohton,
eorlas æscrofe, Holofernes
sweord ond swatigne helm, swylce eac side byrnan
gerenode readum golde, ond eal þæt se rinca baldor
swiðmod sinces ahte oððe sundoryrfes,
beaga ond beorhtra maðma, hi þæt þære beorhtan idese
ageafon gearoþoncolre. Ealles ðæs Iudith sægde
wuldor weroda dryhtne, þe hyre weorðmynde geaf,
mærðe on moldan rice, swylce eac mede on heofonum,
sigorlean in swegles wuldre, þæs þe heo ahte soðne geleafan
to ðam ælmihtigan; huru æt þam ende ne tweode
þæs leanes þe heo lange gyrnde. ðæs sy ðam leofan drihtne
wuldor to widan aldre, þe gesceop wind ond lyfte,
roderas ond rume grundas, swylce eac reðe streamas
ond swegles dreamas, ðurh his sylfes miltse.