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The Prince of earls would not at all let go alive the murderous comer, nor did he count his life as of use to any of the peoples. And many an earl of Beowulf’s brandished the old heirloom, and were wishful to defend the life of their far-famed liege-lord, if they might do so. And they knew not, when they entered the battle, they the hard-thinking ones, the battle-men, and they thought to hew on all sides seeking out his spirit, that not any choice iron over the earth nor any battle weapon could be greeting the foe, but that he had forsworn all victorious weapons and swords. And miserable should be his passing on the day of this life, and the hostile sprite should journey far into the power of devils. Then he found out that, he who did crimes long before this with mirthful mind to human kind, he who was a foe to God, that his body would not last out; but the proud kinsman of Hygelac had him in his hands. And each was loathsome to the other while he lived. The terrible monster, sore with wounds was waiting. The gaping wound was seen on his shoulder. His sinews sprang open; and the bone-lockers burst. And great victory was given to Beowulf. Thence would Grendel, mortally wounded, flee under the fen-slopes to seek out a joyless dwelling. The more surely he knew he had reached the end of his life, the number of his days. Joy befell all the Danes after the slaughter-rush. So he had cleansed the hall of Hrothgar—he who had come from far, the proud and stout-hearted one, and saved them from strife. He rejoiced in the night-work and in the glorious deeds. His boast he had fulfilled, this leader of the Geats, which he made to the East Danes, and likewise made good all the distresses and the sorrows which they suffered of yore from the foe, and which through dire need they had to endure, of distresses not a few. And when the battle-brave man laid down the hand, the arm and shoulder under the wide roof, that was the manifest token.

The prince of earls would not let the murderous intruder escape alive. Nor did he consider the monster’s life useful to any people. Many of Beowulf’s earls brandished their ancestral swords, hoping to defend their famous lord’s life if they could. But those determined warriors did not know something when they entered the fight. They struck from every side, trying to kill the monster. Yet no fine blade anywhere on earth, nor any weapon of war, could harm their enemy. He had made himself immune to all victorious weapons and swords. His departure from this life would be miserable, and the hostile spirit would travel far into the power of devils. Then the enemy of God discovered that his body would not hold out. Long before this, he had taken pleasure in committing crimes against humankind. But now Hygelac’s proud kinsman held him in his hands. Each hated the other as long as both lived. The terrible monster, suffering from his wounds, waited. A gaping wound appeared in his shoulder. His sinews tore apart, and his joints burst. Beowulf was granted a great victory. Grendel, mortally wounded, would flee beneath the marshy slopes to seek a joyless home. He knew all the more certainly that his life had reached its end and his days were numbered. Joy came to all the Danes after the deadly attack. So the proud, brave man who had come from far away had cleansed Hrothgar’s hall and saved them from conflict. He rejoiced in his night’s work and his glorious deeds. The leader of the Geats had fulfilled the boast he had made to the East Danes. He had also relieved all the suffering and sorrow their enemy had caused them in the past. They had been forced to endure many hardships in their desperate plight. When the brave warrior laid the monster’s hand, arm, and shoulder beneath the wide roof, those remains were clear proof.