Riddle 26 (translated by Richard Hamer)
1.
Mec feonda sum feore besnyþede, Some enemy deprived me of my life
2.
woruldstrenga binom, wćtte siþþan, And took away my worldly strength, then wet me,
3.
dyfde on wćtre, dyde eft þonan, Dipped me in water, took me out again,
4.
sette on sunnan þćr ic swiþe beleas Set me in sunshine, where I quickly lost
5.
herum þam þe ic hćfde. Heard mec siþþan The hairs I had. Later the knife s hard edge
6.
snað seaxses ecg, sindrum begrunden; Cut me with all impurities ground off.
7.
fingras feoldan, ond mec fugles wyn Then fingers folded me; the bird s fine raiment
8.
geond speddropum spyrede geneahhe, Traced often over me with useful drops
9.
ofer brunne brerd, beamtelge swealg, Across my brown domain, swallowed the tree-dye
10.
streames dćle, stop eft on mec, Mixed up with water, stepped on me again
11.
siþade sweartlast. Mec siþþan wrah Leaving dark tracks. The hero clothed me then
12.
hćleð hleobordum, hyde beþenede, With boards to guard me, stretched hide over me,
13.
gierede mec mid golde; forþon me gliwedon Decked me with gold; and thus the splendid work
14.
wrćtlic weorc smiþa, wire bifongen. Of smiths, with wire bound round, embellished me.
15.
Nu þa gereno ond se reada telg Now my red dye and all my decorations,
16.
ond þa wuldorgesteald wide mćre My gorgeous trappings far and wide proclaim
17.
dryhtfolca helm nales dol wite. The Lord of Hosts, not grief for foolish sins.
18.
Gif min bearn wera brucan willað, If sons of men will make good use of me,
19.
hy beoð þy gesundran ond þy sigefćstran, By that they shall be sounder, more victorious,
20.
heortum þy hwćtran ond þy hygebliþran, Their hearts more bold, their minds more full of joy,
21.
ferþe þy frodran, habbaþ freonda þy ma, Their spirits wiser; they shall have more friends,
22.
swćsra ond gesibbra, soþra ond godra, Dear ones and kinsmen, truer and more good,
23.
tilra ond getreowra, þa hyra tyr ond ead More kind and faithful, who will add more glory
24.
estum ycað ond hy arstafum And happiness by favours, who will lay
25.
lissum bilecgað ond hi lufan fćþmum Upon them kindness and benefits,
26.
fćste clyppað. Frige hwćt ic hatte, And clasp them fast in the embrace of love.
27.
niþum to nytte. Nama min is mćre, Say who I am, useful to men. My name
28.
hćleþum gifre ond halig sylf. Is famous, good to men, and also sacred.
Riddle 39 (translated by Craig Williamson)
Gewritu secgað þćt seo wiht sy Writings reveal this creature s plain
mid moncynne miclum tidum Presence on middle-earth, marked by man
sweotol ond gesyne. Sundorcrćft hafað For many years. Its magic, shaping power
maran micle, þonne hit men witen. Passes knowing. It seeks the living
5 Heo wile gesecan sundor ćghwylcne One by one, winds an exile s road,
feorhberendra, gewiteð eft feran on weg. Wanders homeless without blame, never there
Ne bið hio nćfre niht þćr oþre, Another night. It has no hands or feet
ac hio sceal wideferh wreccan laste To touch the ground, no mouth to speak
hamleas hweorfan; no þy heanre biþ. With men or mind to know the books
10 Ne hafað hio fot ne folme, ne ćfre foldan hran, Which claim it is the least of creatures
ne eagena ćgþer twega, Shaped by nature. It has no soul, no life,
ne muð hafaþ, ne wiþ monnum sprćc, Yet it moves everywhere in the wide world.
ne gewit hafað, ac gewritu secgað It has no blood or bone, yet carries comfort
þćt seo sy earmost ealra wihta, To the children of men on the middle-earth
15 þara þe ćfter gecyndum cenned wćre. It has never reached heaven and cannot reach
Ne hafað hio sawle ne feorh, ac hio siþas sceal Hell  but must live long through the word
geond þas wundorworuld wide dreogan. And will of the king of creation s glory.
Ne hafaþ hio blod ne ban, hwćþre bearnum wearð It would take too long to tell its fate
geond þisne middangeard mongum to frofre. Through the world s web: that would be
20 Nćfre hio heofonum hran, ne to helle mot, A wonder of speaking. Each man s way
ac hio sceal wideferh wuldorcyninges Of catching the creature with words is true.
larum lifgan. Long is to secganne It has no limbs, yet it lives!
hu hyre ealdorgesceaft ćfter gongeð, If you can solve a riddle quickly,
woh wyrda gesceapu; þćt is wrćtlic þing Say what this creature is called.
25 to gesecganne. Soð is ćghwylc
þara þe ymb þas wiht wordum becneð;
ne hafað heo ćnig lim, leofaþ efne seþeah.
Gif þu mćge reselan recene gesecgan
soþum wordum, saga hwćt hio hatte.
Riddle 76 (translated by John Porter)
Ic ane geseah idese sittan. I saw a woman sit alone.
Riddle 90 (translated by Craig Williamson)
Min heafod is homere geþuren, My head is struck by a forging hammer,
searopila wund, sworfen feole. Sheared close by a shaping blade,
Oft ic begine þćt me ongean sticað, Honed smooth by a fierce file.
þonne ic hnitan sceal, hringum gyrded, Sometimes I swallow my tempered foe,
5 hearde wið heardum, hindan þyrel, When bound by rings, I heave from behind,
forð ascufan þćt mines frean Thrust a long limb through a hard hole,
modwyn [mod.W.] freoþað middelnihtum. Catch hard the keeper of the heart s pleasure,
Hwilum ic under bćc bregde nebbe, Twist with my tongue and turn back
hyrde þćs hordes, þonne min hlaford wile The midnight guardian of my lord s treasure
10 lafe þicgan þara þe he of life het When the conquering warrior comes to hold
wćlcrćfte awrecan willum sinum. The gift of slaughter, the joy of gold.