I set the task of setting an extract from Beowulf to music to my students. They had the option of using either a modern English translation or the original Anglo Saxon. They all chose the modern version. You should not ask anyone to do anything that you can't do yourself, so I had a go myself. This is an extract from Chapter 11, the first time Grendel appears in the story. It's written out phonetically, to make it easier for me to sing. 

If you are an Anglo Saxon scholar, sorry!

Etha com of more, under misthleothum

Grendel gongan,  Godes yrre bayr;

mynte se manscatha  manna cynnes

sumne besyrwan in sele tham hean. 

Wod under wolcnum  to thays the he winereced,

goldsele gumena,  gearwost wisse,  fayttum fahne.  

 Ne ways thayt forma sieth  thayt he Hrothgares  ham gesohte;
naefre he on aldordagum ayr ne sithan heardran hayle
 harl-theynas fand.

Com tha to recede  rinc siethian, dreamum bedayled.        
Doru sona onarn, fyrbendum fayst ,sythan he hirre  folmum aythran
onbrayd tha bealohydig, etha he gebolgen wayss,  recedes muthan.

Rathe ayfter thon on fagne flor  feond treddode;       

yode yrremod  him of eagum stod,  ligge gelicost,  leoht unfayger