Best English Beowulf translation. Period.

Great insights on translations. Really enjoyed this.

I love, love, love the Seamus Heaney translation, but I'm also putting +1 for Kevin Crossley-Holland's translation which is great as well!!

What do you think about the Leslie Hall translation (the first one that comes up on project gutenberg, I think)? I’m a bit biased as it was the first one I read, but I think the rhythm of that one is probably closer to the original (though it is very archaic and often confusing). I haven’t read the Heany translation yet (it’s up next!) but I did compare a few passages between that one and the Greenfield translation, and though the Greenfield translation gets a bit somnolent in places, there are definitely some passages I liked better in that one, at least as far as word-choice goes. But the Heany translation foes seem easier to read! I’m also curious about Tolkien’s translation, is it worth reading? Does it feel unfinished?