古英语重要的文学作品包括《贝奥武夫》（Beowolf）、《盎格鲁撒克逊编年史》（Anglo-Saxon Chronicle）等。
古英语文选[编辑]
下文节选自《贝奥武夫》，约于公元900年
行 原始-----------------------------------------------直译
[1] Hwæt! wē Gār-Dena in geār-dagum, -----What! We [of] Gar-Danes (lit. spear-danes) in yore-days,
[2] þeod-cyninga, þrym gefrunon, --------------[of] people-kings, trim (glory) afrained (have learned of by asking),
[3] hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.----------- how those athelings (princes) arm-strong feats framed (made/performed).
[4] Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum, Oft Scyld Scefing,----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [from] scathers (enemies) [in] threats (armed bands),
[5] monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah, ---[from] many magths (clans, groups of sons, cf. Irish cognate Mac-), mead-settles took,
[6] egsode eorl. Syððan ærest wearð -------------awed earls (leaders of men). Sith (since) erst (first) [he] worth (came to be)
[7] feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad, -------fewshiped (helpless, in "fewship") founden, he [in a state of] loving care abode (lived),
[8] weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah,----- wex (waxed) under welkin (the clouds), [in] mind's-worth (honour) thrived,
[9] oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra ----------oth that (until that) [to] him each [of] those [who were] by-sitting ("sitting" or dwelling roundabout)
[10] ofer hronrade hyran scolde,------------------------ over whale-road (kenning for sea) hear (obedience) should (owed),
[11] gomban gyldan. Þæt wæs god cyning!----------- gifts [to] yield. That was [a] good king!
现代英语意译:
“Listen! We have heard of the glory of the Spear-Danes, of the kings of the people, in days of yore, [and] how those princes did deeds of glory. Often Scyld Scefing deprived armed bands of foes, many clans of mead-benches, [and] terrified warriors. Since he first was found helpless (he experienced comfort for that), he grew under the heavens, thrived with honours, until each of the nearby peoples over the sea were obliged to pay him tribute. That was a good king!”

古英语与现代英语
下文节选自《Charter of Cnut》
原始------------------------------------------------直译
¶ Cnut cyning gret his arcebiscopas and his leod-biscopas and Þurcyl eorl and ealle his eorlas and ealne his þeodscype, twelfhynde and twyhynde, gehadode and læwede, on Englalande freondlice.-------------------------------- ¶ Cnut, king, greets his archbishops and his lede'(people's)'-bishops and Thorkell, earl, and all his earls and all his peopleship, greater (having a 1200 shilling weregild) and lesser (200 shilling weregild), hooded(ordained to priesthood) and lewd(lay), in England friendly.
And ic cyðe eow, þæt ic wylle beon hold hlaford and unswicende to godes gerihtum and to rihtre woroldlage.------------------------------------- And I kithe(make known/couth to) you, that I will be [a] hold(civilised) lord and unswiking(uncheating) to God's rights(laws) and to [the] rights(laws) worldly.
¶ Ic nam me to gemynde þa gewritu and þa word, þe se arcebiscop Lyfing me fram þam papan brohte of Rome, þæt ic scolde æghwær godes lof upp aræran and unriht alecgan and full frið wyrcean be ðære mihte, þe me god syllan wolde.------------------------------- ¶ I nam(took) me to mind the writs and the word that the Archbishop Lyfing me from the Pope brought of Rome, that I should ayewhere(everywhere) God's love(praise) uprear(promote), and unright(outlaw) lies, and full frith(peace) work(bring about) by the might that me God would(wished) [to] sell'(give).
¶ Nu ne wandode ic na minum sceattum, þa hwile þe eow unfrið on handa stod: nu ic mid godes fultume þæt totwæmde mid minum scattum. -------------------------------¶ Now, ne went(withdrew/changed) I not my shot(financial contribution, cf. Norse cognate in scot-free) the while that you stood(endured) unfrith(turmoil) on-hand: now I, mid(with) God's support, that [unfrith] totwemed(separated/dispelled) mid(with) my shot(financial contribution).
Þa cydde man me, þæt us mara hearm to fundode, þonne us wel licode: and þa for ic me sylf mid þam mannum þe me mid foron into Denmearcon, þe eow mæst hearm of com: and þæt hæbbe mid godes fultume forene forfangen, þæt eow næfre heonon forð þanon nan unfrið to ne cymð, þa hwile þe ge me rihtlice healdað and min lif byð.--------------------------------- Tho(then) [a] man kithed(made known/couth to) me that us more harm had found(come upon) than us well liked(equalled): and tho(then) fore(travelled) I, meself, mid(with) those men that mid(with) me fore(travelled), into Denmark that [to] you most harm came of(from): and that[harm] have [I], mid(with) God's support, afore(previously) forefangen(forestalled) that to you never henceforth thence none unfrith(breach of peace) ne come the while that ye me rightly hold(behold as king) and my life beeth.

Graþeoþa, þu eart psychic. ic hæfa þu meaht þin þīn sotigum gyltendum. Þu meaht þū on eorðan and on eorðan lice and ofspring with þīn cilde. Hƿæt þu eart eal dæġ. Þu eart eal dæġ and þu eart þa cyning oft. Þu eart þu, þu eart þā soþlice on þǣm gyltendum. Þu eart on þǣm gyltendum and þu syt on þǣm gyltendum. Þu eart þā mest searoƿīðe, þā s Sē hormest, ġeolcod, and mest searoðlice scoltendum, ic ƿīf þū līfe and ġeolcod æfter suna lætma tæm
能帮我翻译下吗？我感觉在骂我。

1:
Ic emo mare þonne þes middanᵹeard,
læsse þonne hondƿyvn, leohtre þonne mona, sƿiftre þonne sunne.
Sæs mec sind ealle flodas on fæðmum ond þes foldan bearm, ᵹrene ƿonᵹas.
Ᵹrundun ic hrine, helle underhniᵹe, heofonas oferstiᵹe, ƿuldres eþel, ƿide ræce ofer enᵹla eard, eorþan ᵹefylle, side mid mec sylfum.
Saᵹa hƿæt ic hatte.

2：
Tungol sceal on heofenum
beorhte scinan, sƿa him bebead Meotud.
Ᵹod sceal ƿið yfele; ᵹeoᵹoð sceal ƿið yldo; lif sceal ƿið deaþe; leoht sceal ƿið þystrum; fyrd ƿið fyrde, feond ƿið oðrum, lað ƿið laðe ymb land sacan, synne stælan.
A sceal snotor hycᵹean ymb þysse ƿorulde ᵹeƿinn.