The poem survives in 4/9 of the surviving manuscripts of the Anglo Saxon Chronicle. Both the date and the author are unknown, and it is written in the most common form of the language of the Anglo-Saxon period. The poem is a panegyric, regaling the victory of Athelstan and his brother against a strong enemy force. Below are two versions of the poem; a translated version into English, and then the original Old English language version. 

In this year King Aethelstan, Lord of warriors,
ring-giver to men, and his brother also,
Prince Eadmund, won eternal glory
in battle with sword edges
around Brunanburh. They split the shield-wall,
they hewed battle shields with the remnants of hammers. 
The sons of Eadweard, it was only befitting their noble descent
from their ancestors that they should often 
defend their land in battle against each hostile people,
horde and home. The enemy perished,
Scots men and seamen,
fated they fell. The field flowed
with blood of warriors, from sun up
in the morning, when the glorious star
glided over the earth, God's bright candle,
eternal lord, till that noble creation
sank to its seat. There lay many a warrior
by spears destroyed; Northern men
shot over shield, likewise Scottish as well,
weary, war sated.
The West-Saxons pushed onward
all day; in troops they pursued the hostile people.
They hewed the fugitive grievously from behind 
with swords sharp from the grinding. 
The Mercians did not refuse hard hand-play to any warrior
who came with Anlaf over the sea-surge
in the bosom of a ship, those who sought land,
fated to fight. Five lay dead
on the battle-field, young kings,
put to sleep by swords, likewise also seven
of Anlaf's earls, countless of the army,
sailors and Scots. There the North-men's chief was put
to flight, by need constrained
to the prow of a ship with little company:
he pressed the ship afloat, the king went out
on the dusky flood-tide, he saved his life.
Likewise, there also the old campaigner through flight came
to his own region in the north--Constantine--
hoary warrior. He had no reason to exult
the great meeting; he was of his kinsmen bereft,
friends fell on the battle-field,
killed at strife: even his son, young in battle, he left
in the place of slaughter, ground to pieces with wounds.
That grizzle-haired warrior had no
reason to boast of sword-slaughter,
old deceitful one, no more did Anlaf;
with their remnant of an army they had no reason to
laugh that they were better in deed of war
in battle-field--collision of banners,
encounter of spears, encounter of men,
trading of blows--when they played against
the sons of Eadweard on the battle field.
Departed then the Northmen in nailed ships.
The dejected survivors of the battle,
sought Dublin over the deep water,
leaving Dinges mere
to return to Ireland, ashamed in spirit.
Likewise the brothers, both together,
King and Prince, sought their home,
West-Saxon land, exultant from battle.
They left behind them, to enjoy the corpses,
the dark coated one, the dark horny-beaked raven
and the dusky-coated one,
the eagle white from behind, to partake of carrion,
greedy war-hawk, and that gray animal
the wolf in the forest.
Never was there more slaughter
on this island, never yet as many
people killed before this
with sword's edge: never according to those who tell us
from books, old wisemen,
since from the east Angles and Saxons came up
over the broad sea. Britain they sought,
Proud war-smiths who overcame the Welsh,
glorious warriors they took hold of the land.

Her æþelstan cyning,         eorla dryhten, 
beorna beahgifa,         and his broþor eac, 
Eadmund æþeling,         ealdorlangne tir 
geslogon æt sæcce         sweorda ecgum 

5
ymbe Brunanburh.         Bordweal clufan, 
heowan heaþolinde         hamora lafan, 
afaran Eadweardes,         swa him geæþele wæs 
from cneomægum,         þæt hi æt campe oft 
wiþ laþra gehwæne         land ealgodon, 

10
hord and hamas.         Hettend crungun, 
Sceotta leoda         and scipflotan 
fæge feollan,         feld dænnede 
secga swate,         siðþan sunne up 
on morgentid,         mære tungol, 

15
glad ofer grundas,         godes condel beorht, 
eces drihtnes,         oð sio æþele gesceaft 
sah to setle.         þær læg secg mænig 
garum ageted,         guma norþerna 
ofer scild scoten,         swilce Scittisc eac, 

20
werig, wiges sæd.         Wesseaxe forð 
ondlongne dæg         eorodcistum 
on last legdun         laþum þeodum, 
heowan herefleman         hindan þearle 
mecum mylenscearpan.         Myrce ne wyrndon 

25
heardes hondplegan         hæleþa nanum 
þæra þe mid Anlafe         ofer æra gebland 
on lides bosme         land gesohtun, 
fæge to gefeohte.         Fife lægun 
on þam campstede         cyningas giunge, 

30
sweordum aswefede,         swilce seofene eac 
eorlas Anlafes,         unrim heriges, 
flotan and Sceotta.         þær geflemed wearð 
Norðmanna bregu,         nede gebeded, 
to lides stefne         litle weorode; 

35
cread cnear on flot,         cyning ut gewat 
on fealene flod,         feorh generede. 
Swilce þær eac se froda         mid fleame com 
on his cyþþe norð,         Costontinus, 
har hilderinc,         hreman ne þorfte 

40
mæca gemanan;         he wæs his mæga sceard, 
freonda gefylled         on folcstede, 
beslagen æt sæcce,         and his sunu forlet 
on wælstowe         wundun forgrunden, 
giungne æt guðe.         Gelpan ne þorfte 

45
beorn blandenfeax         bilgeslehtes, 
eald inwidda,         ne Anlaf þy ma; 
mid heora herelafum         hlehhan ne þorftun 
þæt heo beaduweorca         beteran wurdun 
on campstede         cumbolgehnastes, 

50
garmittinge,         gumena gemotes, 
wæpengewrixles,         þæs hi on wælfelda 
wiþ Eadweardes         afaran plegodan. 
Gewitan him þa Norþmen         nægledcnearrum, 
dreorig daraða laf,         on Dinges mere 

55
ofer deop wæter         Difelin secan, 
eft Iraland,         æwiscmode. 
Swilce þa gebroþer         begen ætsamne, 
cyning and æþeling,         cyþþe sohton, 
Wesseaxena land,         wiges hremige. 

60
Letan him behindan         hræw bryttian 
saluwigpadan,         þone sweartan hræfn, 
hyrnednebban,         and þane hasewanpadan, 
earn æftan hwit,         æses brucan, 
grædigne guðhafoc         and þæt græge deor, 

65
wulf on wealde.         Ne wearð wæl mare 
on þis eiglande         æfre gieta 
folces gefylled         beforan þissum 
sweordes ecgum,         þæs þe us secgað bec, 
ealde uðwitan,         siþþan eastan hider 

70
Engle and Seaxe         up becoman, 
ofer brad brimu         Brytene sohtan, 
wlance wigsmiþas,         Wealas ofercoman, 
eorlas arhwate         eard begeatan.