When I do read it, though, I won't be looking at modern translations. I almost would go so far as saying that everyone in high school should have a year (maybe 11th grade) when Old English is formally studied for half the year. It allows people to understand their native language so much better and see the shifts in meaning and spelling, which are actually pretty predictable in most cases. After all, "how now, brown cow" would be "hu nu, brun cu" in Old English...