Vǫluspá
1.
Hljóðs bið ek allar Hearing
I ask for from all
helgar kindir, hallowed
kindreds,
meiri ok minni greater
and lesser
mögu Heimdallar; offspring
of Heimdallr;
viltu at ek, Valföðr, You
want, Valfather,
vel fyr telja that
I should well recount
forn spjöll fira, ancient
story of beings[1]
þau er fremst of man. that
I remember from longest ago.
2.
Ek man jötna I
remember jǫtuns
ár of borna, born
long ago,
þá er forðum mik those
who once me
fædda höfðu; had
nurtured;[2]
níu man ek heima, nine
worlds I remember,
níu íviðjur, nine
giantesses inside,[3]
mjötvið mæran the
great Measure Tree[4]
fyr mold neðan. down
under the ground.
3.
Ár var alda, It
was early in the ages,
þar er ekki var, when
nothing was,[5]
var-a sandr né sær there
was neither sand nor sea
né svalar unnir; nor
cool waves;
jörð fannsk æva Earth
was nowhere to be found,
né upphiminn, nor
sky above,
gap var ginnunga a
gap there was of yawning spaces[6]
en gras hvergi. and
nowhere grass.
4.
Áðr Burs synir Before
the sons of Burr
bjöðum of yppðu, raised
up the lands,
þeir er Miðgarð they
who Miðgarð,
mæran skópu; the
glorious, created;
sól skein sunnan the
sun shone from the south
á salar steina, on
the stones of that dwelling-place,[7]
þá var grund gróin Then
the ground was grown-over
grænum lauki. with
the green leek.[8]
5.
Sól varp sunnan, From
the south cast Sól,[9]
sinni mána, companion
of Máni,
hendi inni hægri her
right hand
um himinjöður; around
the edge of the sky;[10]
sól þat né vissi, Sól
did not know
hvar hon sali átti, where
she had halls,
máni þat né vissi, Máni
did not know
hvat hann megins átti, what
power he had,
stjörnur þat né vissu the
stars did not know
hvar þær staði áttu. where
they had places.
6.
Þá gengu regin öll Then
all the regin went
á rökstóla, to
judgement seats,
ginnheilög goð, the
vastly holy[11] gods,
ok um þat gættusk; and
considered that;
nótt ok niðjum to
Nótt and her children
nöfn of gáfu, they
gave out names,
morgin hétu morning
they named
ok miðjan dag, and
midday,
undorn ok aftan, afternoon[12]
and evening,
árum at telja. to
reckon by years.
7.
Hittusk æsir The
Æsir gathered
á Iðavelli, at
Iðavǫllr,[13]
þeir er hörg ok
hátimbruðu; hǫrgs
and hofs;
afla lögðu, they
laid down forges,
auð smíðuðu, smithied
wealth,
tangir skópu shaped
tongs
ok tól gerðu. and
created tools.
8.
Tefldu í túni, They
played tafl in the enclosure,[14]
teitir váru, were
happy,
var þeim vettergis they
had nothing
vant ór gulli, of
lack of gold,
uns þrjár kvámu until
there came three
þursa meyjar þurs
maidens
ámáttkar mjök very
awesomely strong
ór Jötunheimum. from
Jǫtunheim.
---------
9.
Þá gengu regin öll Then
all the regin went
á rökstóla, to
judgement seats,
ginnheilög goð, the
vastly holy gods,
ok um þat gættusk, and
considered that:
hverir skyldi dverga who[15]
should create
dróttir skepja companies
of dwarves
ór Brimis blóði from
Brimir's blood
ok ór Bláins leggjum. and
from Bláin's legs[16].
10.
Þar var Móðsognir There
Móðsognir had
mæztr of orðinn become
the greatest
dverga allra, of
all dwarves,
en Durinn annarr; and
Durinn the second;
þeir mannlíkun they
made many
mörg of gerðu in
man's likeness,
dvergar í jörðu, dwarves
in the earth[17],
sem Durinn sagði. as
Durinn said.
11.
Nýi, Niði, Nýi,
Niði,
Norðri, Suðri, Norðri,
Suðri,
Austri, Vestri, Austri,
Vestri,[18]
Alþjófr, Dvalinn, Alþjófr,
Dvalinn,
Nár ok Náinn Nár
and Náinn
Nípingr, Dáinn Nípingr,
Dáinn
Bívurr, Bávurr, Bívurr,
Bávurr,
Bömburr, Nóri, Bömburr,
Nóri,
Ánn ok Ánarr, Ánn
and Ánarr,
Óinn, Mjöðvitnir. Óinn,
Mjǫðvitnir.
12.
Veggr ok Gandalfr, Veggr
and Gandalfr,
Vindalfr, Þorinn, Vindalfr,
Þorinn,
Þrár ok Þráinn, Þrár
and Þráinn,
Þekkr, Litr ok Vitr, Þekkr,
Litr and Vitr,
Nýr ok Nýráðr, Nýr
and Nýráðr,
nú hefi ek dverga, now
I have -
Reginn ok Ráðsviðr, Reginn
and Ráðsviðr -
rétt of talða. listed
dwarves correctly.
13.
Fíli, Kíli, Fíli,
Kíli,
Fundinn, Náli, Fundinn,
Náli,
Hefti, Víli, Hefti,
Víli,
Hannar, Svíurr, Hannar,
Svíurr,
Billingr, Brúni, Billingr,
Brúni,
Bíldr ok Buri, Bíldr
and Buri,
Frár, Hornbori, Frár,
Hornbori,
Frægr ok Lóni, Frægr
and Lóni,
Aurvangr, Jari, Aurvangr,
Jari,
Eikinskjaldi. Eikinskjaldi.
14.
Mál er dverga It
is time to list the dwarves
í Dvalins liði in
Dvalin's kindred
ljóna kindum for
the children of men
til Lofars telja, as
far as Lofar,
þeir er sóttu they
who sought out
frá salar steini from
halls of stone
Aurvanga sjöt the
seats[19]
of Aurvangar
til Jöruvalla. to
Jöruvellir.
15.
Þar var Draupnir There
was Draupnir
ok Dolgþrasir, and
Dolgþrasir,
Hár, Haugspori, Hár,
Haugspori,
Hlévangr, Glóinn, Hlévangr,
Glóinn,
Dóri, Óri Dóri,
Óri
Dúfr, Andvari Dúfr,
Andvari
Skirfir, Virfir, Skirfir,
Virfir,
Skáfiðr, Ái. Skáfiðr,
Ái.
16.
Alfr ok Yngvi, Alfr
and Yngvi,
Eikinskjaldi, Eikinskjaldi,
Fjalarr ok Frosti, Fjalarr
and Frosti,
Finnr ok Ginnarr; Finnr
and Ginnarr;
þat mun æ uppi that
will be forever held high
meðan öld lifir, as
long as the age[20] lives,
langniðja tal the
account of the father's line
Lofars hafat. of
Lofar.
---------
17.
Unz þrír kvámu Until
three[21]
came
ór því liði of
that company
öflgir ok ástkir powerful
and dear[22]
æsir at húsi, Æsir
to a house,
fundu á landi found
on the land
lítt megandi able
to do little
Ask ok Emblu Askr
and Embla
örlöglausa. without
orlög.
18.
Önd þau né áttu, They
did not possess ǫnd,[23]
óð þau né höfðu, they
did not have óðr,[24]
lá né læti no
softness, nor activity,[25]
né litu góða; nor
good colouring;[26]
önd gaf Óðinn, Óðinn
gave ǫnd,
óð gaf Hænir, Hœnir
gave óðr,
lá gaf Lóðurr Lóðurr
gave softness
ok litu góða. and
good colouring.
19.
Ask veit ek standa, I
know an ash stands,
heitir Yggdrasill, which
is called Yggdrasill,
hár baðmr, ausinn a
tall tree, sprinkled[27]
hvíta auri; with
white clay;[28]
þaðan koma döggvar, from
there come the dews
þærs í dala falla, which
fall in the valleys,
stendr æ yfir grænn it
stands for ever over the green
Urðarbrunni. Urðarbrunnr.[29]
20.
Þaðan koma meyjar From
there come maidens
margs vitandi knowing
much,
þrjár ór þeim sæ, three
from the lake
er und þolli stendr; which
stands under the tree;
Urð hétu eina, one
is called Urðr,
aðra Verðandi, the
second Verðandi,
- skáru á skíði, - -
they risted on a slip of wood -
Skuld ina þriðju; the
third Skuld;
þær lög lögðu, they
laid down laws,
þær líf kuru they
selected lives,
alda börnum, for
the children of mankind,
örlög seggja. humans'
ørlǫg.[30]
21.
Þat man hon folkvíg She
remembers the war of peoples,
fyrst í heimi, the
first in the world,
er Gullveigu when
they stuck[31]
geirum studdu Gullveig
with spears
ok í höll Hárs and
in the hall of Hárr[32]
hana brenndu, burnt
her,
þrisvar brenndu, three
times burnt,
þrisvar borna, three
times born,
oft, ósjaldan, often,
not seldom,
þó hon enn lifir. yet
she still lives.
22.
Heiði hana hétu Heiðr
they called her
hvars til húsa kom, wherever
she came to the houses,
völu velspáa, a
vǫlva of good prophecy,[33]
vitti hon ganda; she
magicked with magic equipment;[34]
seið hon, hvars hon kunni, she
practised seiðr wherever she could,[35]
seið hon hug leikinn, she
practised seiðr entranced of mind,[36]
æ var hon angan always
she was the darling[37]
illrar brúðar. of
the wicked wife.
23.
Þá gengu regin öll Then
all the regin went
á rökstóla, to
judgement seats,
ginnheilög goð, the
vastly holy gods,
ok um þat gættusk, and
considered that,
hvárt skyldu æsir whether
the Æsir should
afráð gjalda pay
tribute[38]
eða skyldu goðin öll or
all the gods should
gildi eiga. have
tribute.[39]
24.
Fleygði Óðinn Óðinn
let fly
ok í folk of skaut, and
shot into the crowd,
þat var enn folkvíg it
was still the first
fyrst í heimi; war
of peoples in the world;
brotinn var borðveggr breached
was the plank wall
borgar ása, of
the stronghold[40] of the
Æsir,
knáttu vanir vígspá The
Vanir, with war-magic, kicked
völlu sporna. the
field with their heels.[41]
25.
Þá gengu regin öll Then
all the regin went
á rökstóla, to
judgement seats,
ginnheilög goð, the
vastly holy gods,
ok um þat gættusk, and
considered that,
hverjir hefði loft allt who
had blended destruction[42]
lævi blandit into
all the heavens
eða ætt jötuns or
to the race of the jǫtunn
Óðs mey gefna. given
Òð's lass.
26.
Þórr einn þar vá Thor
alone there struck
þrunginn móði, full
of fury
- hann sjaldan sitr - -
he rarely sits still
er hann slíkt of fregn -: when
he hears of such -:
á gengusk eiðar, oaths
were smashed,[43]
orð ok særi, words
and pledges,
mál öll meginlig, all
the forceful pronouncements
er á meðal fóru. that
stood in the way.[44]
27.
Veit hon Heimdallar She
knows Heimdal's
hljóð of folgit ear
has been stowed away[45]
und heiðvönum under
the light-lacking
helgum baðmi, holy
tree,
á sér hon ausask a
river she sees rising
aurgum forsi with
clayey rapids
af veði Valföðrs. from
Valfather's pledge.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat? Do
you still seek to know - or what?
28.
Ein sat hon úti, Alone
she sat out,
þá er inn aldni kom when
the old man came,
yggjungr ása terror's
son[46]
of the Æsir,
ok í augu leit. and
looked into her eyes.
Hvers fregnið mik? "What
are you asking me?
Hví freistið mín? Why
are you testing me?[47]
Allt veit ek, Óðinn, I
know everything, Óðinn,
hvar þú auga falt, where
you stowed your eye,[48]
í inum mæra in
the great
Mímisbrunni. well[49]
of Mímir.
Drekkr mjöð Mímir Mímir
drinks mead
morgun hverjan every
morning
af veði Valföðrs. from
Valfather's pledge."
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat? Do
you still seek to know - or what?
29.
Valði henni Herföðr For
her Herfather chose
hringa ok men, rings
and necklaces,
fekk spjöll spaklig [he]
got a wise account[50]
ok spá ganda, and
spæ of spirits,[51]
sá hon vítt ok of vítt she
saw far and afar
of veröld hverja. in
every world.[52]
30.
Sá hon valkyrjur She
saw valkyries
vítt of komnar, coming
from afar,
görvar at ríða prepared
to ride
til Goðþjóðar; to
the Land of Gods;
Skuld helt skildi, Skuld
held a shield,
en Skögul önnur, and
Skögul another,
Gunnr, Hildr, Göndul Gunnr,
Hildr, Göndul
ok Geirskögul. and
Geirskögul.
Nú eru talðar Now
are recounted
nönnur Herjans, the
Nannas of Herjan,
görvar at ríða prepared
to ride
grund valkyrjur. the
earth, the valkyries.[53]
31.
Ek sá Baldri, I
saw for Baldr,
blóðgum tívur, for
the bloody sacrifice,
Óðins barni, Óðin's
child,
örlög folgin; ørlǫg
stowed away;[54]
stóð of vaxinn there
stood all grown up
völlum hæri higher
than the fields,[55]
mjór ok mjök fagr slender
and very beautiful,
mistilteinn. the
mistletoe.
32.
Varð af þeim meiði, There
came to be of that pole,
er mær sýndisk, which
seemed slender,
harmflaug hættlig, a
dangerous throwing weapon,
Höðr nam skjóta; Hǫðr
did shoot;
Baldrs bróðir var Baldr's
brother was
of borinn snemma, born
early,
sá nam Óðins sonr so
Óðin's son took
einnættr vega. vengeance
at one night old.
33.
Þó hann æva hendr Nonetheless
he did [not] wash his hands
né höfuð kembði, or
comb his hair,
áðr á bál of bar before
he brought death
Baldrs andskota; to
Baldr's slayer;
en Frigg of grét and
Frigg wept at it
í Fensölum in
Fensalir,
vá Valhallar. the
woe of Valhǫllr.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat? Do
you still seek to know - or what?
34.
Þá kná Váli Then
can Váli[56]
vígbönd snúa, twist
the battle-fetters,
heldr váru harðgör they
were rather hardy,
höft ór þörmum. bindings
made of guts.
35.
Haft sá hon liggja A
captive she saw lying
und Hveralundi, under
Hveralundr,
lægjarns líki to
the form of the guileful
Loka áþekkjan; Loki
similar;
þar sitr Sigyn there
sits Sigyn,
þeygi of sínum surely
not of her
ver vel glýjuð. husband
well content.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat? Do
you still seek to know - or what?
36.
Á fellur austan A
river falls from the east
um eitrdala through
dales of poison,[57]
söxum ok sverðum, with
seaxes and swords,
Slíðr heitir sú. Slíðr
is its name.
37.
Stóð fyr norðan There
stood to the north
á Niðavöllum on
Niðavǫllr
salr ór gulli a
hall of gold,
Sindra ættar; of
the kin of Sindri;
en annarr stóð and
another stood
á Ókólni on
Ókólnir,
bjórsalr jötuns, the
beer-hall of a jǫtunn,
en sá Brimir heitir. and
that one is called Brimir.[58]
38.
Sal sá hon standa A
hall she saw standing
sólu fjarri far
from the sun,
Náströndu á, on
Nástrǫnd,
norðr horfa dyrr; the
door facing north;
falla eitrdropar drops
of poison fall
inn um ljóra, in
through the smoke-hole,
sá er undinn salr that
hall is woven
orma hryggjum. of
the backs of serpents.
39.
Sá hon þar vaða She
saw there wading
þunga strauma the
burdensome streams
menn meinsvara men
who were forsworn
ok morðvarga and
outlaw murderers
ok þann er annars glepr and
him who beguiles another man's
eyrarúnu; sweetheart
of whispered secrets;[59]
þar saug Niðhöggr There
Niðhǫggr sucked
nái framgengna, corpses
of the dead,
sleit vargr vera. the
wolf tore men.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat? Do
you still seek to know - or what?
40.
Austr sat in aldna In
the east sat the old female
í Járnviði in
Járnviðr
ok fæddi þar and
there bore[60]
Fenris kindir; Fenrir's
kin;
verðr af þeim öllum there
will come of them all
einna nokkurr one
particular one
tungls tjúgari a
snatcher of the moon[61]
í trölls hami. in
a troll's form.[62]
41.
Fyllisk fjörvi It
fills itself with the vitals[63]
feigra manna, of
the doomed[64]
rýðr ragna sjöt reddens
the dwellings of the regin
rauðum dreyra; with
red gore;
svört verða sólskin black
the sunbeams become
um sumur eftir, in
summers after,
veðr öll válynd. the
weather all shifty.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat? Do
you still seek to know - or what?
42.
Sat þar á haugi There
sat there on a barrow
ok sló hörpu and
struck his harp
gýgjar hirðir, an
ogress' herdsman,
glaðr Eggþér; the
merry Eggþér;
gól of hánum there
crowed above him
í galgviði in
the gallows-wood
fagrrauðr hani, the
bright red[65] rooster
sá er Fjalarr heitir. who
is called Fjalarr.
43.
Gól of ásum There
crowed above the Æsir
Gullinkambi, Gullinkambi,
sá vekr hölða who
wakens the warriors
at Herjaföðrs; at
Herfather's;
en annarr gelr and
another crows
fyr jörð neðan underneath
the earth
sótrauðr hani a
sooty-red rooster
at sölum Heljar. in
the halls of Hel.
44.
Geyr nú Garmr mjök Now
Garmr barks a lot
fyr Gnipahelli, in
front of Gnipahellir,
festr mun slitna, the
tether will break,
en freki renna; and
the ravenous one escape;
fjölð veit ek fræða, Much
I know of lore,[66]
fram sé ek lengra I
see far ahead
um ragna rök to
the judgement of the powers[67],
römm sigtíva. bitter,
of the victory-gods.
45.
Bræðr munu berjask Brothers
will fight each other
ok at bönum verðask, and
be each other's bane,
munu systrungar sisters'
children
sifjum spilla; ravage
kinship;[68]
hart er í heimi, in
the world it is hard,
hórdómr mikill, great
whoredom,
skeggöld, skalmöld, an
axe age, a sword age,
skildir ro klofnir, shields
are cloven,
vindöld, vargöld, a
wind age, a wolf age,
áðr veröld steypisk; before
the world collapses.
mun engi maðr No
one will
öðrum þyrma. spare
another.
46.
Leika Míms synir, Mím's
sons play,
en mjötuðr kyndisk but
fate's measure is lit
at inu galla at
the clarion call
Gjallarhorni; of
Gjallarhorn;
hátt blæss Heimdallr, high[69]
blows Heimdallr,
horn er á lofti, the
horn is raised aloft,
mælir Óðinn Óðinn
consults
við Míms höfuð. with
Mím's head.
47.
Skelfr Yggdrasils Shudders
the ash
askr standandi, Yggdrasill[70],
standing there,
ymr it aldna tré, the
old tree cries,
en jötunn losnar; and
the jǫtunn gets free;
hræðask allir all
are frightened
á helvegum on
the path to Hel
áðr Surtar þann before
Surtr's kinsman
sefi of gleypir. swallows
it.[71]
48.[72]
Hvat er með ásum? What
ails the Æsir?
Hvat er með alfum? What
ails the Álfar?
Gnýr allr Jötunheimr, All
Jǫtunheimr resounds,
æsir ro á þingi, Æsir
are in Thing,
stynja dvergar dwarves
groan
fyr steindurum, before
the doors of stone,
veggbergs vísir. wise
in the ways of their rock walls.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat? Do
you still seek to know - or what?
49.
Geyr nú Garmr mjök Now
Garmr barks a lot
fyr Gnipahelli, in
front of Gnipahellir,
festr mun slitna the
tether will break,
en freki renna; and
the ravenous one escape;
fjölð veit ek fræða, Much
I know of lore,
fram sé ek lengra I
see far ahead,
um ragna rök to
the judgement of the powers,
römm sigtíva. bitter,
of the victory-gods.
50.
Hrymr ekr austan, Hrymr
drives from the east,
hefisk lind fyrir, lifts
his shield in front of him,
snýsk Jörmungandr Jǫrmungandr
writhes
í jötunmóði; in
jǫtunn-fury;
ormr knýr unnir, the
serpent churns the waves,
en ari hlakkar, and
the eagle screams,[73]
slítr nái niðfölr, pitch-dark-pale[74],
rends corpses,
Naglfar losnar. Naglfar
casts off.
51.
Kjóll ferr austan, The
ship[75]
sails from the east,
koma munu Múspells will
come Múspell's
of lög lýðir, people
over water,
en Loki stýrir; and
Loki steers;
fara fíflmegir ogre-kin[76]
travel
með freka allir, all
with the ravener,
þeim er bróðir in
their group
Býleists í för. is
the brother of Býleistr.[77]
52.
Surtr ferr sunnan Surtr
travels from the south
með sviga lævi, with
the destruction of switches,[78]
skínn af sverði there
shines from his sword
sól valtíva; the
sun of the val-gods;
grjótbjörg gnata, the
rocky cliffs clash,
en gífr rata, and
fiends are on the way,
troða halir helveg, men
tread the road to Hel,
en himinn klofnar. and
the heavens split open.
53.
Þá kemr Hlínar Then
comes Hlín's
harmr annarr fram, second
grief to pass,
er Óðinn ferr when
Óðinn goes
við ulf vega, into
combat with the wolf,
en bani Belja and
Beli's bane
bjartr at Surti; bright
against Surtr;
þá mun Friggjar then
will Frigg's
falla angan. sweetie[79]
fall.
54.
Geyr nú Garmr mjök Now
Garmr barks a lot
fyr Gnipahelli, in
front of Gnipahellir,
festr mun slitna the
tether will break,
en freki renna; and
the ravenous one escape;
fjölð veit ek fræða, Much
I know of lore,
fram sé ek lengra I
see far ahead,
um ragna rök to
the judgement of the powers,
römm sigtíva. bitter,
of the victory-gods.
55.
Þá kemr inn mikli Then
comes the great
mögr Sigföður, offspring
of Sigfather,
Víðarr, vega Víðarr,
to attack
at valdýri. the
slaughter-beast.
Lætr hann megi Hveðrungs With
his hand he shoves home
mundum standa in
Hveðrung's offspring's[80]
hjör til hjarta, heart
the blade,
þá er hefnt föður. then
is his father avenged.
56.
Þá kemr inn mæri Then
comes the great
mögr Hlóðynjar, offspring
of Hlóðyn,
gengr Óðins sonr Óðin's
son goes
við orm vega, to
attack the serpent,
drepr af móði He
strikes in fury,
Miðgarðs véurr, Miðgarð's
hallower,[81]
munu halir allir all
humans will
heimstöð ryðja; clear
out of their homestead;
gengr fet níu he
walks nine paces,
Fjörgynjar burr Fjǫrgyn's
son,
neppr frá naðri barely
that, from the viper
níðs ókvíðnum. that
did not shrink from vileness[82].
57.
Sól tér sortna, Sól
is seen to blacken,
sígr fold í mar, the
earth sinks in the sea,
hverfa af himni fall
from the sky
heiðar stjörnur; the
bright stars;
geisar eimi there
rage smoke
ok aldrnari, and
flame,[83]
leikr hár hiti the
heat rises high
við himin sjalfan. to
the sky itself.
58.
Geyr nú Garmr mjök Now
Garmr barks a lot
fyr Gnipahelli, in
front of Gnipahellir,
festr mun slitna the
tether will break,
en freki renna; and
the ravenous one escape;
fjölð veit ek fræða Much
I know of lore,
fram sé ek lengra I
see far ahead,
um ragna rök to
the judgement of the powers,
römm sigtíva. bitter,
of the victory-gods.
59.
Sér hon upp koma She
sees coming up
öðru sinni a
second time
jörð ór ægi an
earth from ocean[84]
iðjagræna; again
green;
falla forsar, waterfalls
tumble,
flýgr örn yfir, eagles
fly above,
sá er á fjalli who
are in the hills
fiska veiðir. hunting
fish.
60.
Finnask æsir Æsir
come together
á Iðavelli at
Iðavǫllr[85]
ok um moldþinur and
on the earth-thong
máttkan dæma mighty
they pass judgement[86]
ok minnask þar and
remember there
á megindóma powerful
decisions[87]
ok á Fimbultýs and
Fimbultýr's
fornar rúnir. ancient
runes.
61.
Þar munu eftir There
will afterwards
undrsamligar the
wondrous
gullnar töflur golden
tafl pieces
í grasi finnask, be
found in the grass,
þærs í árdaga which
in days of yore
áttar höfðu. they
had owned.
62.
Munu ósánir Unsowed
the fields
akrar vaxa, will
grow,
böls mun alls batna, all
misfortune will be abated,
Baldr mun koma; Baldr
will come;
búa þeir Höðr ok Baldr they
dwell, Hǫðr and Baldr,
Hrofts sigtoftir, in
Hropt's victory dwellings,
vé valtíva. the
vé of the slaughter-gods.[88]
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat? Do
you still seek to know - or what?
63.
Þá kná Hænir Then
Hœnir knows how to[89]
hlautvið kjósa choose
the lots[90]
ok burir byggja and
they inhabit, the sons
bræðra tveggja of
the two brothers,
vindheim víðan. the
wide wind-home.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat? Do
you still seek to know - or what?
64.
Sal sér hon standa A
hall she sees standing
sólu fegra, fairer
than the sun,
gulli þakðan roofed
with gold,
á Gimléi; at
Gimlé;
þar skulu dyggvar there
are the worthy
dróttir byggja hosts
to dwell
ok um aldrdaga and
in all the days of their lives
ynðis njóta. enjoy
bliss.
65.
Þá kemr inn ríki Then
comes the powerful one
at regindómi to
the divine judgement,
öflugr ofan, a
strong one from above,
sá er öllu ræðr. who
rules over all.
66.
Þar kemr inn dimmi Then
comes the dusky
dreki fljúgandi, dragon
flying,
naðr fránn, neðan a
gleaming serpent, up
frá Niðafjöllum; from
Niðafjǫll;
berr sér í fjöðrum, he
carries in his feathers
- flýgr völl yfir, - -
he flies over the field -
Niðhöggr nái. Niðhǫggr,
corpses.
Nú mun hon sökkvask. Now
she will lie down.
[1] spjǫll: both history and an account of history, news, a tale. firar: used of humans, of gods, and of both humans and gods; the last seems most appropriate here.
[2] fædda: can mean anything from "gave birth to" through "raised" to "fed", so it could be rendered "parented" or "took care of"; the ending tells us the speaker is female.
[3] íviðjur: a rare word for "giantesses" that begins with the prefix í-, "in" - usually here rendered "rooms", but Dronke points out the poet is either punning on viðr, "wood, tree" or using the word in its original precise sense, for the giantesses from whom the roots of the World Tree grow. Cleasby-Vigfússon also has "giantesses."
[4] mjǫtvið: "measure-wood," the World Tree. In Cleasby-Vigfússon this is seen as an error for mjǫtuðr, which occurs in verse 46. Olive Bray has "Fate Tree."
[5] þar er ekki var, reading taken from the Prose Edda; most editions follow the Codex Regius and have þar er Ymir byggði, "when Ymir dwelt," for this line.
[6] A reference to Ginnungagap; but it is unclear whether it is a reversal of the name or whether there was actually an Old Norse verb ginna, "to yawn, gape"; Dronke suspects that ginnunga- was borrowed from Old High German ginung (a word for Chaos derived from a verb "to gape") just as Muspell was borrowed from Old High German Muspilli or Mutspilli.
[7] salar: literally "hall."
[8] The leek, laukr, here deliberately chosen to stand for all plants because of its size and nobility, commonly contrasted with grass (mentioned at the end of verse 3), as Guðrún says that Sigurðr towered over other men like the leek over grass.
[9] Sól is both the name of the goddess and the word "sun"; however, Máni is almost always the god rather than the moon itself (Cleasby-Vigfússon). I have therefore treated both as deities, and also Nótt (night) in the following verse.
[10] The rest of the verse is only in the Prose Edda and Dronke regards it as interpolation by Snorri replacing something more about the cosmic mill turning the heavens.
[11] The first element in ginnheilög is related to that in Ginnungagap, although it is usually taken as simply an intensifier.
[12] Undorn and its cognates have shifted in meaning but appear to have originally meant mid-afternoon.
[13] Iðavǫllr has been translated "Plain of Activity" or "Plain that Renews Itself"; Dronke calls it "Eddying Plain." Hollander translates it "Shining Plain."
[14] The base meaning of tún is the fenced-in plot around a farmhouse; it can be used specifically as "meadow" or "home-field."
[15] This is plural. Another manuscript variant has it as singular; and Finnur Jónsson suggested amending it to hvárt, "whether [they] should. . . ."
[16] or "arms and legs" or the bones of them.
[17] Some manuscripts have ór jörðu, which would mean "made out of earth."
[18] North, South, East, and West.
[19] Sjöt can mean both a dwelling and a host, a horde of people.
[20] The word ǫld can also mean "world."
[21] The manuscripts have a feminine form here, þriar.
[22] ǫflugr is otherwise applied to none of the gods except twice to Heimdallr; ástkir is a hapax legomenon, I am using Cleasby-Vigfusson's interpretation.
[23] Roughly, "breath"
[24] Roughly, "spirit"
[25] lá: "the line of foam that edges the shore"; in Modern Icelandic it is used of a film on liquid. In one saga it appears to be used of complexion. Since the trees did have a skin, a hard one, I have used "softness". læti: all human behaviour.
[26] Plural; often used specifically for "complexion"
[27] ausinn: the same verb as in the vatni ausa, the sprinkling of a baby with water at name-giving
[28] aurr: wet clay or humus
[29] spring-fed pool or well of Urðr.
[30] Ørlǫg is always (neuter) plural, so this could be that of humans in general or of individuals. (In this word, the two mutated sounds need to be distinguished, so I have used the stricter spelling. Elsewhere I follow the Old Norse text we are using in using modern Icelandic ö)
[31] Styðia can be "to stab" or "to prop up".
[32] Hárr, "Hoary," is of course a name of Óðinn, but so is Hár, which can mean "High One" but is also an old word for "Blind." The metre requires two syllables on the name here. Also the word used here for "hall," hǫll, is the word that appears in Valhǫll and that it has been suggested originally referrred to an underground cavern; previously in the poem the word salr has been used.
[33] This could mean either that her spá-work was good or that it always forecast nice things. vel spá is two words in the manuscript, but compound words were not usually written joined together.
[34] Vitti (written vítti by Dronke) is the past tense of an otherwise unknown vitta, presumably related to vitka, "to bewitch", vitki, "sorceror," and vítt, "equipment for magic or heathenry." In the Historia Norvegiæ, gandr has the specific meaning of fylgja or fetch-form, but elsewhere it is used very generally of sorcerors' equipment. So this could also be "summoned spirits."
[35] Divergent manuscript readings. In the Codex Regius this line reads seið hon kunni - "she knew seiðr."
[36] Again Codex Regius varies, omitting hug: "she practised seiðr entranced."
[37] angan, literally "sweet smell" since it derives from the verb anga, "to smell nice", occurs only here and in verse 53, both times as a metaphor.
[38] afráð is a legal term for a tax paid to a king, but afráð gjalda can also be an idiom for "get the short end of the stick."
[39] gildi here has also been interpreted as "an association," as in English "guild."
[40] Borg basically means a fort. It has been translated "citadel."
[41] vígspá, technically "war-spá"; knáttu . . . vǫllu sporna, as Dronke says, recalls knátti . . . moldveg sporna, "kicked the earth with their heels" of the two children born healthy in "Oddrúnargrátr," which suggests rebirth after they are cut down in battle. However, the two half-lines have also been read as "the Vanir worked war-magic, bestrode the field", with knáttu taken with vígspá.
[42] Læ could be specifically "treachery" or generally "evil."
[43] the simpler interpretation; Dronke points out it could also be "oaths collided".
[44] The simpler reading here would be "that were between them [the gods and the giant-builder]", but there is a parallel passage cited by Dronke from a grammatical treatise, and it is fóro, "came", not vóro, "were".
[45] Hljóð is a famous problem; it can be "hearing" (as in verse 1), "ear", or "voice". Folgit is past participle of fela, which can mean either "conceal, hide" or "give for safekeeping, entrust".
[46] Yggr, "the terrible", is a name of Óðinn; the force of the ending -ungr is unclear here, but etymologically it is a patronymic, like -ing.
[47] Both these verbs are in the plural - "you all".
[48] fala again, as in 27.2.
[49] Brunnr: a pool from which a river rises.
[50] Fékk is an emendation; the manuscript has fe (fé, "wealth"). Two half-lines may have been lost. There is obvious punning on spaklig and spá, in the next half-line.
[51] Ganda (genitive plural of gandr) is more clearly "spirits" here than in verse 22.
[52] Verǫld can signify "age of mankind" but here probably means "world".
[53] These last 4 halflines are usually seen as an interpolation. Note the kenning, "Nannas (females) of Herjan (Lord of Hosts, Army-Leader - another name of Óðinn, as are of course Valfather and Her (Army)father.
[54] Tívur/Tívor is a unique word (hapax legomenon) in Old Norse but appears to be cognate with A-S tíber/tífer and ON tafn, both of which mean a creature that is sacrificed, and possibly Old High German ceburhaftiu, with a similar meaning. It is probably not formed from tívar, the plural of týr, "god". Folgin: same word as folgit in verse 27.
[55] Vǫllum; same word as vǫllu in verse 24, but here plural.
[56] This half stanza only appears in the Hauksbók version of the poem, where it replaces the first half of verse 35. The manuscript actually reads vala - which would leave the verb with no subject and is thus amended to Váli.
[57] Based on literary parallels, this is often taken to mean the water is so cold it sears the flesh like poison.
[58] i.e., the jótunn; Brimir is also mentioned in stanza 9. Snorri takes Sindri as the name of the first hall.
[59] Eyrarúna, "woman who whsipers in your ear", is only found here and in Hávamál.
[60] fæddi: either "bore," "nursed," or "reared."
[61] Tungl can theoretically be any heavenly body, but had already become the word for the moon in ON prose; máni is only used in poetry. Also explicit mentions of the sun follow.
[62] hamr: skin, usually referring to the form one takes on when shapeshifting.
[63] fjǫr is cognate with A-S feorh, "life," and in modern Icelandic is used for "vitality," but in poetry generally refers to the body.
[64] feigr, "doomed to die." Manna means people of both sexes.
[65] fagrrauðr: light red as opposed to dark red.
[66] The manuscript has veit hón, "she knows".
[67] Rǫk is the same word as in á rǫkstóla, referring to "judgement seats." In this combination, ragna rǫk or ragnarǫk, it is usually rendered with the older word "doom," but I have kept the translation consistent to show the irony of the poet's wording.
[68] Since spilla is the common verb for "defiling" a woman sexually, this is often taken as distinct from the previous 2 halflines and about incest, not kin-killing.
[69] Either in pitch or in loudness.
[70] Literally: Yggdrasil's ash.
[71] These last 4 problematic half-lines are only in Hauksbók.
[72] From here through verse 54, the manuscripts vary considerably in the order of verses.
[73] Hlakka has connotations of exulting, screaming with joy
[74] Niðfǫlr is the H and Prose Edda reading; nið is properly the dark of the moon. The Codex Regius has neffǫlr, "pale-beaked"; níðfǫlr, "pale in malice", has been suggested.
[75] or "a ship".
[76] or "monster-men".
[77] Loki.
[78] sviga læ: kenning for fire.
[79] Angan, as in verse 22, is a metaphorical use of a word meaning "sweet smell".
[80] Hveðrungr is another name for Loki, based on Ynglingatál 32, where Hel is called Hveðrungs mær.
[81] or perhaps "defender of the vés"
[82] Níð here refers to Jǫrmungand's intent, but also possibly connotes the actual poison. The line is difficult; despite agreeing in case with naðri, it has often been taken as "not concerned about malice", referring to Thor being fearless or having no reason to worry about not being remembered well.
[83] In Faroese, eimi means "hot ash"; aldrnari, "saving of mankind, nourisher of life", is found only here and in the list of kennings for fire in the þulur, but the cognate and related words occur in Anglo-Saxon.
[84] A rare poetic word that is the same as Ægir's name.
[85] Compare the opening of verse 7; Hauksbók has the same verb, hittaz.
[86] máttkan moldþinur: i.e. Jǫrmungandr. Dæma can also mean "discuss, converse" in poetry.
[87] These two halflines are in Hauksbók but not in the main Codex Regius manuscript.
[88] The manuscript reads vel valtivar, so an alternative amendment is vés valtívar, "slaughter-gods of the vé".
[89] Kná is sometimes just an intensifying "does".
[90] In hlautvið, hlautr presumably has its primary meaning, denoting use to draw lots or in divination, rather than the meaning given to it in Heimskringla, the blood from the blót (used in divination).