"Spruttu á tái

tregnar íðir,

græti alfa

in glýstömu;

ár of morgin

manna bölva

sútir hverjar

sorg of kveykva."

"Great the evils

once that grew,

With the dawning sad

of the sorrow of elves;

In early mom

awake for men

The evils that grief

to each shall bring."

"Var-a þat nú

né í gær,

þat hefir langt

liðit síðan,

— er fátt fornara,

fremr var þat halfu, —

er hvatti Guðrún

Gjúka borin,

sonu sína unga

at hefna Svanhildar:"

"Not now, nor yet

of yesterday was it,

Long the time

that since hath lapsed,

So that little there is

that is half as old,

Since Guthrun, daughter

of Gjuki, whetted

Her sons so young

to Svanhild's vengeance."

"Systir var ykkur

Svanhildr of heitin,

sú er Jörmunrekkr

jóm of traddi,

hvítum ok svörtum

á hervegi,

grám, gangtömum

Gotna hrossum."

"The sister ye had

was Svanhild called,

And her did Jormunrek

trample with horses,

White and black

on the battle-way,

Gray, road-wonted,

the steeds of the Goths."

"Eftir er ykkr þrungit

þjóðkonunga;

lifið einir ér

þátta ættar minnar."

"Little the kings

of the folk are ye like,

For now ye are living

alone of my race."

"Einstæð em ek orðin,

sem ösp í holti,

fallin at frændum

sem fura at kvisti,

vaðin at vilja,

sem viðr at laufi,

þá er in kvistskæða

kemr um dag varman."

"Lonely am I

as the forest aspen,

Of kindred bare

as the fir of its boughs,

My joys are all lost

as the leaves of the tree

When the scather of twigs

from the warm day turns."

Hitt kvað þá Hamðir

inn hugumstóri:

"Lítt myndir þú þá, Guðrún,

leyfa dáð Högna,

er þeir Sigurð vökðu

svefni ór,

saztu á beð,

en banar hlógu."

Then Hamther spake forth,

the high of heart:

"Small praise didst thou, Guthrun,

to Hogni's deed give

When they wakened thy Sigurth

from out of his sleep,

Thou didst sit on the bed

while his slayers laughed."

"Bækr váru þínar

inar bláhvítu

ofnar völundum,

flutu í vers dreyra;

svalt þá Sigurðr,

saztu yfir dauðum,

glýja þú né gáðir,

Gunnarr þér svá vildi."

"Thy bed-covers white

with blood were red

From his wounds, and with gore

of thy husband were wet;

So Sigurth was slain,

by his corpse didst thou sit,

And of gladness didst think not:

twas Gunnar's doing."

"Atla þóttisk þú stríða

at Erps morði

ok at Eitils aldrlagi,

þat var þér enn verra;

svá skyldi hverr öðrum

verja til aldrlaga

sverði sárbeitu,

at sér né stríddi-t."

"Thou wouldst strike at Atli

by the slaying of Erp

And the killing of Eitil;

thine own grief was worse;

So should each one wield

the wound-biting sword

That another it slays

but smites not himself."

Hitt kvað þá Sörli,

— svinna hafði hann hyggju —:

"Vilk-at ek við móður

málum skipta;

orðs þykkir enn vant

ykkru hváru.

Hvers biðr þú nú, Guðrún,

er þú at gráti né fær-at?"

Then did Sorli speak out,

for wise was he ever:

"With my mother I never

a quarrel will make;

Full little in speaking

methinks ye both lack;

What askest thou, Guthrun,

that will give thee no tears?"

"Bræðr grát þú þína

ok buri svása,

niðja náborna

leidda nær rógi;

okkr skaltu ok, Guðrún,

gráta báða,

er hér sitjum feigir á mörum,

fjarri munum deyja."

"For thy brothers dost weep,

and thy boys so sweet,

Thy kinsmen in birth

on the battlefield slain;

Now, Guthrun, as; well

for us both shalt thou weep,

We sit doomed on our steeds,

and far hence shall we die."

"Gengu ór garði

görvir at eiskra,

liðu þá yfir ungir

úrig fjöll

mörum húnlenzkum

morðs at hefna."

Then the fame-glad one

on the steps she was

The slender-fingered,

spake with her son:

"Ye shall danger have

if counsel ye heed not;

By two heroes alone

shall two hundred of Goths

Be bound or be slain

in the lofty-walled burg."

Fundu á stræti

stórbrögðóttan:

"Hvé mun jarpskammr

okkr fulltingja?"

"From the courtyard they fared,

and fury they breathed;

The youths swiftly went

o'er the mountain wet,

On their Hunnish steeds,

death's vengeance to have."

"Svaraði inn sundrmæðri,

svá kvaðsk veita mundu

fullting frændum,

sem fótr öðrum.

Hvat megi fótr

fæti veita

né holdgróin

hönd annarri?"

"On the way they found

the man so wise;

*********

What help from the weakling

brown may we have?"

Þá kvað þat Erpr

einu sinni,

— mærr of lék

á mars baki —:

"Illt er blauðum hal

brautir kenna.

Kóðu harðan mjök

hornung vera."

So answered them

their half-brother then:

"So well may I

my kinsmen aid

As help one foot

from the other has."

"Drógu þeir ór skíði

skíðiéarn,

mækis eggjar,

at mun flagði;

þverrðu þeir þrótt sinn

at þriðjungi,

létu mög ungan

til moldar hníga."

"How may afoot

its fellow aid,

Or a flesh-grown hand

another help?"

"Skóku loða,

skalmir festu,

ok góðbornir

smugu í guðvefi."

"Then Erp spake forth,

his words were few,

As haughty he sat

on his horse's back:

To the timid tis ill

the way to tell.

A bastard they

the bold one called."

"Fram lágu brautir,

fundu vástigu

ok systurson

sáran á meiði,

vargtré vindköld

vestan bæjar,

trýtti æ trönu hvöt,

titt var-at bíða."

"From their sheaths they drew

their shining swords,

Their blades, to the giantess

joy to give;

By a third they lessened

the might that was theirs,

The fighter young

to earth they felled."

"Glamr var í höllu,

halir ölreifir,

ok til gota ekki

gerðu at heyra,

áðr halr hugfullr

í horn of þaut."

"Their cloaks they shook,

their swords they sheathed,

The high-born men

wrapped their mantles close."

"Segja fóru ærir

Jörmunrekki,

at sénir váru

seggir und hjalmum:

Ræðið ér um ráð,

ríkir eru komnir,

fyr máttkum hafið ér mönnum

mey of tradda."

"On their road they fared

and an ill way found,

And their sister's son

on a tree they saw,

On the wind-cold wolf-tree

west of the hall,

And cranes'-bait crawled;

none would care to linger."

"Hló þá Jörmunrekkr,

hendi drap á kampa,

beiddisk-at bröngu,

böðvaðisk at víni;

skók hann skör jarpa,

sá á skjöld hvítan,

lét hann sér í hendi

hvarfa ker gullit."

"In the hall was din,

the men drank deep,

And the horses' hoofs

could no one hear,

Till the warrior hardy

sounded his horn"

"Sæll ek þá þóttumk,

ef ek sjá knætta

Hamði ok Sörla

í höllu minni,

buri mynda ek þá binda

með boga strengjum,

góð börn Gjúka

festa á galga."

Men came and the tale

to Jormunrek told

How warriors helmed

without they beheld:

"Take counsel wise,

for brave ones are come,

Of mighty men

thou the sister didst murder."

"Hitt kvað þá Hróðrglöð,

stóð of hleðum,

mæfingr mælti

við mög þenna:

*********

Því at þat heita,

at hlýðigi myni;

megu tveir menn einir

tíu hundruð Gotna

binda eða berja

í borg inni háu."

"Then Jormunrek laughed,

his hand laid on his beard,

His arms, for with wine

he was warlike, he called for;

He shook his brown locks,

on his white shield he looked,

And raised high the cup

of gold in his hand."

"Styrr varð í ranni,

stukku ölskálir,

í blóði bragnar lágu,

komit ór brjósti Gotna."

"Happy, methinks,

were I to behold

Hamther and Sorli

here in my hall;

The men would I bind

with strings of bows,

And Gjuki's heirs

on the gallows hang."

"Hitt kvað þá Hamðir

inn hugumstóri:

Æstir, Jörmunrekkr,

okkarrar kvámu

bræðra sammæðra

innan borgar þinnar;

fætr sér þína,

höndum sér þú þínum,

Jörmunrekkr, orpit

í eld heitan."

"In the hall was clamor,

the cups were shattered,

Men stood in blood

from the breasts of the Goths,"

"Þá hraut við

inn reginkunngi

baldr í hrynju,

sem björn hryti:

Grýtið ér á gumna,

alls geirar né bíta,

eggjar né éarn

Jónakrs sonu."

Then did Hamther speak forth,

the haughty of heart:

"Thou soughtest, Jormunrek,

us to see,

Sons of one mother

seeking thy dwelling;

Thou seest thy hands,

thy feet thou beholdest,

Jormunrek, flung

in the fire so hot."

"Hitt kvað þá Hamðir

inn hugumstóri:

Böl vanntu, bróðir,

er þú þann belg leystir;

oft ór þeim belg

böll ráð koma."

Then roared the king,

of the race of the gods,

Bold in his armor,

as roars a bear:

"Stone ye the men

that steel will bite not,

Sword nor spear,

the sons of Jonak."

Sörli Kvað:

"Hug hefðir þú, Hamðir,

ef þú hefðir hyggjandi;

mikils er á mann hvern vant,

er mannvits er!"

Sorli spake:

"Ill didst win, brother,

when the bag thou didst open,

Oft from that bag

came baleful counsel;

Heart hast thou, Hamther,

if knowledge thou hadst!

A man without wisdom

is lacking in much."

Hamðir kvað:

"Af væri nú höfuð,

ef Erpr lifði,

bróðir okkarr inn böðfrækni,

er vit á braut vágum,

verr inn vígfrækni,

— hvöttumk at dísir, —

gumi inn gunnhelgi,

— gerðumk at vígi -."

Hamther spake:

"His head were now off

if Erp were living,

The brother so keen

whom we killed on our road,

The warrior noble,

twas the Norns that drove me

The hero to slay

who in fight should be holy."

Sörli kvað:

"Ekki hygg ek okkr

vera ulfa dæmi,

at vit mynim sjalfir of sakask

sem grey norna,

þá er gráðug eru

í auðn of alin."

"In fashion of wolves

it befits us not

Amongst ourselves to strive,

Like the hounds of the Norns,

that nourished were

In greed mid wastes so grim."

"Vel höfum vit vegit,

stöndum á val Gotna,

ofan eggmóðum,

sem ernir á kvisti;

góðs höfum tírar fengit,

þótt skylim nú eða í gær deyja;

kveld lifir maðr ekki

eftir kvið norna."

"We have greatly fought,

o'er the Goths do we stand

By our blades laid low,

like eagles on branches;

Great our fame though we die

today or tomorrow;

None outlives the night

when the Norris have spoken."

"Þar fell Sörli

at salar gafli,

enn Hamðir hné

at húsbaki."

"Then Sorli beside

the gable sank,

And Hamther fell

at the back of the house."