"Hvat beit brynju?

Hví brá ek svefni?

Hverr felldi af mér

fölvar nauðir?"

Hann svaraði:

"Sigmundar burr,

— sleit fyr skömmu

hrafn hrælundir, —

hjörr Sigurðar!"

"What bit through the byrnie?

how was broken my sleep?

Who made me free

of the fetters pale?"

He answered:

"Sigmund's son,

with Sigurth's sword,

That late with flesh

hath fed the ravens."

Hon kvað:

"Lengi ek svaf,

lengi ek sofnuð var,

löng eru lýða læ;

Óðinn því veldr,

er ek eigi máttak

bregða blundstöfum."

"Heill dagr!

Heilir dags synir!

Heil nótt ok nift!

Óreiðum augum

lítið okkr þinig

ok gefið sitjöndum sigr!"

"Hail, day!

Hail, sons of day!

And night and her daughter now!

Look on us here

with loving eyes,

That waiting we victory win."

"Heilir æsir!

Heilar ásynjur!

Heil sjá in fjölnýta fold!

Mál ok mannvit

gefið okkr mærum tveim

ok læknishendr, meðan lifum."

"Hail to the gods!

Ye goddesses, hail,

And all the generous earth!

Give to us wisdom

and goodly speech,

And healing hands, life-long."

"Bjór færi ek þér,

brynþings apaldr,

magni blandinn

ok megintíri;

fullr er hann ljóða

ok líknstafa,

góðra galdra

ok gamanrúna."

"Long did I sleep,

my slumber was long,

And long are the griefs of life;

Othin decreed

that I could not break

The heavy spells of sleep."

"Sigrúnar skaltu kunna,

ef þú vilt sigr hafa,

ok rísta á hjalti hjörs,

sumar á véttrimum,

sumar á valböstum,

ok nefna tysvar Tý."

"Ölrúnar skaltu kunna,

ef þú vill annars kvæn

véli-t þik í tryggð, ef þú trúir;

á horni skal þær rísta

ok á handar baki

ok merkja á nagli Nauð."

"The other was Agnar,

brother of Autha,

None he found

who fain would shield him."

"Full skal signa

ok við fári sjá

ok verpa lauki í lög;

þá ek þat veit,

at þér verðr aldri

meinblandinn mjöðr."

"Beer I bring thee,

tree of battle,

Mingled of strength

and mighty fame;

Charms it holds

and healing signs,

Spells full good,

and gladness-runes."

"Bjargrúnar skaltu kunna,

ef þú bjarga vilt

ok leysa kind frá konum;

á lófum þær skal rísta

ok of liðu spenna

ok biðja þá dísir duga."

"Winning-runes learn,

if thou longest to win,

And the runes on thy sword-hilt write;

Some on the furrow,

and some on the flat,

And twice shalt thou call on Tyr."

"Brimrúnar skaltu rísta,

ef þú vilt borgit hafa

á sundi seglmörum;

á stafni skal rísta

ok á stjórnarblaði

ok leggja eld í ár,

er-a svá brattr breki

né svá bláar unnir,

þó kemstu heill af hafi."

"Ale-runes learn,

that with lies the wife

Of another betray not thy trust;

On the horn thou shalt write,

and the backs of thy hands,

And Need shalt mark on thy nails.

Thou shalt bless the draught,

and danger escape,

And cast a leek in the cup;

(For so I know

thou never shalt see

Thy mead with evil mixed.)"

"Limrúnar skaltu kunna,

af þú vilt læknir vera,

ok kunna sár at sjá;

á berki skal þær rísta

ok á baðmi viðar,

þeim er lúta austr limar."

"Birth-runes learn,

if help thou wilt lend,

The babe from the mother to bring;

On thy palms shalt write them,

and round thy joints,

And ask the fates to aid."

"Málrúnar skaltu kunna,

ef þú vilt, at manngi þér

heiftum gjaldi harm:

þær of vindr,

þær of vefr,

þær of setr allar saman

á því þingi,

er þjóðir skulu

í fulla dóma fara."

"Wave-runes learn,

if well thou wouldst shelter

The sail-steeds out on the sea;

On the stem shalt thou write,

and the steering blade,

And burn them into the oars;

Though high be the breakers,

and black the waves,

Thou shalt safe the harbor seek."

"Hugrúnar skaltu kunna,

ef þú vilt hverjum vera

geðsvinnari guma;

þær of réð,

þær of reist,

þær of hugði Hroftr

af þeim legi,

er lekit hafði

ór hausi Heiðdraupnis

ok ór horni Hoddrofnis."

"Branch-runes learn,

if a healer wouldst be,

And cure for wounds wouldst work;

On the bark shalt thou write,

and on trees that be

With boughs to the eastward bent."

"Á bjargi stóð

með Brimis eggjar,

hafði sér á höfði hjalm;

þá mælti Mímis höfuð

fróðligt it fyrsta orð

ok sagði sanna stafi."

"Speech-runes learn,

that none may seek

To answer harm with hate;

Well he winds

and weaves them all, And sets them side by side,

At the judgment-place,

when justice there

The folk shall fairly win."

"Á skildi kvað ristnar,

þeim er stendr fyr skínandi goði,

á eyra Árvakrs

ok á Alsvinns hófi,

á því hvéli, er snýsk

undir reið Hrungnis,

á Sleipnis tönnum

ok á sleða fjötrum."

"Thought-runes learn,

if all shall think

Thou art keenest minded of men.

*********"

"Á bjarnar hrammi

ok á Braga tungu,

á ulfs klóum

ok á arnar nefi,

á blóðgum vængjum

ok á brúar sporði,

á lausnar lófa

ok á líknar spori."

"Them Hropt arranged,

and them he wrote,

And them in thought he made,

Out of the draught

that down had dropped

From the head of Heithdraupnir,

And the horn of Hoddrofnir."

"Á gleri ok á gulli

ok á gumna heillum,

í víni ok í virtri

ok vilisessi,

á Gugnis oddi

ok á Grana brjósti,

á nornar nagli

ok á nefi uglu."

"On the mountain he stood

with Brimir's sword,

On his head the helm he bore;

Then first the head

of Mim spoke forth,

And words of truth it told.

*********"

"Allar váru af skafnar,

þær er váru á ristnar,

ok hverfðar við inn helga mjöð

ok sendar á víða vega;

þær ro með ásum,

þær ro með alfum,

sumar með vísum vönum

sumar hafa mennskir menn."

"He bade write on the shield

before the shining goddess,

On Arvak's ear,

and on Alsvith's hoof,

On the wheel of the car

of Hrungnir's killer,

On Sleipnir's teeth,

and the straps of the sledge."

"Þat eru bókrúnar,

þat eru bjargrúnar

ok allar ölrúnar

ok mætar meginrúnar,

hveim er þær kná óvilltar

ok óspilltar

sér at heillum hafa;

njóttu, ef þú namst,

unz rjúfask regin."

"On the paws of the bear,

and on Bragi's tongue,

On the wolf's claws bared,

and the eagle's beak,

On bloody wings,

and bridge's end,

On freeing hands

and helping foot-prints."

"Nú skaltu kjósa,

alls þér er kostr of boðinn,

hvassa vápna hlynr;

sögn eða þögn

hafðu þér sjalfr í hug;

öll eru mein of metin."

"On glass and on gold,

and on goodly charms,

In wine and in beer,

and on well-loved seats,

On Gungnir's point,

and on Grani's breast,

On the nails of Norns,

and the night-owl's beak.

*********"

Sigurðr kvað:

"Munk-a ek flæja,

þótt mik feigan vitir,

emk-a ek með bleyði borinn;

ástráð þín

ek vil öll hafa;

svá lengi sem ek lifi."

"Shaved off were the runes

that of old were written,

And mixed with the holy mead,

And sent on ways so wide;

So the gods had them,

so the elves got them,

And some for the Wanes so wise,

And some for mortal men."

Sigrdrífa kvað:

"Þat ræð ek þér it fyrsta,

at þú við frændr þína

vammalaust verir;

síðr þú hefnir,

þótt þeir sakar geri;

þat kveða dauðum duga."

"Beech-runes are there,

birth-runes are there,

And all the runes of ale,

And the magic runes of might;

Who knows them rightly

and reads them true,

Has them himself to help;

Ever they aid,

Till the gods are gone.

*********"

"Þat ræð ek þér annat,

at þú eið né sverir,

nema þann er saðr sé;

grimmar limar

ganga at tryggðrofi;

armr er vára vargr."

Brynhild spake:

"Now shalt thou choose,

for the choice is given,

Thou tree of the biting blade;

Speech or silence,

'tis thine to say,

Our evil is destined all."

"Þat ræð ek þér þriðja,

at þú þingi á

deili-t við heimska hali,

því að ósviðr maðr

lætur oft kveðin

verri orð en viti."

Sigurth spake:

"I shall not flee,

though my fate be near,

I was born not a coward to be;

Thy loving word

for mine will I win,

As long as I shall live."

"Allt er vant,

ef þú við þegir,

þá þykkir þú með bleyði borinn

eða sönnu sagðr;

hættr er heimis kviðr,

nema sér góðan geti; —

annars dags

láttu hans öndu farit,

ok launa svá lýðum lygi."

"Then first I rede thee,

that free of guilt

Toward kinsmen ever thou art;

No vengeance have,

though they work thee harm,

Reward after death thou shalt win."

"Þat ræð ek þér it fjórða,

ef býr fordæða

vammafull á vegi,

ganga er betra

en giska sé,

þótt þik nótt of nemi."

"Then second I rede thee,

to swear no oath

If true thou knowest it not;

Bitter the fate

of the breaker of troth,

And poor is the wolf of his word."

"Fornjósnar augu

þurfu fira synir,

hvars skulu vreiðir vega;

oft bölvísar konur

sitja brautu nær,

þær er deyfa sverð ok sefa."

"Then third I rede thee,

that thou at the Thing

Shalt fight not in words with fools;

For the man unwise

a worser word

Than he thinks doth utter oft."

"Þat ræð ek þér it fimmta,

þóttú fagrar séir

brúðir bekkjum á,

sifja silfr

lát-a-ðu þínum svefni ráða;

teygj-at-tu þér at kossi konur."

"Ill it is

if silent thou art,

A coward born men call thee,

And truth mayhap they tell;

Seldom safe is fame,

Unless wide renown be won;

On the day thereafter

send him to death,

Let him pay the price of his lies."

"Þat ræð ek þér it sétta,

þótt með seggjum fari

ölðrmál til öfug,

drukkin deila

skal-at-tu við dolgviðu;

margan stelr vín viti."

"Then fourth I rede thee,

if thou shalt find

A wily witch on thy road,

It is better to go

than her guest to be,

Though night enfold thee fast."

"Söngr ok öl

hefr seggjum verit

mörgum at móðtrega,

sumum at bana,

sumum at bölstöfum;

fjölð er, þat er fira tregr."

"Eyes that see

need the sons of men

Who fight in battle fierce;

Oft witches evil

sit by the way,

Who blade and courage blunt."

"Þat ræð ek þér it sjaunda,

ef þú sakar deilir

við hugfulla hali,

berjask er betra

en brenna sé

inni auðstöfum."

"Then fifth I rede thee,

though maidens fair

Thou seest on benches sitting,

Let the silver of kinship

not rob thee of sleep,

And the kissing of women beware."

"Þat ræð ek þér it átta,

at þú skalt við illu sjá

ok firrask flærðarstafi;

mey þú teygj-at

né manns konu

né eggja ofgamans."

"Then sixth I rede thee,

if men shall wrangle,

And ale-talk rise to wrath,

No words with a drunken

warrior have,

For wine steals many men's wits."

"Þat ræð ek þér it níunda,

at þú náum bjargir,

hvars þú á foldu finnr,

hvárts eru sóttdauðir

eða eru sædauðir

eða eru vápndauðir verar."

"Brawls and ale

full oft have been

An ill to many a man,

Death for some,

and sorrow for some;

Full many the woes of men."

"Laug skal gera,

þeim er liðnir eru,

þváa hendr ok höfuð,

kemba ok þerra,

áðr í kistu fari,

ok biðja sælan sofa."

"Then seventh I rede thee,

if battle thou seekest

With a foe that is full of might;

It is better to fight

than to burn alive

In the hall of the hero rich."

"Þat ræð ek þér it tíunda,

at þú trúir aldregi

várum vargdropa,

hvárstu ert bróður bani

eða hafir þú felldan föður;

ulfr er í ungum syni,

þó sé hann gulli gladdr."

"Then eighth I rede thee,

that evil thou shun,

And beware of lying words;

Take not a maid,

nor the wife of a man,

Nor lure them on to lust."

"Sakar ok heiftir

hyggja-t svefngar vera

né harm in heldr;

vits ok vápna

vant er jöfri at fá

þeim er skal fremstr með firum."

"Then ninth I rede thee:

burial render

If thou findest a fallen corpse,

Of sickness dead,

or dead in the sea,

Or dead of weapons' wounds."

"Þat ræð ek þér it ellifta,

at þú við illu séir

hvern veg at vini;

langt líf þykkjumk-a-k

lofðungs vita;

römm eru róg of risin."

"A bath shalt thou give them

who corpses be,

And hands and head shalt wash;

Wipe them and comb,

ere they go in the coffin,

And pray that they sleep in peace."

"Then tenth I rede thee,

that never thou trust

The word of the race of wolves,

(If his brother thou broughtest to death,

Or his father thou didst fell;)

Often a wolf

in a son there is,

Though gold he gladly takes."

"Battle and hate

and harm, methinks,

Full seldom fall asleep;

Wits and weapons

the warrior needs

If boldest of men he would be."

"Then eleventh I rede thee,

that wrath thou shun,

And treachery false with thy friends;

Not long the leader's

life shall be,

For great are the foes he faces."