"Ar var þat Gunnarr

gørðisk at deyja,

Gjúka sonr,

at Grábaks sölum.

Fœtr váru lausir

á fylkis nið

en hendr heptar

hörðum fjötri."

"It of old befell that Gunnar,

Giuki's son,

was doomed to die

in Grábak's halls.

The feet were free

of the king's son,

but his hands were bound

with hard bonds."

"Fengin var harpa

fólkdjörfum gram,

íþrótt sýndi,

ilkvistu um hrœrði,

steig hagliga

hörpustrengi,

vara sú list leikin

nema lofðungs kundi."

"A harp he seized,

the warrior king

his skill displayed,

his foot-branches moved,

the harp-strings

sweetly touched:

that art had not been practised

save by the king's son."

"Söng þá Gunnarr

svá mælandi,

fekk mál harpa

sem maðr væri,

en eigi sœtara

þó svanr væri,

glumði orma salr

við gullnum strengjum."

"Then sang Gunnar,

in these strains:

the harp got voice,

as it had been a man;

yet not a sweeter sound,

had it been a swan;

the hall of serpents echoed

to the golden strings:"

"Mína veit ek systur

manni verst gefna

ok Niflunga

níðingi festa.

Heim bauð Atli

Högna ok Gunnari,

mágum sínum

en myrði báða."

"I my sister know

wedded to the worst of men,

and to the Niflungs

base foe espoused.

To his home bade Atli

Högni and Gunnar,

his relations,

but murdered both."

"Víg lét þá

fyrir veizlu taka

ok orrostu

fyrir ölteiti.

Þat mun æ uppi

meðan öld lifir,

léka svá við mága

mangi forðum."

"Slaughter he made them

take for festivity,

and conflict for

convivial potations.

Ever will that survive

while men shall live:

so did relations never

any one delude."

"Hví þú svá, Atli,

heiptir rœkir?

Sjálf olli Brynhildr

sínum dauða

ok Sigurðar

sárum bana.

Hví vildir Guðrúnu

grætta láta?"

"Why, Atli! dost thou

so wreak thy anger?

Herself did Brynhild

cause to die,

and Sigurd's

cruel death.

Why wouldst thou Gudrún

cause to weep?"

"Sagði Huginn forðum

af hám meiði

ossar ófarir

at mög dauðan.

Sagði mér Brynhildr,

Buðla dóttir,

hvé Atli mundi

oss um véla."

"Long since the raven told,

from the high tree,

our calamities,

at our relation's death;

Brynhild told me,

Budli's daughter,

how Atli would

deceive us both."

"Gat þess ok Glaumvör

er við gistum bæði

hinsta sinni

í hvílu einni,

minni váru málu

megnir draumar:

Farattu Gunnarr!

Flár er þér nú Atli."

"This also Glaumvör said,

when we both reposed,

for the last time,

in the same bed,

my consort had

portentous dreams

Go not Gunnar!

Atli is now false to thee."

"Dör sá ek þínum

dreyra roðinn,

gálga görvan

Gjúka syni.

Hugða ek þér dísir

heimboð gøra.

Munu ykkr brœðrum

búin vélræði."

"A lance I saw

red with thy blood,

a gallows ready

for Giuki's son:

I thought for thee the Dísir

prepared a feast;

I ween that for you brothers

treachery is at work."

"Kvað ok Kostbera,

kvæn var hon Högna,

rúnar vilt ristnar

ok ráðna drauma.

Snotrt var hjarta

í siklinga brjósti,

hvárgi knátti hræðask

harðan dauða."

"Said also Kostbera

she was Högni's wife

the runes were falsely graved,

and the dreams interpreted.

But the heart beat high

In the princes breast,

neither knew fear

of a cruel death."

"Oss hafa nornir

aldr um lagit,

örfum Gjúka

at Óðins vild.

Má við ørlögum

engi sjá

né heillum horfinn

hugum treysta."

"The Norns have for us,

Giuki's heirs,

a life-time appointed,

at Odin's will;

no one may

against fate provide,

nor, of luck bereft,

in his valour trust."

"Hlær mik þat, Atli,

at þú hefir eigi

hringa rauða

sem Hreiðmarr átti.

Einn veit ek hvar fé þat

fólgit liggr,

síðan þér Högna

til hjarta skáru."

"Atli! I laugh

that thou hast not

the red-gold rings

that Hreidmar owned;

I alone know where that treasure

hidden lies,

since that Högni

to the heart ye cut."

"Hlær mik þat, Atli,

at þér Húna kindir

hlæjanda Högna

til hjarta skáruð.

Hnipnaðit Hniflungi

við holundu,

ne sér við brá

sáran dauða."

"Atli! I laugh,

that ye Huns

the laughing Högni

to the heart cut.

The Hniflung shrank not

from the scooping wound,

nor flinched he from

a painful death."

"Hlær mik þat, Atli,

at þú hefir látna

menn þína marga

er mæztir váru

fyr ossum sverðum

áðr svelta fengir.

Hefir ór mær systir

meiddan þinn bróður."

"Atli! I laugh,

that thou hast lost

many of thy men

that choicest were,

beneath our swords,

before thy own death.

Our noble sister has

thy brother maimed."

"Skalat enn Gunnarr

æðru mæla,

Gjúka sonr,

at Grafvitnis bóli,

ne hryggr koma

til Herjaföður:

hefir fyrr buðlungr

böðvi vanizk."

"Yet shall not Gunnar,

Giuki's son,

fear express

in Grafvitnir's dwelling;

nor dejected go

to the sire of hosts:

Already is the prince

inured to suffering."

"Fyrr skal mér Góinn

grafa til hjarta

ok Níðhöggr

nýru sjúga,

Linnr ok Langbakr

lifrar slíta,

en ek minni hafni

hugarprýði."

"Sooner shall Góin

pierce me to the heart,

and Nidhögg

suck my reins,

Linn and Lángbak

my liver tear,

than I will abandon

my steadfastness of heart."

"Þess mun Guðrún

grálega reka,

er okkr lét

Atli svikna.

Hon mun þér konungi

hjörtu gefa

húna þinna

heit at kveldverði,"

"Gudrún it will

grimly avenge,

that Atli us

has both deceived;

she to thee, king! will

give the hearts

of thy cubs,

hot at the evening meal;"

"ok blandinn mjöð

blóði þeira

drekkr þú ór skálum

skararfjalla.

Sú mun þik hugraun

harðast bíta,

er þér Guðrún bregðr

glœpum slíkum."

"And (mead mixed

with) their blood

thou from cups shalt drink

formed of their skulls.

That mental anguish shall

bite thee most cruelly,

when Gudrún sets

such crimes before thee."

"Skömm mun þín ævi

at skjöldunga liðna.

Fær þú illan enda

af órum sifspellum.

Er þér slík maklig

af umsýslan várrar

systur sárneyddrar

svik þér at gjalda."

"Short will be thy life

after the princes death;

an ill end thou wilt have,

for breach of our affinity:

such is befitting thee,

through the deed

of our sister sorely impelled

thy treachery to requite."

"Mun þik Guðrún

geiri leggja

ok Niflungr

nærri standa.

Leika mun þín höll

í loga rauðum,

síðan muntu á Náströndum

Níðhöggvi gefinn."

"Gudrún will thee

with a lance lay low,

and the Niflung

stand hard by;

in thy palace

will the red flame play;

then in Náströnd thou shalt

be to Nidhögg given."

"Sofinn er nú Grábakr

ok Grafvitnir,

Góinn ok Móinn

ok Grafvölluðr,

Ófnir ok Sváfnir,

eitrfánir,

Naðr ok Niðhöggr,

ok nöðrur allar,

Hringr, Höggvarðr,

fyrir hörpuslætti."

"Now is Grábak lulled,

and Grafvitnir,

Góin and Móin,

and Grafvöllud,

Ofnir and Svafnir,

with venom glistening,

Nad and Nidhögg,

and the serpents all,

Hring, Höggvard,

by the harp's sound."

"Ein vakir uppi

Atla móðir,

hefir sú mik holgrafit

at hjartarótum,

lifr um sýgr

ok lungu slítr.

Erat lengr líft

lofðungs kundi."

"Alone wakeful remains

Atli's mother,

she has pierced me

to the heart's roots,

my liver sucks,

and my lungs tears.

A longer life-space is not

for the king's son."

"Hættu nú, harpa,

heðan mun ek líða

ok Valhöllu

víða byggja,

drekka með ásum

dýrar veigar,

seðjask Sæhrímni

at sumblum Óðins."

"Cease now, my harp!

hence I will depart,

and in the vast

Valhall abide,

with the Æsir drink

of costly cups,

be with Sæhrimnir sated

at Odin's feast."

"Nú er Gunnars slagr

görva kveðinn,

hef ek höldum skemt

hinsta sinni.

Fár mun enn síðan

fylkir ilkvistum

hljóðfagra sveigja

hörpustrengi."

"Now is Gunnar's melody

all sung out;

I have men delighted

for the last time.

Henceforth few princes will

with their foot-branches

the sweetly sounding

harp-strings strike."