Bjarkamál in fornu — Anon BjarkIII
Anonymous Poems
Margaret Clunies Ross 2017, ‘ Anonymous, Bjarkamál in fornu’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 495. <https://skaldic.org/m.php?p=text&i=1006> (accessed 13 May 2024)
Dagrs upp kominn; dynja hana fjaðrar;
máls vílmǫgum at vinna erfiði.
Vaki æ ok vaki, vina hǫfuð,
allir inir œztu Aðils of sinnar.
‘Day has broken; the rooster’s feathers rustle; it is time for the sons of toil [SERVANTS] to get to work. Wake now and wake, friends, all the noblest companions of Aðils. ’
Hár inn harðgreipi, Hrólfr skjótandi,
ættum góðir menn, þeirs ekki flýja,
vekka yðr at víni né at vífs rúnum,
heldr vekk yðr at hǫrðum Hildar leiki.
‘Hár the Hard-gripper, Hrólfr the Shooter, men of good lineage, who do not flee, I do not wake you for wine nor for a woman’s private conversation, rather I wake you for the hard play of Hildr <valkyrie> [BATTLE]. ’
Hniginns í hadd jarðar Hrólfr inn stórláti.
‘Hrólfr the Munificent has sunk into the hair of the earth [GRASS]. ’
Gramr inn gjǫflasti gœddi hirð sína
Fenju forverki, Fáfnis miðgarði,
Glasis glóbarri, Grana fagrbyrði,
Draupnis dýrsveita, dúni Grafvitnis.
‘The most munificent prince enriched his retinue with Fenja’s <giantess’s> toil [GOLD], Fáfnir’s <dragon’s> land [GOLD], Glasir’s <grove’s> glowing foliage [GOLD], Grani’s <horse’s> fair burden [GOLD], Draupnir’s <mythical ring’s> precious sweat [GOLD], Grafvitnir’s <snake’s> feather-bed [GOLD]. ’
Ýtti ǫrr hilmir — aldir við tóku —
Sifjar svarðfestum, svelli dalnauðar,
tregum Otrs gjǫldum, tôrum Mardallar,
eldi Órunar, Iðja glysmôlum.
‘The generous prince distributed – the men received [it] – Sif’s <goddess’s> scalp-cords [HAIR > GOLD], ice of the bow-compulsion [ARM > SILVER], the reluctant payment for Otr [GOLD], the tears of Mardǫll <= Freyja> [GOLD], the fire of Órun <river> [GOLD], the shining speeches of Iði <giant> [GOLD]. ’
Gladdi gunnveitir — gengum fagrbúnir —
Þjaza þingskilum þjóðir hermargar,
Rínar rauðmalmi, rógi Niflunga,
vísi inn vígdjarfi; vakði hann Baldr þeygi.
‘The battle-granter [WARRIOR], the battle-bold prince, gladdened the very numerous troops – we went beautifully adorned – with Þjazi’s <giant’s> assembly declarations [GOLD], with the red metal of the Rhine <river> [GOLD], with the strife of the Niflungar <legendary heroes> [GOLD]; he did not wake Baldr at all. ’
Svá skalk hann kyrkja sem inn kámleita
véli viðbjarnar veggja aldinna.
‘Thus I shall throttle him like the dark betrayer of the wood-bear of old walls [MOUSE > CAT]. ’
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