Vask í hirð með herði
hjǫrþeys í Orkneyjum;
réð folkstara fœðir
fyrr of vetr til styrjar.
Nú berum rǫnd með reyndum
raunsnarliga jarli
ǫrt á úrga vǫrtu
Akrsborg fríamorgin.
Vask í hirð með herði hjǫrþeys í Orkneyjum; fœðir folkstara réð fyrr of vetr til styrjar. Nú berum rǫnd raunsnarliga með reyndum jarli, ǫrt á úrga vǫrtu, Akrsborg, fríamorgin.
I was in the retinue with the strengthener of sword-wind [BATTLE > WARRIOR] in the Orkneys; the feeder of the fight-starling [RAVEN > WARRIOR] went to battle earlier in the winter. Now we [I] carry the shield very quickly with the tested jarl, bravely towards the wet gate, Acre, on a Friday morning.
[4] of vetr: um nætr Flat
[4] fyrr of vetr ‘earlier in the winter’: If this refers to a battle fought in Orkney, it is not clear which battle is meant, but if Þorbjǫrn recalls a battle that took place in the winter before they arrived in Acre, it could well be the battle fought by Rǫgnvaldr and his men in Galicia against the castellan Guðifreyr (see Orkn chs 86-7, ÍF 34, 212-18; see also Rv Lv 17-19, Sigm Lv 1). The Flat variant, fyrr of nætr ‘earlier in the nights’, is likely to be a scribal error.