Því voru nítján niðjar skaufhala
hunds jafningja heldr en tuttugu,
— þar sannaðiz forn fyrða mæli —
að oft verðr örgum eins vant á tög.
Því voru nítján niðjar skaufhala, jafningja hunds, heldr en tuttugu, að oft verðr örgum vant eins á tög; þar sannaðiz forn mæli fyrða.
It was for that reason that there were nineteen offspring of Tassel-tail, a dog’s equal, rather than twenty because the wicked one often lacks one from ten; there the old saying of men came true.
[3] jafningja: jafningjar Rask87ˣ
[3] jafningja hunds ‘a dog’s equal’: Jafningjar hans (m. nom. pl.) ‘his equals’ (so Rask87ˣ) must be a lectio facilior. See the similar expression (hunds jafningi) in st. 19/4.