Haukjóðs harða víða
(hôtt) norrœnar dróttir*
(Þundregns þeim of vandak)
þengils á bý gengu.
Óráð illri þjóðu
Óláfr of galt dála;
vígrunnr velja kunni
víkingum hlut slíkan.
Norrœnar dróttir* gengu harða víða á bý haukjóðs þengils; of vandak þeim hôtt Þundregns. Óláfr of galt dála illri þjóðu óráð; vígrunnr kunni velja víkingum slíkan hlut.
Norwegian troops placed themselves very widely in the homestead of the hawk-offspring [HAWK > HAND] of the ruler; I fashion for him the metre of Þundr’s <= Óðinn’s> rain [POETRY]. Óláfr thoroughly paid evil people for their misdeeds; the battle-tree [WARRIOR] was able to deal vikings such a fate.
[2] hôtt ‘the metre’: The inexact rhyme on dróttir is acceptable in view of the apparent inconsistencies of assonance in Rst; see Introduction and Note to st. 3/8 above. Konráð Gíslason (1895-7) argued for hótt-, and this is adopted in Skj B, but not in Skald.