Jǫfurr heyri upphaf
— ofrask mun konungs lof —
— hôttu nemi hann rétt
hróðrs míns — bragar síns.
Heyri jǫfurr upphaf bragar síns; lof konungs mun ofrask; nemi hann rétt hôttu hróðrs míns.
May the prince hear the beginning of his poem; the king’s praise will be raised; may he note correctly the forms of my panegyric.
[1] heyri: gefi U
[1] heyri jǫfurr upphaf ‘may the prince hear the beginning’: This opening line is echoed in Anon Brúðv 1/1VII (jöfurr giefi upphaf ‘may the prince provide the beginning’), a C13th poem also composed in hálfhnept, which reinforces the conclusion that this is the first stanza of the poem (and may also explain the reading in ms. U).