Kosti alls af ástum
— einsætt er þat — hreinum
(magn stýri því) meira
maðr hverr (svika þverris);
þvít margfalda mildi,
minn lausnari, þína
hverja stund at höndum
hlífrunnum lætr svífa.
Hverr maðr kosti alls meira af hreinum ástum; þat er einsætt; magn þverris svika stýri því; þvít, minn lausnari, lætr þína margfalda mildi svífa hverja stund at höndum hlífrunnum.
Let each man strive all the more out of pure loves; that is the only choice; may the power of the diminisher of falsehoods [VIRTUOUS RULER = Christ] govern it; because, my Saviour, you allow your manifold mercy to glide every hour into the hands of shield-bushes [WARRIORS].
[1] ástum: ástar 399a‑bˣ
[1] ástum ‘loves’: The pl. may result from the skaldic practice of occasionally substituting pl. for sg. (or vice versa) or might allude to the two loves (of God and of neighbour) in Matt. XX.37-9; cf. tvennrar ástar ‘of twofold love’ in 34/3.