Sárfeinginn hug særir
sótt hjarðreka dróttins;
*eldi í gegn fyr gildan
gleði tárkveiktan steðja.
Ástkennis fyr innan
angr hjartrót*um stangaz,
meistara síns að misti
mætr kinnroða gætir.
Sótt særir sárfeinginn hug hjarðreka dróttins; *eldi í gegn fyr gildan steðja gleði tárkveiktan. Angr stangaz hjartrót*um ástkennis fyr innan, að mætr gætir kinnroða misti síns meistara.
Anguish afflicts the pain-stricken heart of the shepherd of the Lord [APOSTLE]; it has kindled through and through for the excellent [man] his anvil of joy [which has been] moved to tears [HEART]. Grief pierces the heart-roots of the teacher of love [APOSTLE] inwardly, because the worthy possessor of shame [HOLY MAN] has lost his master.
[3] *eldi: ‘selldi’ 621
[3] *eldi ‘kindled’: Ms. ‘selldi’. Finnur Jónsson attempts to make sense of the ms. reading (Skj B: han gav glædestårer ‘he gave tears of joy’), but is then stumped by the ‘anvil’ image which follows (see Note below). Kock (NN §1745B) assumes dittography of -s s- in ms. ‘drottins selldi’ (ll. 2-3) (for dróttins eldi).