Ekki hlaut af ítrum
Einarr gjafa Sveini
— ǫld lofar ǫðlings mildi
æðrustyggs — fyr kvæði.
Danskr harri metr dýrra
— dugir miðlung þat — fiðlur
— ræðr fyr ræsis auði
Rípa-Ulfr — ok pípur.
Einarr hlaut ekki gjafa af ítrum Sveini fyr kvæði; ǫld lofar mildi æðrustyggs ǫðlings. Danskr harri metr fiðlur ok pípur dýrra; þat dugir miðlung; Rípa-Ulfr ræðr fyr auði ræsis.
Einarr received no gift from precious Sveinn for the poem; people praise the generosity of the fright-shy prince. The Danish lord values fiddles and flutes more highly; that is not good enough; Rípa-Úlfr (‘Úlfr of Ribe’) controls the ruler’s wealth.
[1, 2] af ítrum Sveini ‘from precious Sveinn’: Sveinn svíðandi Eiríksson (r. 1147-57) was the illegitimate son of Eiríkr eymuni ‘the Long-remembered’ Eiríksson (d. 1137).