Kirsten Wolf (ed.) 2007, ‘Anonymous Poems, Heilagra meyja drápa 10’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 898.
Ván er þess, að systrung sínum
sannr elskugi guðs og manna
Máría veiti mekt og æru
mæt og fögr í himna sæti,
þvíað óflekkuð miskun meyja
má það alt í sínum ráðum
gleði huggandi giefa og þiggja
gott og ljúft, er biðr hun drottin.
Þess er ván, að Máría, sannr elskugi guðs og manna, mæt og fögr, í sæti himna, veiti systrung sínum mekt og æru, þvíað {óflekkuð miskun meyja}, gleði huggandi, má í sínum ráðum giefa og þiggja það alt gott og ljúft, er hun biðr drottin.
It is to be expected that Mary, the true love of God and people, precious and fair, in the seat of the heavens, should give her sister’s son might and honour, because {the unstained mercy of maidens} [= Mary], comforting with happiness, can with her counsels give and receive everything good and beloved, for which she asks the Lord.
Mss: 721(11r), 713(23)
Readings: [1] þess: hins 713; systrung: so 713, systrum 721 [3] veiti: so 713, veitti 721 [7] huggandi: hyggjandi 713 [8] gott: góð 713; ljúft: ljúf 713; drottin: þjóðum 713
Editions: Skj AII, 528, Skj BII, 584-5, Skald II, 323, NN §2972.
Notes: [All]: This st. expands on the theme, begun in st. 9/5-8, of the close relationship between the Virgin Mary and the Apostle John, whom Jesus loved and entrusted with her care at the Crucifixion. Cf. Kolb Jónv and Notes ad loc. Mary’s role as intercessor with Christ for humans is the subject of ll. 5-8. — [5] óflekkuð miskun meyja ‘the unstained mercy of maidens [= Mary]’: Both Skj B and Skald emend meyja to meyjar ‘of the maiden’, but this is unnecessary if the phrase is understood as a kenning for the Virgin Mary.
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