Kari Ellen Gade (ed.) 2007, ‘Anonymous Poems, Máríuvísur III 20’ in Margaret Clunies Ross (ed.), Poetry on Christian Subjects. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 7. Turnhout: Brepols, pp. 730-1.
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rangr (adj.): wrong, false
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’.
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váttr (noun m.; °váttar; dat. vátt/vǽtti; váttar/vǽttir, acc. vátta/váttu/vǽtta): witness
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’.
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ráð (noun n.; °-s; -): advice, plan, control, power
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’.
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þungr (adj.): heavy
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’.
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’. — [2] * rísa upp ‘rise up’: The mss read er rísa upp ‘who rise up’ which is unmetrical (one syllable too many) and makes little sense in terms of syntax (‘false witnesses who rise up and …’). Skj B and Skald emend rísa upp ‘rise up’ to reisa upp ‘instigate’ with þung ráð ‘grave conditions’ (l. 1) as the object (‘false witnesses instigate oppressive conditions’).
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’. — [2] * rísa upp ‘rise up’: The mss read er rísa upp ‘who rise up’ which is unmetrical (one syllable too many) and makes little sense in terms of syntax (‘false witnesses who rise up and …’). Skj B and Skald emend rísa upp ‘rise up’ to reisa upp ‘instigate’ with þung ráð ‘grave conditions’ (l. 1) as the object (‘false witnesses instigate oppressive conditions’).
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’. — [2] * rísa upp ‘rise up’: The mss read er rísa upp ‘who rise up’ which is unmetrical (one syllable too many) and makes little sense in terms of syntax (‘false witnesses who rise up and …’). Skj B and Skald emend rísa upp ‘rise up’ to reisa upp ‘instigate’ with þung ráð ‘grave conditions’ (l. 1) as the object (‘false witnesses instigate oppressive conditions’).
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’. — [2] * rísa upp ‘rise up’: The mss read er rísa upp ‘who rise up’ which is unmetrical (one syllable too many) and makes little sense in terms of syntax (‘false witnesses who rise up and …’). Skj B and Skald emend rísa upp ‘rise up’ to reisa upp ‘instigate’ with þung ráð ‘grave conditions’ (l. 1) as the object (‘false witnesses instigate oppressive conditions’).
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upp (adv.): up
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’. — [2] * rísa upp ‘rise up’: The mss read er rísa upp ‘who rise up’ which is unmetrical (one syllable too many) and makes little sense in terms of syntax (‘false witnesses who rise up and …’). Skj B and Skald emend rísa upp ‘rise up’ to reisa upp ‘instigate’ with þung ráð ‘grave conditions’ (l. 1) as the object (‘false witnesses instigate oppressive conditions’).
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upp (adv.): up
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’. — [2] * rísa upp ‘rise up’: The mss read er rísa upp ‘who rise up’ which is unmetrical (one syllable too many) and makes little sense in terms of syntax (‘false witnesses who rise up and …’). Skj B and Skald emend rísa upp ‘rise up’ to reisa upp ‘instigate’ with þung ráð ‘grave conditions’ (l. 1) as the object (‘false witnesses instigate oppressive conditions’).
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3. ok (conj.): and, but; also
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’.
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1. gera (verb): do, make
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’.
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’. — [2] víst (adv.) ‘certainly’: (So also Sperber). This reading is conjectural. Ms. 721 reads slíkt ‘such’ which leaves the l. without internal rhyme and appears to be a repetition of slíkt ‘like this’ in st. 19/8 above. Skj B gives no reading (‘…’), and Skald suggests neist (adj., n. acc. sg.) ‘shameful’ to rhyme with the emended reisa ‘instigate’. Wrightson retains slíkt ‘such’ and connects it with reift róg which is translated as ‘this slander in a lively way’.
[1-2]: The reading cannot be restored with any certainty, but the first cl. paraphrases Ps. XXXIV.11: Surgentes testes iniqui quae nesciebam interrogabant me ‘Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not’. The corresponding place in Mar (1871, 607) reads: Ranglatir uottar risa upp i moti mier, ok illzkan er liugandi til aukningar sialfri sier ‘False witnesses rise up against me, and evil is lying to the augmentation of itself’. Sperber compares this place to Ps. XXVI.12: Quoniam surrexerunt contra me testes falsi et apertum mendacium ‘For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity hath lied to itself’. — [2] víst (adv.) ‘certainly’: (So also Sperber). This reading is conjectural. Ms. 721 reads slíkt ‘such’ which leaves the l. without internal rhyme and appears to be a repetition of slíkt ‘like this’ in st. 19/8 above. Skj B gives no reading (‘…’), and Skald suggests neist (adj., n. acc. sg.) ‘shameful’ to rhyme with the emended reisa ‘instigate’. Wrightson retains slíkt ‘such’ and connects it with reift róg which is translated as ‘this slander in a lively way’.
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lygi (noun f.; °-; -ar/-ir(Hem544 43¹⁰n.)): lie
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flytja (verb): convey, move
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2. reifr (adj.): happy
[3] reift (n. acc. sg.) ‘intentional’: For this meaning, see LP: reifa 2.
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róg (noun n.; °-s): strife, slander
[4] rennr (3rd pers. sg. pres. indic.) ‘runs’: Ms. renni (3rd pers. sg. or pl. pres. subj.) ‘may run’ is ungrammatical.
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2. er (conj.): who, which, when
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með (prep.): with
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flærð (noun f.): falsehood, deceit
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2. enn (adv.): still, yet, again
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1. minna (verb): remind, remember, recall
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ráða (verb): advise, rule, interpret, decide
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3. á (prep.): on, at
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miskunn (noun f.; °-ar; gen. -a): forgiveness, mercy, grace
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maðr (noun m.): man, person
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4. at (conj.): that
[6] kvað að (3rd pers. sg. pret. indic.) ‘said’: Kveða að is a verb-adv. collocation meaning ‘say, utter’.
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frú (noun f.): lady
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2. kveðja (verb; kvaddi): (dd) request, address, greet
[6] kvað að (3rd pers. sg. pret. indic.) ‘said’: Kveða að is a verb-adv. collocation meaning ‘say, utter’.
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3. at (prep.): at, to
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1. sannr (noun m.; °-s, dat. -i;): true
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lesa (verb): read
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hann (pron.; °gen. hans, dat. honum; f. hon, gen. hennar, acc. hana): he, she, it, they, them...
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Síon (noun f.): [Zion]
[7] Síóns: so 1032ˣ, ‘s[...]’ 721, ‘syons’ 721FJ
[7] Síóns ‘[the prayer] of Zion’: (i.e. Hail Mary). This word is no longer visible in 721, but Finnur read ‘syons’ with certainty. 1032ˣ has ‘sions’ but the way it is written suggests that ÁM had problems reading what he perceived as <i>. In medieval literature, Mary was often referred to as ‘the new Zion’, ‘the daughter of Zion’, etc. See Salzer (1886-93, 32, 118 n. 3, 121 n. 3, 346, 443 n. 1).
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1. síðr (adj.; °compar. -ari): long, hanging
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3. á (prep.): on, at
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líf (noun n.; °-s; -): life < lífstíð (noun f.)
[8] lífstíð ‘lifetime’: Neither ms. provides unequivocal evidence of -tið, but it is almost certainly the correct reading, as it forms a rhyme with sið-.
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1. tíð (noun f.; °-ar; -ir): time < lífstíð (noun f.)
[8] ‑tíð (‘ṭị́ḍ’): so 1032ˣ, ‘[...]’ 721
[8] lífstíð ‘lifetime’: Neither ms. provides unequivocal evidence of -tið, but it is almost certainly the correct reading, as it forms a rhyme with sið-.
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