Þér munk eðr, unz ǫðrum,
allvaldr, náir skǫldum,
— nær vættir þú þeirra? —
þingdjarfr, fyr kné hvarfa.
Braut komumk vér, þótt veitim
valtafn frekum hrafni,
— víksk eigi þat, vága
viggruðr — eða hér liggjum.
Munk eðr hvarfa fyr kné þér, þingdjarfr allvaldr, unz náir ǫðrum skǫldum; nær vættir þú þeirra? Vér komumk braut, þótt veitim valtafn frekum hrafni, eða liggjum hér; þat víksk eigi, vága viggruðr.
I shall still pace about before your knee, assembly-bold mighty ruler, until you get other skalds; when do you expect them? We shall come away even if we provide corpse-prey for the greedy raven, or we shall lie here; that will not fail, bush of the steed of the waves [(lit. ‘steed-bush of the waves’) SHIP > SEAFARER = Óláfr].
[5] þótt veitim: þótt veittim 972ˣ, þótt veitum 325V, Tóm, papp4ˣ, ‘þott veiteím’ Bb, þó veitim Flat, en vættir Hb, ef veitum 142ˣ(103), 566aˣ, 761bˣmarg
[5] þótt veitim ‘even if we provide’: Fbr 1852, 109 and ÍF 6 read, with Hb, en veitum ‘but we shall provide’ (indic. rather than subj.), and indeed, this makes for clearer sense. Yet the ms. evidence strongly favours the present reading.