Ok vegþverrir varra
vann fetrunnar Nǫnnu
hjalts af hagli oltnar
hlaupár of ver gaupu.
Mjǫk leið ór stað støkkvir
stikleiðar veg breiðan
urðar þrjóts, þars eitri,
œstr, þjóðáar fnœstu.
Ok vegþverrir varra Nǫnnu vann fetrunnar hlaupár hjalts, oltnar af hagli, of ver gaupu. Œstr støkkvir þrjóts urðar leið mjǫk ór stað breiðan veg stikleiðar, þars þjóðáar fnœstu eitri.
And the path-diminisher of the waters of Nanna <female mythical being> [RIVER > = Þórr] was able to foot-traverse the fast-flowing streams of the sword, swollen with hail, over the sea of the lynx [MOUNTAINS]. The ardent banisher of the lout of the stone [GIANT > = Þórr] advanced greatly on the broad road of the stake-path [FORD], where great rivers sprayed poison.
[3, 4] hlaupár hjalts ‘the fast-flowing streams of the sword’: The present edn connects hjalts with hlaupár because of the structurally analogous expression for ‘river’ in st. 9/1, 4, sverðrunnit fen Fríðar ‘sword-filled fen of Fríðr <female mythical being> [RIVER]’ (see Note there; see also st. 10/5). Underlying this is an image of Slíðr, an underworld river swollen with swords, in Vsp 36/1-4 (also mentioned in Grí 28/6). This comparison serves to emphasise the threatening nature of the river.