Sett hefr sína dróttar
sigrstoð konungr roðna
blikmeiðundum blóði
bauga láðs fyr augu.
Sjá má hverr í heimi
hnossa brjótr, á krossi
dyggr hvé sinn faðm seggjum
sólstéttar gramr réttir.
Konungr dróttar hefr sett sína sigrstoð roðna blóði fyr augu láðs bauga blik meiðundum. Hverr brjótr hnossa í heimi má sjá, hvé dyggr gramr sólstéttar á krossi réttir seggjum faðm sinn.
The king of the host [RULER = Christ] has set his victory-post [CROSS], reddened with blood, before the eyes of harmers of the radiance of the land of rings [(lit. ‘radiance-harmers of the land of rings’) ARM > GOLD > GENEROUS MEN]. Each breaker of treasures [GENEROUS MAN] in the world may see how the faithful king of the sun’s path [SKY/HEAVEN > = God (= Christ)] on the Cross extends his embrace to men.
[8] gramr sólstéttar ‘king of the sun’s path’ [SKY/HEAVEN > = God (= Christ)]’: ‘Sun’s path’ in a kenning for Christ on the Cross may evoke the patristic idea that his proffered embrace was cosmic in scope, encompassing the whole world (see Rahner 1963, 51; Reijners 1965, 195-6). Moving from active (placing the victory-pillar) to passive (stretched upon on the Cross), the st. thus juxtaposes Christ’s justice and mercy.