Hvasst frák Haugi it næsta
hlífél á gram drífa,
en Bolgara brennir
brœðr sínum vel tœði.
Skilðisk hann, ok hulði
hjalmsetr gamall vetra
tyggi tolf ok þriggja,
trauðr við Ôleif dauðan.
Frák hlífél drífa hvasst á gram it næsta Haugi, en brennir Bolgara tœði brœðr sínum vel. Hann skilðisk trauðr við dauðan Ôleif, ok tyggi tolf ok þriggja vetra gamall hulði hjalmsetr.
I learned that a shield-storm [BATTLE] drove sharp against the ruler next to Haug, and the burner of Bulgars [= Haraldr] supported his brother well. He parted, reluctant, from the dead Óláfr, and the prince twelve and three years [lit. winters] old concealed his helmet-stand [HEAD].
[1] hvasst ‘sharp’: As a n. nom./acc. sg. adj., this could qualify hlífél ‘a shield-storm [BATTLE]’ (l. 2), or be used adverbially, qualifying the inf. drífa ‘drove’, lit. ‘drive’ (l. 2). The emphatic placing, first and at a distance from hlífél, produces an adverbial effect either way, rather as the placing of trauðr ‘reluctant’ (l. 8) at a distance from hann ‘he’ (l. 5) does.