Gegn skyli herr, sem hugnar,
hjaldrvitjaðar sitja,
dolgstœranda dýrum,
dróttinvandr ok standa.
Lýtr folkstara feiti
(fátt es til, nema játta
þat, sem þá vill gotnum)
þjóð ǫll (konungr bjóða).
Gegn herr hjaldrvitjaðar skyli sitja ok standa dróttinvandr, sem hugnar dýrum dolgstœranda. Ǫll þjóð lýtr feiti folkstara; fátt es til, nema játta þat, sem konungr vill þá bjóða gotnum.
The worthy troop of the battle-frequenter [WARRIOR] must sit and stand lord-loyal, as it pleases the excellent war-sweller [WARRIOR]. The whole people bends to the fattener of the war-starling [RAVEN > WARRIOR]; there is little option except to agree to what the king wants to command men at the time.
[6] fátt es til nema: ‘[...]ema’ 570a
[5] fátt es til, nema ‘there is little option except’: Lit. ‘there is few/little to hand except’. Kock prints uncontracted fátt es in Skald (as do Finnur Jónsson in Fsk 1902-3 and Bjarni Aðalbjarnarson in ÍF 28; Hkr 1991 has fátt er), and gives reasons in NN §2029. Finnur printed the contracted fátt’s in Hkr 1893-1901 and Skj B.