Mætr hefr minna látit
mik stólkonungr sólar
snjallr, an sómði þolli
sverðéls, bragar verðan.
Þó vilk Þróttar skýja,
þeim es engr vas beima,
eldveitanda ítrum,
alfríðri, lof smíða.
Mætr, snjallr stólkonungr sólar hefr látit mik verðan minna bragar, an sómði þolli sverðéls. Þó vilk smíða lof ítrum Þróttar skýja eldveitanda, þeim es engr beima vas alfríðri.
The excellent, valiant emperor of the sun [= God] has made me worthy of lesser poetry than befitted the fir-tree of the sword-storm [BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr]. Nevertheless I will craft praise for the splendid offerer of the fire of the clouds of Þróttr <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘fire-offerer of the clouds of Þróttr’) SHIELDS > SWORD > WARRIOR = Óláfr], the one than whom no-one among men was finer in all respects.
[3-4] þolli sverðéls ‘the fir-tree of the sword-storm [BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr]’: The first of several warrior- or ruler-kennings, throughout the poem, referring to Óláfr Tryggvason. In the remaining stanzas, the referent can be assumed to be Óláfr unless otherwise specified.
case: dat.