Mun ek eigi gulli við Gusi skipta
né heldr fyrri til friðar mæla.
Mér er bráðr bani betri miklu
en hugleysi ok heðankváma.
Ek mun eigi skipta gulli við Gusi né heldr mæla fyrri til friðar. Bráðr bani er mér miklu betri en hugleysi ok heðankváma.
I will not share gold with Gusir nor ever [be] the first to sue for peace. A quick death is much better for me than lack of courage and escape from here.
[3] né heldr … fyrri ‘nor ever [be] the first’: Here the reading of 471 is to be preferred because it provides a metrical line. The adj. fyrri, translated as ‘the first’, is lit. comp. ‘the earlier’, but is often used with sup. meaning.