Firrði hjǫrr við herðar
haus; sagði frið lausan
dylgju reyr it dýra;
drósk almr fyr grams hjalmi.
Norn kom flærð at fjǫrnis
(folktjald rufu) skjaldar;
sôr frák snǫrpum dreyra
seggjum (langbarðs eggjar).
Hjǫrr firrði haus við herðar; it dýra reyr dylgju sagði frið lausan; almr drósk fyr hjalmi grams. Norn skjaldar kom at flærð fjǫrnis; eggjar langbarðs rufu folktjald; frák sôr dreyra snǫrpum seggjum.
Sword removed skull from shoulders; the precious reed of enmity [SPEAR] pronounced peace over; the bow was drawn before the lord’s helmet. The norn of the shield [AXE] came to deceit of the helmet [BATTLE]; the edges of the sword ripped the battle-tent [SHIELD]; I have heard that wounds bled on keen warriors.
[4] fyr hjalmi grams ‘before the lord’s helmet’: The image is rather odd. Skj B (followed in Skald) reads sagði lausan frið hjalmi ‘declared peace was over for the helmet’, which has a possible parallel in HSt Rst 16/2 friðr vasa rít at líta ‘peace was not to be seen for the shield’. However, this entails emending to fyr gram ‘before the lord’.