Ásb Ævkv 5VIII (OStór 8)/5 — nam
Annat var, þá er inni.
Ek veitta ferð sveittri
högg með hvassri tuggu
Herjans suðr í skerjum
Elfar. Opt nam kólfi
Ormr hagliga at forma
mest, þá er Miðjungs traustir
mágar eptir lágu.
Annat var, þá er inni. Ek veitta högg með hvassri tuggu Herjans sveittri ferð suðr í skerjum Elfar. Ormr nam opt at forma kólfi hagliga mest, þá er traustir mágar Miðjungs lágu eptir.
It used to be different, when inside. I dealt blows with the sharp mouthful of Herjan <= Fenrir(?)> [SWORD] to the bloody host down south among the skerries of the Götaälv. Ormr often aimed with the arrow skilfully mostly when the trusted kinsmen of Miðjungr <giant> [GIANTS] were left lying.
readings
[5] Opt nam kólfi (‘kolfui’): opt nam bölvi 2845, ‘hier allkýntur’ 554h βˣ
notes
[6] nam … forma ‘aimed’: Forma (a variant of formera, with the same sense) is a late loan into Old Norse, ultimately from Lat. formare (cf. AEW: forma, formera), found mostly in ecclesiastical contexts (cf. ONP: forma). The verb’s usual meaning is ‘form, fashion’, so the sense here is unusual, and Finnur Jónsson translates it as skød ‘shot’ with a question mark in Skj B.