Hjuggu vér með hjörvi.
Hundmargan sá ek falla
morginstund fyrir mæki
mann í odda sennu.
Syni mínum hneit snimma
slíðra þorn við hjarta;
Egill lét Agnar ræntan
óblauðan hal lífi.
Glumði geirr við Hamðis
gránserk; bliku merki.
Hjuggu vér með hjörvi. Ek sá hundmargan mann falla fyrir mæki morginstund í sennu odda. Þorn slíðra hneit snimma við hjarta syni mínum; Egill lét ræntan Agnar, óblauðan hal, lífi. Geirr glumði við gránserk Hamðis; merki bliku.
We hewed with the sword. I saw very many a man fall before the sword at morning-time in the quarrel of weapon-points [BATTLE]. The thorn of scabbards [SWORD] struck early at the heart of my son; Egill caused Agnarr, an uncowardly man, to be deprived of life. The spear resounded against the grey shirt of Hamðir <legendary hero> [MAIL-COAT]; banners gleamed.
[2] ‑margan: ‘[…]’ 147
[2, 4] hundmargan mann ‘very many a man’: All available mss read m. acc. sg. -margan ‘many’ in l. 2 but they are divided between sg. mann and pl. menn in l. 4. The present ed. follows Finnur Jónsson (1893b; 1905; Skj B) and Kock (Skald) in adopting the sg. forms. Previous eds up to and including Wisén (1886-9) read hundmarga menn ‘very many men’.