Sitja veiðivitjar
vals á borgar hálsum;
böl er, þat er hefr um hafnat
hrafn Sigurðar nafni.
Blási nýtinjótar
nás í spán at hánum;
ofsnemma lét Óðinn
álf valmeyjar deyja.
Veiðivitjar vals sitja á hálsum borgar; böl er, þat er hrafn hefr um hafnat nafni Sigurðar. Blási nýtinjótar nás í spán at hánum; Óðinn lét álf valmeyjar deyja ofsnemma.
Hunting-visitors of the slain [RAVENS] sit on the heights of the fortress; it is a misfortune that the raven has forsaken the name of Sigurðr. Let the devourers of the dead [RAVENS/EAGLES] whistle for him; Óðinn caused the elf of the carnage-maiden [VALKYRIE > WARRIOR] to die too early.
[1-2] veiðivitjar vals ‘hunting-visitors of the slain [RAVENS]’: This hap. leg. cpd is interpreted here to refer to ravens rather than birds of prey in general in view of the sense of the rest of the stanza. The cpd’s first element, veiði- ‘hunting’, is a verbal noun from veiða ‘hunt’, while the second, vitjar ‘visitors’, is a m. nom. pl. agent noun from vitja ‘visit’ (cf. LP: veiðivitja).