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.
[3] um: The expletive particle which, like of in similar contexts, occurs before verbs (especially the p. p., as here), and sometimes nouns or adjectives, in place of a lost prefix, is comparable in the present case to ge- in Modern German.See further Note to Ásm 1/3, 5.