Réð eigi grið, gýgjar,
geðstirðr konungs firða,
skers þótt skúrir þyrrit,
Skjalgs hefnir sér nefna.
En varðkeri virðir
víðbotn né kømr síðan
glyggs á gjalfri leygðan
geirs ofrhugi meiri.
Geðstirðr hefnir Skjalgs réð eigi nefna sér grið firða konungs, þótt skúrir skers gýgjar þyrrit. En meiri virðir geirs, ofrhugi, né kømr síðan á víðbotn varðkeri glyggs, leygðan gjalfri.
The tough-minded avenger of Skjálgr [= Erlingr] did not ask for quarter from the king’s men, even though the showers of the skerry of the axe [SHIELD > BATTLE] did not let up. And a greater appreciator of the spear [WARRIOR], over-bold one, will not come afterwards onto the wide base of the guarding-vessel of the storm [SKY > EARTH], washed by the sea.
[3] skers: so Holm2, J2ˣ, 321ˣ, 73aˣ, 68, skærs Kˣ, ‘skotts’ Holm4, skógs 61, Flat, Tóm, ‘skocs’ 325V, Bb, skots 325VII
[3] skers ‘of the skerry’: Both Skj and Skald select the variant skógs from three inferior mss, giving an axe-kenning gýgr skógs ‘giantess of the forest’, but this is not necessary as gýgr is a possible heiti for ‘axe’ (see Þul Øxar 1/6III), and ‘the ground of the axe’ is a common pattern of kenning for ‘shield’, including some examples with sker (Meissner 169).
case: gen.