Hǫrs gnótt hrunda sléttum
hljóðs kveðk mér at óði
randhvéls rennu Þundi;
Rekstefju tekk hefja.
Skýrunn* skjaldar linna
skalk fríðum lof smíða
þing-Baldr Þróttar mildum,
þeims fremstr varð beima.
Kveðk mér hljóðs gnótt hrunda hǫrs at sléttum óði Þundi rennu randhvéls; tekk hefja Rekstefju. Skalk smíða lof fríðum skjaldar linna skýrunn*, mildum Þróttar þing-Baldr, þeims varð fremstr beima.
I ask silence for myself from the great number of valkyries of linen [WOMEN] for the smooth poem about the Þundr <= Óðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]; I commence Rekstefja (‘Split-refrain’ (?)). I will forge a praise-poem for the handsome tree of the cloud of the snakes of the shield [(lit. ‘cloud-tree of the snakes of the shield’) SWORDS > SHIELD > WARRIOR = Óláfr], for the generous Baldr <god> of the assembly of Þróttr <= Óðinn> [(lit. ‘assembly-Baldr of Þróttr’) BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr], who was the best of men.
[3] Þundi rennu randhvéls ‘about the Þundr <= Oðinn> of the rush of the rim-wheel [SHIELD > BATTLE > WARRIOR = Óláfr Tryggvason]’: (a) This kenning can be construed with óði ‘poem’ as in the interpretation above (and in Skj B and Skald). (b) It could alternatively be construed with Rekstefju, thus, ‘I commence Rekstefja about the warrior’. Either case involves the use of the dat. case to mean ‘about’, which is unusual, but cf. lof ‘praise-poem’ with a kenning in the dat. in the second helmingr.
case: dat.