‘Kemr bardagi buðlungs himins
ákafr of her, ári steypir.
Kvelr inn harði helverkr fira;
megut dauðan her dróttir hylja.
Líðr sultr ok sótt at sigrviðum
— missir manna — mǫrg stríð hǫfug.
‘Ákafr bardagi buðlungs himins kemr of her, steypir ári. Inn harði helverkr kvelr fira; dróttir megut hylja dauðan her. Sultr ok sótt líðr at sigrviðum, mǫrg hǫfug stríð; missir manna.
‘The violent scourge of the king of heaven [= God] will come over the people, will ruin the harvest. The harsh torment of Hell will afflict men; men will not be able to bury the dead people. Hunger and sickness will advance on victory-trees [WARRIORS], [and] many grievous hardships; there is loss of men.
[1] bardagi ‘the scourge’: This sense of the word, which normally means ‘battle’ (see further Note to l. 10), occurs chiefly in learned and religious texts. The word is not otherwise attested in poetry except in Bjbp Jóms 7/2I, where it refers to a battle.