Langt es at tína, þats lofða vinr
of aldar far ýtum sagði.
Es fæst í því fagrt at heyra;
lætk líða þat ok lok segja.
Es langt at tína, þats vinr lofða sagði ýtum of far aldar. Fæst es fagrt at heyra í því; lætk þat líða ok segja lok.
It is long to compile what the friend of the people told men concerning the course of the age. Very little of it is pleasant to hear; I will let it go by and tell the conclusion.
[2] vinr lofða ‘the friend of the people’: The reference is to Merlin; cf. vinr gumna ‘the friend of the people’ in I 20/1.