Enn hefsk leyfð, þars lofða
lofkennda frák sendu
at hjalmsǫmum hilmi
hjarls dróttna boð jarli,
at skyldligast skyldi
— skilk, hvat gramr lézk vilja —
endr at ástafundi
Eirekr koma þeira.
Enn hefsk leyfð, þars frák lofkennda lofða sendu boð at hjalmsǫmum hilmi hjarls dróttna, jarli, at Eirekr skyldi skyldligast koma endr at ástafundi þeira; skilk, hvat gramr lézk vilja.
Again praise is beginning, where I have heard that praise-renowned men sent an invitation to the helmet-adorned ruler of the land of lords, to the jarl [Eiríkr], that Eiríkr should most dutifully come again to a friendly meeting with them; I understand what the king [Knútr] declared he wanted.
[7] ásta‑: ‘esfta’ 73aˣ, 78aˣ, ‘esta’ Bb(106rb)
[7] at ástafundi ‘to a friendly meeting’: This is the reading of all mss except Kˣ, albeit occasionally in garbled form. Ásta fundr is written as two separate words in the mss, but is printed as a cpd here, as in LP: ástafundr, and see LP for other compounds in ástar-. The Kˣ reading til ásta fundar gives the same meaning and is adopted by Finnur Jónsson (Hkr 1893-1901; Skj B) and Kock (Skald).