Ek hefi vísendi víst í brjósti
meiri miklu, en menn vita.
Sé ek, hvar húkir hirð á bekkjum,
hjartadeigir, ef herja skal.
Ek hefi víst miklu meiri vísendi í brjósti, en menn vita. Ek sé, hvar hirð húkir á bekkjum, hjartadeigir, ef skal herja.
I have certainly much more knowledge in my breast than people know. I see where the retinue cowers on the benches, men soft of heart, if there should be any fighting.
[5] húkir ‘cowers’: The verb húka lit. ‘squat’ has connotations of cowardliness and lack of manly, upright behaviour, similar to heykjask ‘bend, cower down’.