Hvert er þat bákn, er í bjargi sitr
ok sér of konungs …?
Enga veit ek þér ámátligri
alna fyrir jörð ofan.
Hvert bákn er þat, er sitr í bjargi ok sér of … konungs? Ek veit enga alna ámátligri þér fyrir ofan jörð.
Who is that monster who sits on the rock and looks down on the king’s …? I know no female born more loathsome than you on the face of the earth.
[6] alna: alda all
[6] alna ‘born’: All mss have alda ‘of men’, gen. pl. of ǫld ‘humans, men’. This would produce a possible meaning, though slightly awkward, viz. Ek veit enga alda fyr jörð ofan ámátligri þér ‘I know no female among people on the face of the earth more loathsome than you’. Earlier eds (HjǪ 1720, FSN) retain alda, while Skj B, Skald and FSGJ have alna.