Hætt hefi ek leyfðu lífi,
litfögr kona, — vetra
vá ek at foldar fiski
fimtán gamall — mínu.
Hafa skal ek böl, nema bíði
bráðráðinn mér dauði
heiðar lax til hjarta
hringlegnum vel smjúga.
Ek hefi hætt leyfðu lífi mínu, litfögr kona; fimtán vetra gamall vá ek at fiski foldar. Ek skal hafa böl, nema dauði, bráðráðinn mér, bíði smjúga vel til hjarta hringlegnum lax heiðar.
I have risked the life allotted to me, fair-complexioned woman; at the age of fifteen I attacked the fish of the earth [SNAKE]. I shall encounter disaster, unless the death imminently destined for me succeeds in creeping to the heart of the ring-coiled salmon of the heath [SNAKE].
[3] vá ek at fiski foldar ‘I attacked the fish of the earth [SNAKE]’: It is not necessary to follow CPB and Kock (NN §1448; Skald) in treating this line on its own as an intercalary clause, with the adverbial phrase vetra … fimtán gamall ‘at the age of fifteen’ modifying Hætt hefi ek ‘I have risked’ rather than vá ek ‘I attacked’, but such a reading is perfectly possible. Kock refers in this context to Glúmr Gráf 4/6-8I, which seems to justify the reading offered here.