Hvat er, þat er baugs ór björgum
brjótr heyri ek nú þjóta,
at myni Mundils máli
mars †svandr† ófni* hafna?
Þó skal ek þeira ráða,
þorn-Bil, ef goð vilja,
æ*gir* alnar leygjar
ókvíðandi bíða.
Hvat er, þat er ek, brjótr baugs, heyri nú þjóta ór björgum, at máli Mundils myni hafna †svandr† ófni* mars? Þó skal ek, æ*gir* leygjar alnar, ókvíðandi bíða þeira ráða, ef goð vilja, þorn-Bil.
What is that which I, the breaker of a ring [GENEROUS MAN], now hear howl from the cliffs, that the close companion of Mundill <sea-king> [SEAFARER] is likely to reject … a snake of the sea [SHIP]? Nevertheless, I, the terrifier of the fire of the forearm [GOLD > GENEROUS MAN], shall without fear bring those plans to fruition if the gods wish it, clasp-Bil <goddess> [WOMAN = Áslaug-Randalín].
[2] heyri ek nú þjóta: ‘heyri eg (n)u […]’(?) 147
[1, 2] þjóta ór björgum ‘howl from the cliffs’: Olsen (Ragn 1906-8) emended 1824b’s ór baugum ‘from rings’ to ór björgum ‘from the cliffs’ and has been followed in this by all subsequent eds. The expression þjóta ór björgum (more often þjóta annan veg í björgum ‘howl another way in the cliffs’, i.e. ‘dance to a different tune’) is an idiom that refers lit. to the howling of the wind in rocks or mountains as a means of indicating the force of common opinion. See LP, Heggstad et al. 2008: þjóta; Blakkr Lv 2/5, 8II and Note there; Kári Lv 5/5, 8V (Nj 50).