Giftu giefr með kröftum
guðspjallamaðr snjalla
mildr Mathéas öldum;
miskunnar guðs unni.
Hann var særðr með sverði
siðar í kirkju miðri;
veiti hann virðum mætum
væna hjálp í bænum.
Hier er Mathéas minni
mjög þekkiligt inni.
Mildr guðspjallamaðr Mathéas giefr öldum snjalla giftu með kröftum; unni guðs miskunnar. Hann var særðr með sverði í miðri kirkju siðar; veiti hann mætum virðum væna hjálp í bænum. Mathéas minni er mjög þekkiligt hier inni.
The gentle evangelist Matthew gives people resounding good fortune with miracles; he granted [them] God’s mercy. He was mortally wounded with a sword in the middle of ‘the church of faith’. May he grant to worthy men fair help in their prayers. Matthew’s memorial toast is very agreeable herein.
[1, 3] mildr ... Mathéas giefr öldum ... giftu með kröftum ‘gentle ... Matthew gives people ... good fortune with miracles’: Kock (NN §3376B) objects to the interpretation provided by Finnur Jónsson (Skj B), that Matthew ‘gives good fortune with strength to people’. He points out that með kröftum here is more likely to mean ‘with mighty works, miracles’, through which the saint affords the faithful ‘good fortune’, i.e. assistance or remedies for their ills. (Cf. Fritzner: kraptr 3; LP: kraptr and see Ant 76/24, where kraptr translates miraculum in a rendering of Matt. VII.22).