Aflnægir seðr öflgu
jóð — huggari þjóðar,
átt, þann er aldri fættisk,
auð — skilningar brauði,
því er oss með hug hvössum
hrein brjóst ok trú fóstrar;
glöð lætr guðdóms eðli
guma kyn föður skynja.
Aflnægir seðr jóð öflgu brauði skilningar — huggari þjóðar, átt auð, þann er aldri fættisk — því er fóstrar oss hrein brjóst með hvössum hug ok trú; lætr glöð kyn guma skynja guðdóms eðli föður.
The strength-granter satisfies his children with the powerful bread of understanding — you, comforter of people, have the wealth that never diminishes — which fosters in us pure hearts [lit. breasts] along with keen thought and faith; it allows the cheerful race of men [MANKIND] to comprehend the divine nature of the Father.
[2] huggari þjóðar ‘comforter of people’: Another kenning-like reference to the Holy Spirit. The figure of the Holy Spirit as ‘comforter’ is a commonplace of medieval hymnody and exegesis. Its origin seems to reside in the post-Vulgate, C7th Lat. translation of the Greek παράκλητως in John XIV.16 and XXVI.15 as consolator ‘comforter’ (Cross and Livingstone 1983: Comforter, the). Cf. st. 12/2 huggari.