Kosti alls af ástum
— einsætt er þat — hreinum
(magn stýri því) meira
maðr hverr (svika þverris);
þvít margfalda mildi,
minn lausnari, þína
hverja stund at höndum
hlífrunnum lætr svífa.
Hverr maðr kosti alls meira af hreinum ástum; þat er einsætt; magn þverris svika stýri því; þvít, minn lausnari, lætr þína margfalda mildi svífa hverja stund at höndum hlífrunnum.
Let each man strive all the more out of pure loves; that is the only choice; may the power of the diminisher of falsehoods [VIRTUOUS RULER = Christ] govern it; because, my Saviour, you allow your manifold mercy to glide every hour into the hands of shield-bushes [WARRIORS].
[5] mildi: ‘[...]llde’ B, ‘ṃiḷḷde’ 399a‑bˣ
[5] mildi ‘mercy, tenderness’: Restoration based upon 399a-bˣ, supported by alliteration. The noun occurs again in 44/5; an important theme of the poem is that of Christ’s tender mercy.