Sá * baztr frá mey mæztri
mildingr beraz vildi
heiða tjalds ok holdi
hjálmprýddan sik skrýddi;
en nauð á sik síðan
sjálfráði tók dáða
víst fyr vára löstu
vísi sjálfr með píslum.
Sá * baztr mildingr heiða tjalds vildi beraz frá mæztri mey ok skrýddi sik hjálmprýddan holdi; en síðan tók vísi sjálfr, sjálfráði dáða, nauð á sik með píslum, víst fyr vára löstu.
The best prince of heaths’ tent [SKY/HEAVEN > = God] willed to be born from a most precious maiden and clothed himself, helmet-adorned, with flesh; and later the prince himself, independently with regard to his deeds, took distress upon himself with torments, certainly for our errors.
[6, 8] vísi dáða ‘prince of deeds’: The kenning calls attention to the root meaning of vísir (< vísa ‘to show, demonstrate, point the way’). Christ is not only the ‘prince of deeds’ but the model of deeds, showing by his example how his followers should act. See, e.g., John XIII.15 quemadmodum ego feci vobis, ita et vos faciatis ‘as I have done to you, go and do also’ and XIV.12 qui credit in me opera, quae ego facio, et ipse faciet ‘he that believeth in me, the works that I do, he also shall do’.