Anon Líkn 13VII/1 — hölda ‘men’
Vilda ek vitra hölda
vegs gæti*, meinlætum,
hátt, þeim er hörðum mætti,
hvargóðum stef bjóða.
Krists vinnr krapt ins hæsta
krossmark viðum hnossa
alls bezt; lofar æztan
öll dýrð konung fyrða.
Ek vilda bjóða hátt stef hvargóðum gæti* vegs vitra hölda, þeim er mætti hörðum meinlætum. Krossmark ins hæsta Krists vinnr krapt alls bezt viðum hnossa; öll dýrð lofar æztan konung fyrða.
I would like to offer a sublime refrain to the ever-good guardian of the way of wise men [= God (= Christ)], who met with hard tribulations. The cross-sign of the most high Christ gains power best of all for trees of treasures [MEN]; all glory exalts the highest king of men [RULER = Christ].
notes
[1-2] gæti* vitra hölda vegs (dat.) ‘guardian of the way of wise men’: The ms. has gen. -gætis for gæti ‘guardian’ (dat. sg.). All eds emend: Sveinbjörn Egilsson 1844, 39 to nom. gætir (speculating in a note that the <s> may derive from misreading an abbreviation stroke in an earlier ms.); all others to dat. gæti. Two strained readings are possible if the ms. gen. were retained. 1) the kenning could modify meinlætum ‘tribulations’ (l. 2) (as the scribe may have assumed), giving ‘I would like to offer a high refrain to that ever-good one who met with the hard torments of the guardian of the way of wise men’ (i.e. redundantly ‘to Christ who suffered Christ’s torments’. 2) The kenning could modify stef ‘refrain’ (l. 4), i.e. ‘I would like to offer the sublime stef of the guardian of the way of wise men who suffered hard torments’. In this case, ‘the guardian of the way of wise men’ might refer to the Cross. Both readings seem unsatisfactory.
kennings
- hvargóðum gæti* vegs vitra hölda, — to the ever-good guardian of the way of wise men, [= God (Christ)]