Framm bar ek foldar humra
(fæ ek heitis svá leitat)
leiðar (ljósu kvæði)
Líknarbraut fyr gauta.
Sæll lát oss ok allri
angrskerðandi verða
þjóð, sem þurft vár beiðir
þenna hróðr at góðu.
Ek bar framm Líknarbraut — svá fæ ek leitat heitis ljósu kvæði — fyr gauta leiðar foldar humra. Sæll angrskerðandi, lát þenna hróðr verða oss ok allri þjóð at góðu, sem þurft vár beiðir.
I have presented ‘Líknarbraut’ — thus I find a name for the bright poem — before men of the path of the realm of lobsters [SEA > SEA PATH > SEAFARERS]. Blessed grief-diminisher [= Christ], let this encomium be for the good of us and all people, as our need entreats.
[4] Líknarbraut: ‘The Way of Grace/Mercy’. The poem’s title may itself be construed as a kenning for its subject, the Cross. On the idea of ‘way’, note the recurrence of vegr ‘way’ or ‘glory’ in the poem, at times in kennings for God or Christ (7/8, 13/2, 28/5, 41/6, 48/4); cf. brú ‘bridge’ 35/1 and leið ‘path’ 51/3. Líkn ‘grace, mercy’ also occurs at 10/8, 22/8, 33/7 and 40/1.