Anon Mgr 1VII/6 — brann ‘consumed’
Orðin gief þú mjög til mærðar,
minn lausnari, skáldi þínu,
þinnar móður mildi kunnrar,
mála örr, og hjálpa sálu.
Eini sýndir þú Áróns frænda;
aldri brann þó viðrinn kaldi;
lát þú kveikjaz lágina dróttins
leiftra skríns í hjarta mínu.
Lausnari minn, örr mála, gief þú mjög skáldi þínu orðin til mærðar móður þinnar, kunnrar mildi, og hjálpa sálu. Þú sýndir Áróns frænda eini; þó brann viðrinn kaldi aldri; lát þú lágina dróttins leiftra skríns kveikjaz í hjarta mínu.
My redeemer, generous with speech, give abundantly to your poet the words for the praise of your mother, renowned for mercy, and save the soul. You showed the juniper to Aaron’s kinsman [= Moses]; yet the cold bush was never consumed [lit. never burned]; let the log of the lord of lightnings’ shrine [SKY/HEAVEN > = God] be kindled in my heart.
notes
[6] brann ‘consumed’: Lit. ‘burned’. The verb is used is the sense ‘was consumed’ (see NN §3354A). For Moses and the burning bush untouched by flames, see Exod. III.2. In medieval Europe the Biblical burning bush was often understood as a juniper, which was credited with the ability to burn very slowly (cf. the late ME poem Craft of Lovers 16, O intemerat jenypere ‘O unblemished juniper’ of a courtly lady and/or the Virgin Mary (Kooper 1987, 473-89, at 476 and 485 n. to l. 16)).