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skaldic

Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages

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Anon Mgr 40VII/7 — bekkr ‘the brook’

Prúðlig verk fyrir píslar marki
pátris déí formið gráti;
sonar guðs oft í saung og bænum
sára minniz þjóð með tárum.
Hneigið yðr fyrir lærðum lýðum
langa stund með skriftagangi;
bekkr iðranar ór brjósti klökku
bragna* laugi kinnr og augu.

Formið prúðlig verk gráti fyrir marki píslar pátris déí; þjóð minniz oft sára sonar guðs með tárum í saung og bænum. Hneigið yðr langa stund fyrir lærðum lýðum með skriftagangi; bekkr iðranar ór klökku brjósti laugi kinnr og augu bragna*.

Perform glorious deeds with weeping before the sign of the Passion of God the father [CROSS]; may people often recall the wounds of the son of God [= Christ] with tears in song and prayers. Prostrate yourselves for a long time before learned people in confession; may the brook of repentance [TEARS] from the agitated breast wash the cheeks and eyes of men.

readings

[7] bekkr: beiskr 713

notes

[7] bekkr iðranar ‘the brook of repentance [TEARS]’: Beiskr (m. nom. sg.) ‘bitter’ (so 713) makes no sense, because iðranar ‘of repentance’ is f. gen. sg. Furthermore, the adj. beiskr leaves the l. without internal rhyme. The present edn has adopted the emendations of Sperber, Skj B and Skald. Wrightson emends to beiskrar (f. gen. sg.) ‘of bitter’ which is taken with iðranar ‘of repentance’, and she retains bragnar (m. nom. pl.) ‘people’ as the subject of laugi ‘wash’ (‘may people bathe their cheeks and eyes out of a tearful breast of bitter repentance’). However, beiskrar ‘of bitter’ makes the l. hypermetrical.

kennings

grammar

case: nom.

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