Heljar reip kómu harðliga
sveigð at síðum mér;
slíta ek vilda, en þau seig váru;
létt er lauss at fara.
Reip heljar kómu at síðum mér, harðliga sveigð; ek vilda slíta, en þau váru seig; létt er at fara lauss.
The ropes of Hell came around my sides, powerfully twisted; I wanted to tear them but they were tough; it is easy to move unbound.
[1] heljar ‘of Hell’: Primarily the Christian Hell, but allusion to Hel, the pagan goddess of the dead may also be intended; cf. Psalm XVII.5-6: circumdederunt me funes mortis et torrentes diabuli terruerunt me / funes inferi circumdederunt me praevenerunt me laquei mortis ‘the sorrows of death surrounded me: and the torrents of iniquity troubled me. The sorrows of Hell encompassed me: and the snares of death prevented me’, and similarly 2 Sam. XXII.6.