Missti maðr, es lýsti,
— morginn vas þá — borgar
styrks mundriða steindrar
styrsnjallr roðins galla.
Nýtr gat séð á sléttri
seimþiggjandi liggja
grundu gylðis kindar
gómsparra sér fjarri.
Styrsnjallr maðr missti styrks, roðins galla steindrar borgar mundriða, es lýsti; morginn vas þá. Nýtr seimþiggjandi gat séð gómsparra gylðis kindar liggja fjarri sér á sléttri grundu.
The battle-bold man missed the strong, reddened destruction of the stained stronghold of the sword-hilt [SHIELD > SWORD] when it grew light; it was morning then. The useful gold-receiver [MAN] was able to see the gum-spar of the wolf’s offspring [SWORD] lying far from him on the flat ground.
[4] styrsnjallr: so Bb, styrs bráðr Flat
[4] styrsnjallr ‘battle-bold’: Bb’s reading styrsnjallr ‘battle-bold’ is preferred here to Flat’s styrs bráðr ‘battle-quick’ and is also adopted by Skj B and Skald. Both mss’ readings (-snjallr : gall- and bráðr : váð-) provide aðalhending.