Hví samir hitt at dúsa
hirðmanni geðstirðum?
Vest nú, þótt kjǫl kosti,
knár, riddari inn hári.
Þats satt, at býðk byttu
(breiðhúfuðum) reiða
(austrs til hár í hesti
hvaljarðar) Giffarði.
Hví samir hitt geðstirðum hirðmanni at dúsa? Vest nú knár, inn hári riddari, þótt kjǫl kosti. Þats satt, at býðk Giffarði reiða byttu; austrs til hár í breiðhúfuðum hesti hvaljarðar.
Why is it fitting for a strong-minded retainer to take it easy? Be active now, hoary knight, although the keel is sorely tried. It’s true that I tell Giffarðr to swing the bucket; the bilge-water is too high in the broad-hulled horse of the whale-land [SEA > SHIP].
[6] ‑húfuðum: so H, Hr, 2368ˣ, 743ˣ, ‑húfuðu Mork, húfum þér F, E, J2ˣ, 42ˣ
[6] breiðhúfuðum (m. dat. sg.) ‘broad-hulled’: Hap. leg. Kock (NN §916) takes this adj., which he derives from húfa (f.) ‘cap’ with Giffarði (m. dat. sg.) (l. 8) ‘broad-capped Giffarðr’. For the second element in this cpd (húf- lit. ‘hull’), see Note to Mberf Lv 1/3.