Æski eg þín hin mikla miskunn
— mier veitiz, ef eg eftir leita
klökkum hug — því að inniz ekki
annað gott, en af þier til, drottinn.
Hreinsa brjóst og leið með listum
líflig orð í stuðla skorðum
steflig gjörð, að vísan verði
vunnin yðr af þessum munni.
Eg æski hin mikla miskunn þín — veitiz mier, ef eg leita eftir klökkum hug — því að ekki inniz annað gott til, en af þier, drottinn. Hreinsa brjóst og leið með listum, líflig orð í skorðum stuðla, steflig gjörð, að vísan verði vunnin yðr af þessum munni.
I ask for your great mercy — may it be granted to me, if I seek with a humble spirit — because there cannot be talk of anything good other than from you, Lord. Cleanse my heart and lead with artistry lively words, within the supports of the stuðlar, a belt with refrains, so that a poem comes about, uttered for you from this mouth.
[5] listum (dat. pl.) ‘with artistry’: The word list ‘art, craft, ability, learning’ appears several times in Lil in reference to the art of poetry. In st. 51/1, where the skald again invokes Christ and asks for his help as he begins the second half of the poem, he addresses him with the epithet yfirmeistarinn allra lista ‘the highest master of all arts’. Later, in st. 93, the poet imagines that all creation is moved by artistry (hrærð af list) to sing Mary’s praise.