Því lét seggja sveitar
sinn postola finna
— raun lýsir þat — ræsir
ríkr óstyrkðir slíkar,
at bæri mun meiri
malmrunnum várkunnir,
menn þótt misgǫrt vinni,
margfríðr skǫrungr síðan.
Því lét ríkr ræsir sveitar seggja postola sinn finna slíkar óstyrkðir — raun lýsir þat —, at margfríðr skǫrungr bæri síðan mun meiri várkunnir malmrunnum, þótt menn vinni misgǫrt.
For this reason the powerful king of the company of men [MANKIND > = God (= Christ)] caused his Apostle to feel such weaknesses — experience shows that —, so that the very beautiful leader should later have considerably greater compassion for sword-trees [WARRIORS], even though men commit sins.
[8] skǫrungr: so 399a‑bˣ, ‘[...]rungr’ B
[8] margfríðr skǫrungr ‘the very beautiful leader’: The Apostle Peter. Cf. Geisl 26/2, where S. Óláfr is described as margfríðr jǫfurr ‘very beautiful prince’. Given that the two ll. are remarkably similar – Geisli has margfríðr jǫfurr síðan –, and that margfríðr is not otherwise attested in ON poetry or prose, it is possible that Gamli is borrowing from Einarr Skúlason here.