Anon Brúðv 3VII/4 — má ‘can’
Út gjörðiz atburðr
einnhverr um framan svein
í heimi — horskr maðr
hölda má sá við fjöld*
þar er mildi mærðvalds
móðir lýsti huggóð
dýra, sú er dýrst er,
drótta við sig*-Þrótt.
Einnhverr atburðr um framan svein gjörðiz út í heimi — sá horskr maðr má við fjöld* hölda —, þar er huggóð móðir mærðvalds drótta, sú er dýrst er, lýsti dýra mildi við sig*-Þrótt.
A certain event concerning an outstanding youth took place abroad [lit. out in the world] — that wise man can withstand a multitude of men — where the kind-hearted mother of the glory-ruler of mankind [= God (= Christ) > = Mary], who is the most noble one, manifested precious mercy to the battle-Þróttr <= Óðinn> [WARRIOR].
notes
[3-4] sá horskr maðr má við fjöld* hölda ‘that wise man can withstand a multitude of men’: This comment by the poet presumably anticipates the young man’s later withstanding pressure from his family and society in general to get married.
grammar
Verbs: Preterite-present verbs
The present tense of these verbs is like the past tense of strong verbs, and their past tense is weak.
| eiga | mega | kunna | skulu | munu | muna | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| indic. pres. | sing. pl. | 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd | á átt á eigum eiguð eigu | má mátt má megum meguð megu | kann kannt kann kunnum kunnuð kunnu | skal skalt skal skulum skuluð skulu | mun munt mun munum munuð munu | man mant man munum munið muna |
| indic. past stem subj. pres. stem subj. past stem | átt- eig- ætt- | mátt- meg- mætt- | kunn- kunn- kynn- | skyld- skyl- skyld- | mund- myn- mynd- | mund- mun- mynd- | ||