Æstri unni meyju mest
Máríu siðknár,
og mætri sig snót
sjálfan gaf, bóka álmr.
Húfa vandiz hreint líf
halda vel skíð-Baldr
(brúða hiet því brandrjóðr
blóma) með sveindóm.
Siðknár álmr bóka unni mest æstri meyju, Máríu, og gaf sjálfan sig mætri snót. Húfa skíð-Baldr vandiz halda vel hreint líf með sveindóm; brandrjóðr hiet blóma brúða því.
The well-behaved elm-tree of books [MAN] loved most the highest Virgin, Mary, and gave himself to the glorious woman. The Baldr <god> of the plank of hulls [(lit. ‘plank-Baldr of hulls’) SHIPS > SEAFARER] was accustomed to follow fully a chaste life with virginity; the sword-reddener [WARRIOR] promised it to the flower of brides [= Mary].
[4] álmr: álfr 2166ˣ
[4] álmr ‘elm-tree’: Jón Sigurðsson suggested álfr ‘elf’ in the margin in 399a-bˣ, which gives a full rhyme with sjálfan. The scribe of 2166ˣ adopted that reading in the main text, mentioning the original one in the margin. Both words are typical base-words in a man-kenning.
case: nom.