Here’s my translation:

 

Kveðja

Alan

 

'Viltu nökkut liðsinni okkr veita?' segir Sámr.

‘Do you want to give help to us?’ says Sám.


'Hvers þurfu þit við?' segir Þorkell.

‘Of what do you two stand in need?’ says Þorkell.


'Liðsinnis ok afla höfðingja', segir Sámr, 'því at vit eigum

‘Of (the) help and support of chieftains’, says Sámr, ‘because we two have


365 málum at skipta við Hrafnkel goða um víg Einars Þorbjarnar-

actions to bring against Hrafnkel (the) goði concerning (the) killing of Einar


sonar, en vit megum vel hlíta okkrum flutningi með þínu

Þorbjarnarson, but we two may well rely on (have confidence in) our pleading with your


fulltingi.'

help.’


Þorkell svarar: 'Svá er sem ek sagða, at ek em engi goðorðsmaðr.'

Þorkell answers: ’(It) is just as I said, that I am not a man with goði rank.’


'Hví ertu svá afskipta görr, þar sem þú ert höfðingjasonr

’Why are you so made disinherited, whereas you are a chieftain´s son


370 sem aðrir brœðr þínir?"

like your other brothers?’


Þorkell sagði: 'Eigi sagða ek þér þat, at ek ætta þat eigi, en

Þorkell said: ’I said not that, that I had not that (ie been disinherited), but


ek selda þat í hendr Þorgeiri, bróður mínum, mannaforráð

I sold that into my brother Þorgeir´s hand(s), my authority,


mitt, áðr en ek fór útan. Síðan hefi ek eigi við tekit, fyrir því

before I journeyed abroad. Since then I have not accepted (it back), for that (reason)


at mér þykkir vel komit, meðan hann varðveitir. Gangi þit á

that (it) seems to me well bestowed, while he keeps (it). Go you two to


375 fund hans. Biðið hann ásjá. Hann er skörungr í skapi ok

a meeting with him. Ask him for help. He is an outstanding man in disposition and

 


drengr góðr ok í alla staði vel menntr, ungr maðr ok metnaðar-

a good warrior and well accomplished in all respects, a young man and ambitious.


gjarn. Eru slíkir menn vænstir til at veita ykkr liðsinni.'

Such men are most likely to give help to you.’


Sámr segir: 'Af honum munum vit ekki fá, nema þú sér í

Sámr says: ’We two will not make use of him, unless you be in


flutningi með okkr.'

(the) pleading with us.’


380 Þorkell segir: 'Því mun ek heita at vera heldr með ykkr en

Þorkell says: ’In that I promise to be rather with you than


mótí, með því at mér þykkir œrin nauðsyn til at mæla eptir

against, because (there) seems to me sufficient need to take up the prosecution for the slaying of


náskyldan mann. Fari þit nú fyrir til búðarinnar ok gangið inn

a closely-related man. Go you to now forward to the booths and go inside


í búðina. Er mannfólk í svefni. Þit munuð sjá, hvar standa

into the booth. Menfolk are in sleep (sleeping). You two will see, where stand


innar um þvera búðina tvau húðföt, ok reis ek upp ór öðru,

two leather hammocks further inside across the booth, and I rose up out of one,


385 en í öðru hvílir Þorgeirr, bróðir minn. Hann hefir haft kveisu

but in the other lies Þorgeir, my brother. He has had a large boil


mikla í fœtinum, síðan hann kom á þingit, ok því hefir hann

on the foot, since he came to the Thing, and in that he has


lítit sofit um nœtr. En nú sprakk fótrinn í nótt, ok er ór

slept little during (the) nights. But now the foot burst in (the) night, and is


kveisunaglinn. En nú hefir hann sofnat síðan ok hefir réttan

the boil´s fluid (drained) out of (it). But now he has gone to sleep since and has (the) right


fótinn út undan fötunum fram á fótafjölina sakar ofrhita, er á

foot out from under the bedsheets forward on to the footboard, because of (the) overheating, which

 

390 er fœtinum. Gangi sá inn gamli maðr fyrir ok svá innar eptir

is in the foot. Go that one, the old man, forward and thus futher inside along


búðinni. Mér sýnisk hann mjök hrymðr bæði at sýn ok elli.

The booth. He seems to me very aged, both in sight and old age.


Þá er þú, maðr', segir Þorkell, 'kemr at húðfatinu, skaltu rasa

Then when you, man,’, says Þorkell, ’come to the hammock, you shall rush


mjök ok fall á fótafjölina ok tak í tána þá, er um er bundit, ok

greatly and fall on to the footboard and reach for the toe, that (one) which is bound about, and


hnykk at þér ok vit, hversu hann verðr við."

tug (it) towards you and see, how he responds.’


395 Sámr mælti: 'Heilráðr muntu okkr vera, en eigi sýnisk mér

Sámr spoke: ’Giving sound counsel you will be to us, but this does not seem to me


þetta ráðligt.'

advisable.’


Þorkell svarar: 'Annat hvárt verði þit at gera, at hafa þat, sem

Þorkel answers: ’You two must do either, to have (accept) that which


ek legg til, eða leita ekki ráða til mín.'

I lay before (you) or seek not to me for advice.’


Sámr mælti ok segir: 'Svá skal gera sem hann gefr ráð til.'

Sámr spoke and says: ’So (one) shall do as he gives advice to (do).’


400 Þorkell kvazk mundu ganga síðar, -- 'því at ek bíð manna minna.'

Þorkel declared he would go later, -- ’because I await my men.’


 Grammar Notes:

 

'Viltu

vilja: (v) þú: (pron)

2s pres ind

'Want you

nökkut

nökkur: (pron)

acc sg

some

liðsinni

liðsinni: (n)

acc sg

help

okkr

vit: (pron)

dat 1p

to us

veita?'

veita: (v)

inf

to give?'

segir

segja: (v)

3s pres ind

says

Sámr.

Sámr: (n)

nom sg

Sám.

'Hvers

hverr: (pron)

 

'What

þurfu

þurfa: (v)

2p pres ind

stand in need

þit

þit: (pron)

nom pl

you

við?'

við: (prep)

 

of?'

segir

segja: (v)

3s pres ind

says

Þorkell.

Þorkell: (n)

nom sg

Þorkel.

'Liðsinnis

liðsinni: (n)

gen sg

'of help

ok

ok: (conj)

 

and

afla

afli: (n)

gen sg

aid

höfðingja',

höfðingi: (n)

gen pl

of chieftains,'

segir

segja: (v)

3s pres ind

says

Sámr,

Sámr: (n)

nom sg

Sám,

því at

því at: (conj)

 

because

vit

vit: (pron)

nom pl

we

eigum

eiga: (v)

1p pres ind

have

365

365

365

 

málum

mál: (n)

dat pl

actions

at

at:

 

to

skipta

skipta: (v)

inf

bring

við

við: (prep)

 

against

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