It seems to start off so well and then as Þorkell's sentence gets longer his
train of thought gets me derailed. ( sigh)

But I do think I am learning and I very much enjoy the translating!

Grace





Þorkell segir: 'Þat má vera, at svá foeri mér at, ef ek væri
Þorkell says, "That may be, that so (it) would go as regards me, if I were



höfðingi, at mér þoetti illt at deila við Hrafnkel, en eigi sýnisk
chief, that (it) would have seemed bad to me to contend with H., but it
doesn't seem so to me,



mér svá, fyrir því at mér þoetti við þann bezt at eiga, er allir
because, (it ) seemed to me it best to deal with it, when all



hrekjask fyrir áðr. Ok þoetti mér mikit vaxa mín virðing eða
are confounded by (Gordon) (it) before. And (it) seemed to me my honor
grows greater but



445 þess höfðingja, er á Hrafnkel gæti nökkura vík róit, en minnkask
for (?) this chief, who gets gets a certain pull over H. (Gordon), but not
diminished,



ekki, þó at mér foeri sem öðrum, fyrir því at má mér þat, sem
that to me it would go as with others, because it may to me, as



yfir margan gengr. Hefir sá ok jafnan, er hættir.'
(it) has gone over many. He who wins and always (is he) who risks."



'Sé ek', segir Þorgeirr, 'hversu þér er gefit, at þú vilt veita
"I see,"says Þorgeirr, "how you are disposed, that you will help



þessum mönnum. Nú mun ek selja þér í hendr goðorð mitt
these men. Now I will give (back?) to you in (your) hands my rank of
chieftain



450 ok mannaforráð, ok haf þú þat, sem ek hefi haft áðr, en þaðan
and authority, and you have it, as I have had before, but thereafter



af höfum vit jöfnuð af báðir, ok veittu þá þeim, er þú vilt.'
we have equal of both, and you help them (with?) it, when you wish."



'Svá sýnisk mér', segir Þorkell, 'sem þá muni goðorð várt
"So (it) seems to me," says Þorkell, "as it the rank of chieftan would
scarcely



bezt komit, er þú hafir sem lengst. Ann ek engum svá vel sem
best come (to me?), when you have (it) the longest. I am not so well able
as



þér at hafa, því at þú hefir marga hluti til menntar um fram
you to have (it), because you have greater share (as) to accomplishments
above all



455 alla oss broeðr, en ek óráðinn, hvat er ek vil af mér gera at
of us brothers, but I (would be??) badly advised (?), what when I want from
me to happen at once. ??



bragði. En þú veizt, frændi, at ek hefi til fás hlutazk, síðan ek
But you know, kinsman, that I have meddled little, since I



kom til Íslands. Má ek nú sjá, hvat mín ráð eru. Nú hefi ek
came to Iceland. I can now see, what is advisable for me. Now I have



flutt sem ek mun at sinni. Kann vera, at Þorkell leppr komi
recited, as I will to him. Understand to be, that Þorkell ??? came



þar, at hans orð verði meir metin.'

there, that his word would become more esteemed."



Fred and Grace Hatton
Hawley Pa