Here’s my translation and grammar notes. Comments welcome on any point but particularly on the underlined passages:
býzk: (line 635) Is this 3rd pers sg of bjóðask?
þurfu: (line 640) Why is this 3rd person plural when ‘hvers’ is singular?
vant er við vándum at sjá: (lines 643-4)
illt: (line 652) Is this behaving as an adverb or noun? ie ‘much has arisen badly from him’ or ‘much badness has arisen from him’?
Kveðja
Alan
Sámr setti bú á Aðalbóli eptir Hrafnkel, ok síðan efnir hann
Sám established a farm at Aðalból after Hrafnkel, and afterwards puts on
veizlu virðuliga ok býðr til öllum þeim, sem verit höfðu
a magnificent feast and invites to (it) all those, who had been
635 þingmenn hans. Sámr býzk
til at vera yfirmaðr þeira í stað
his (ie Hrafnkel’s) followers at the Thing. Sám offers himself to be their chieftain in place
Hrafnkels, Menn játuðusk undir þat ok hugðu þó enn misjafnt
of Hrafnkel. (The) men agreed to that and (but) thought still nevertheless with uncertainty (ie had misgivings, mixed feelings)
til.
about (that).
Þjóstarssynir réðu honum þat, at hann skyldi vera blíðr ok
Thjóstar´s sons advised him that, that he should be gracious and
góðr fjárins ok gagnsamr sínum mönnum, styrktarmaðr hvers,
good (generous) of property and helpful to his men, a benefactor of each
640 sem hans þurfu við.
'Þá eru þeir eigi menn, ef þeir fylgja þér
who (whoever) has need of him. ‘Then they are not men, if they support you
eigi vel, hvers sem þú þarft við. En því ráðum vit þér þetta, at
not well, each who (whoever) you have need of. But (in) that (matter), we advise you this, that
vit
vildim, at þér tœkisk allt vel, því at þú virðisk okkr vaskr
we would want, that everything turns out well for you, because you seem to us (two) a brave
maðr.
Gættu nú vel til, ok vertu varr um þik, af því at vant er
man. Take (you) good care now, and be (you) aware (of things) about you, because (it) is difficult
við
vándum at sjá.'
against evil to see (be on guard).
645 Þjóstarssynir létu senda eptir Freyfaxa ok liði hans ok
Thjóstar’s sons caused to send after Freyfaxi and his herd and
kváðusk
vilja sjá gripi þessa, er svá gengu miklar sögur af. Þá
declared themselves to want to see these valuable animals, about which many stories thus went (ie were current). Then
váru hrossin heim leídd. Þeir brœðr
líta á hrossin.
the mares were led home. Those brothers look at the mares.
Þorgeirr mælti: 'Þessi hross lítask mér þörf búinu. Er þat
Thorgeir spoke. ’These mares look to me necessary for the farm. That is
mitt ráð, at þau vinni slíkt, er þau megu, til gagnsmuna,
my advice, that they work such, as they are able, at useful things,
650 þangat til er þau megu eigi lifa fyrir aldrs sökum. En
hestr
until when the are not able to live for reasons of old age. But this stallion
þessi sýnisk mér eigi betri en aðrir hestar, heldr því verri, at
seems to me not better than other stallions, rather worse (for) that (matter), so that
margt illt
hefir af honum hlotizk. Vil ek eigi, at fleiri víg
much ill has arisen from him. I do not want, that more slayings
hljótisk
af honum en áðr hafa af honum orðit. Mun þat nú
arise from him than have already happened from him. That will now (be)
makligt, at sá taki við honum, er hann á.'
fitting, that that one (he) take (receipt) of him, who owns him.’
Grammar notes:
Sámr Sámr: (n) nom sg Sám
setti setja: (v) 3s past ind established
bú bú: (n) acc sg farm
á at
Aðalbóli Aðalból: (n) dat sg Aðalból
eptir after
Hrafnkel, Hrafnkell: (n) acc sg Hrafnkel
ok and
síðan afterwards
efnir efna: (v) 3s pres ind performs
hann hann: (pron) nom sg he
veizlu veizla: (n) acc sg feast
virðuliga virðuligr: (adj) acc sg magnificent
ok and
býðr bjóða: 3s pres ind invites
til to (it)
öllum allr: (pron) dat pl all
þeim, sá: (pron) dat pl those,
sem who
verit vera: (v) pp been
höfðu hafa: (v) 3p past ind had
635
þingmenn þingmaðr: (n) nom pl followers at the Thing
hans. hann: (pron) gen sg his.
Sámr Sámr: (n) nom sg Sám
býzk bjóðask: (v refl) 3s pres ind offers himself
til to (this)
at to
vera vera: (v) inf be
yfirmaðr yfirmaðr: (n) nom sg chieftain
þeira sá: (pron) gen pl their
í in
stað staðr: (n) acc sg place
Hrafnkels, Hrafnkell: (n) gen sg (of) Hrafnkel.
Menn maðr: (n) nom pl Men
játuðusk játask: (v refl) 3p past ind committed themselves
undir to
þat þat: (pron) acc sg that
ok and
hugðu hyggja: (v) 3p past ind thought
þó still
enn further
misjafnt with misgivings
til. about (it)
Þjóstarssynir Þjóstarsonr: (n) gen pl Thjóstar´s sons
réðu ráða: (v) 3p past ind advised
honum hann: (pron) dat sg him
þat, þat: (pron) acc sg that,
at that
hann hann: (pron) nom sg he
skyldi skulu: (v) 3s past subj should
vera vera: (v) inf be
blíðr blíðr: (adj) nom sg gracious
ok and
góðr góðr: (adj) nom sg good
fjárins fé: (n) gen sg of wealth
ok and
gagnsamr gagnsamr: (adj) nom sg helpful
sínum sinn: (pron) dat pl (to) his
mönnum, maðr:
(n) dat pl men,
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