> Konungur svarar reiðulega, kvaðst það hyggja að margir
> mundu þeir kristnir er eigi mundu þeir jafnháttagóðir sem
> Kjartan eða sveit hans "og skal slíkra manna lengi bíða."

> The king answers readily, states for himself that (he)
> believes that many would they (be) Christians who they
> would not (be) equally well behaved ask Kjartan or his
> crew "and will for such men long wait."

> (The) king answers angrily, said he thought that many
> would those Christians would not they (be) equally
> well-mannered as Kjartan or his company, “and of such men
> (I) wait a long time.”

> (The) king answers angrily, declared-of-himself (that he)
> believed that, that many would those Christians (be) who
> would not (be) they (seems superfluous to me?)
> equally-well-behaved as Kjartan or his body-of-men “and (I
> / one) shall wait a long-time for such persons (men).’

Given the context, 'I' seems more likely. The second <þeir>
does seem superfluous.

> En er þeir Kjartan voru gengnir í herbergi sín tekst
> umræða mikil hvernig þeim hefði á litist konunginn nú er
> kristnir menn kalla næst hinni mestu hátíð "því að
> konungur sagði svo að vér máttum heyra að sá höfðingi hafi
> í nótt borinn verið er vér skulum nú á trúa ef vér gerum
> eftir því sem konungur býður oss."

> And when they, Kjartan (and the others) had gone to their
> lodgings, (they) began to discuss (Z. has "parley") much
> how the king had looked at them now when Christian people
> call nearest the most festival "because the king said so
> that we were able to hear that the ruler had at night been
> born that we should now believe if we do after that as the
> king invites us."

> And when they, Kjartan (and company) were gone to their
> lodgings, much discussion began how to them had seemed the
> king now which Christian men call next to the greatest
> feast “ because (the) king said so that we might hear that
> that Chieftain had been born at night who we shall now
> believe in if we perform after it as (the) king bids us.”

> But when they, Kjartan (and co) were (had) walked (back)
> to their lodgings, a great discussion took-place how (it)
> had pleased to them with the-king (ie how the king had
> impressed them) now (ie on this occasion) which Christian
> folk call the next greatest (ie 2nd most important)
> festival “because (the) king said, so that we might hear
> (it), that that leader had this-night been born whom we
> shall now believe in if we do (act) after (in accordance
> with- or perhaps henceforth(?)) that which (the) king bids
> us.”

As Alan discovered, <litist> is from <líta>, not <litask>;
this exact passage is used as an example in CV (III.β). The
idiom given is <e-m lítzk á e-t> 'it seems, pleases me so
and so'. The short vowel is because this is the past
participle. <Eftir því> is 'in accordance with'. I'd make
it 'how they had been pleased with the king now [at the
time] that Christians call the second greatest festival
"because [the] king said so that we might hear that the
leader had been born this night in whom we should believe if
we do as the king bids us"'.

> Kjartan segir: "Svo leist mér vel á konung hið fyrsta sinn
> er eg sá hann að eg fékk það þegar skilt að hann var hinn
> mesti ágætismaður og það hefir haldist jafnan síðan er eg
> hefi hann á mannfundum séð.

> Kjartan says: "I was pleased with the king the first time
> when I saw him that I immediately was able to decide that
> he was the most excellent man and that has continued ever
> since when I have seen him at meetings. (Z. líta - leizt
> mér vel á konunginn, I was pleased with the king)

> Kjartan says, “So (it) seems to me well in regard to (the)
> king the first time when I saw him that I made a decision?
> at once that he was the greatest excellent man and it has
> held even after when I have seen him at meetings.

> Kjartan says, “So (it) pleased (see lítast, Z4) me well
> with (the) king the first time that I saw him that I was
> able(fá + pp) at-once to discern that, that he was the
> greatest person-of-excellence and that (impression) has
> continued (lasted, haldast, Z.iv) always after-that when I
> have seen him in meetings.

I'd place the 'so' a little differently: 'I was so well
pleased with [the] king the first time that I saw him that'.

> En miklu best leist mér þó í dag á hann og öll ætla eg oss
> þar við liggja vor málskipti að vér trúum þann vera sannan
> guð sem konungur býður og fyrir engan mun má konungi nú
> tíðara til vera að eg taki við trúnni en mér er að láta
> skírast og það eina dvelur er eg geng nú eigi þegar á
> konungs fund er framorðið er dags því að nú mun konungur
> yfir borðum vera en sá dagur mun dveljast er vér
> sveitungar látum allir skírast."

> But by far best it seems to me, yet, today to him and all
> I think we are on the verge of our transactions that we
> believe that is the true god as the king bids and for no
> one will blot out the king now ever more to be that I take
> the faith and to me is to be baptized and that alone is
> put off when I go now (I) would have a meeting with the
> king what time what day because now the king will be at
> table but the day will tarry when we, all the crew, be
> baptized. (Z. liggja - e-m liggr við e-u, one is on the
> verge of) (Z. skíra - láta skírast, to be baptized)

> But (it) seems to me much (the) best still today in
> respect to him and I expect all of us there with to rely
> our business? that we believe that to be a true god as
> (the) king bids and [for no one will be able now for the
> king prayers - - I am completely lost here] to be that I
> accept the faith but to me is to allow baptism and it
> alone remains when I go now not at once to a meeting with
> (the) king when (the) day is advanced, because now will
> (the) king be at tables but (it) will take a long time
> that day when we comrades all allow ourselves to be
> baptized.”

> But by-far best (it) pleased (lítast á, Z4) me
> nevertheless today with him (Today, however, I was the
> most impressed I have been with him) and I think for us
> all (öll) our (vár) business-affairs (málskipti, all neut
> pl)) lies (is linked, depends. liggja) therewith that we
> believe that-one (Him) to be (the) true god whom (the)
> king proclaims (bjóða, Z5) and by no means (see munr, Z5)
> may (it) be for (the) king now more-dear (ie he cannot be
> more eager, tíðr, Z3 or Z4) that I accept the-faith than
> (it) is for me to let (myself) be-baptised; and that alone
> delays (me) so that (er = at,er Z3) I go now not at-once
> to a meeting with (ie to see) (the) king when (it) is late
> (neut of framorðinn) of (the) day because now the king
> will be at-table but (and) that day must be delayed
> (passive of dvelja seems to me to make more sense than Z´s
> “will be-long-in-coming”, see dveljast, Z4) when we
> comrades all allow-ourselves to be-baptised.” (ie the day
> of our baptism must be postponed…presumably until
> tomorrow)

The only part of this about which I have some doubts is <sá
dagur mun dveljast er vér sveitungar látum allir skírast>,
though I certainly prefer the passive interpretation to
'will be long in coming'. Another possibility, I think, is
'that day will make a stay (i.e., it'll be a long day) when
we comrades all allow ourselves to be baptized'.

Brian