> Snorri kvað enn farið hafa sem fyrr að þeir höfðu orðið
> tafli seinni en Arnkell "og munuð þér", sagði hann, "eigi
> þrífa í hendur honum eftir þessum peningum með því að hann
> hefir áður tekið undir sig lausafé en löndin liggja yður
> öllum jafnnær og munu þeir þau hafa sem handsterkari eru.

> Snorri still said to have gone as before that they had
> become a slower game of tafl than Arnkell "and you would,"
> he said, "not catch him in had after this a penny because
> he has previously himself taken hold of movable property
> than the land lies to you all equally near and they will
> have them as are strong handed.

> Snorri said still (it) to have gone as before that they
> had been at the game (more) slowly than Arnkell “ and you
> will,” said he, “not grasp in hand after these pence from
> him because he has previously taken possession of movable
> property and the land lies equally close to all of you and
> they will have it who are more powerful.

Snorri said that [matters] have still gone as before, that
they had been later in the game than Arnkel, ‘and you will
not,’ he said, ‘snatch at his hands for these coins, because
he has already laid hold of [the] movable property, but the
lands lie equally near to all of you, and they will have
them who are more strong-handed.

Apparently the sense of the ‘will not grasp’ bit is that
Þorbrand’s sons won’t be able to challenge Arnkel for the
money, because ownership of the movable property has already
been settled.

> En þess er þó meiri von að Arnkell hafi hér af meira hlut
> sem af öðrum yðrum skiptum.

> But that is yet more hope that Arnkell has here of more
> money as from your other dealings.

> But this is still more to be expected that Arnkell would
> have here more opportunity of your other decisions.

But it is more to be expected, that Arnkel would get the
best of it here, as in your other disputes.

See the last item at <hlutr> Z6.

> Er það og satt að segja að má yður það er yfir margan
> gengur því að Arnkell situr nú yfir hvers manns hlut hér í
> héraði og mun það svo vera meðan hann lifir hvort sem það
> er lengur eða skemur."

> It is also true to see that it can to you which many
> disregard because Arnkell now is busy with each person's
> matters here in the region, and that will be so while he
> lives anyway it is longer or short."

> It is also true to say that it may to you go over many
> because Arnkell sits now over each? man’s part here in the
> district and it will be so while he lives whether it is
> longer or shorter.”

And it is also true to say that that may [befall] you that
befalls many, for Arnkell oppresses everyone here in [the]
district, and that will be so as long as he lives, whether
that is long or short.’

The idiom <sitja yfir e-s> 'to oppress someone' is also at
<hlutr> Z6.

> Þorleifur kimbi svarar: "Satt segir þú það Snorri.

> Thorleifr "kimbi" (kimbi?) answers: "You say it
> truthfully, Snorri.

> Thorleif kimbi answers, “You speak the truth, Snorri.

Þorleif kimbi answers: ‘You say that truly, Snorri.

<Kimbi> is perhaps related to <kimbill> 'a little trunk, a
bundle', <kimbla> 'to truss up'; Lind suggests that it might
be for a cooper, but it seems to me that it might also
describe the bearer's build.

> Má það og kalla vorkunn að þú réttir eigi vorn hlut við
> Arnkel því að þú heldur engu máli til fulls við hann því
> er þið eigist við með ykkur að skipta."

> It can all call what is to be excused that you do not put
> right our matter with Arnkel because you don't stand on
> one's full right against his because it dealt with you to
> divide."

> It may also be called excused that you do not put to
> rights our portion with Arnkell because you pursue no case
> to the fullest with him when you are obliged to deal for
> us.”

And that may be called excusable, that you do not set right
our situation with Arnkel, because in no case do you hold
your own against him when you [two] contend with each other
to divide [something between you].’

Technically <várkunn> is a noun, 'what is to be excused'.
<Eigask við> is 'to deal with, to contend with, to quarrel
with', and I’m taking <með ykkur> as strengthening the
reciprocal sense; I’m not entirely certain exactly how <að
skipta> functions here.

> Eftir það fóru þeir Þorbrandssynir heim og líkaði þeim
> allþungt.

> After that they, Thorbrand's sons, went hom and it was
> very disagreeable to them.

> After it they, Thorbrand’s sons, went home and it pleased
> them not at all.

After that Þorbrand's sons went home, and they were most
displeased.

> Snorri goði lét nú vinna Krákunesskóg og mikið að gera um
> skógarhöggið.

> Chieftain Snorri caused now to gain the woods at Krakuness
> and much to do concerning the tree felling.

> Chieftain Snorri had work done now in Krakuness Forest and
> much to do regarding tree felling.

Snorri goði now had Krákunes Wood worked and much done
concerning tree-felling [i.e., he had a lot of trees felled
there].

> Þórólfi bægifót þótti spillast skógurinn.
> Thorolfr "lamefoot" thought the forest was damaged.
> Thorolf lame-foot thought the forest ruined.

Þórólf bægifót thought the wood damaged.

> Reið Þórólfur þá út til Helgafells og beiddi Snorra að fá
> sér aftur skóginn og kveðst hafa léð honum en eigi gefið.

> Thorolfr then rode out to Helgafell and asked Snorri to
> give himself again the forest and said for himself (to)
> have lent but not given him (the forest).

> Thorolf rode then out to Helgafell and asked Snorri to
> give him back the forest and said he had lent (it) to him
> and not given (it).

Þórólf then rode out to Helgafell and asked Snorri to give
him back the wood and said that he had lent [it] to him, but
not given [it].

> Snorri kvað það skyldu skýrra vera þá er þeir bera um er
> við handsalið voru, kvaðst og eigi skyldu skóginn láta
> nema þeir bæru af honum.

> Snorri said that should be clear when they gave a verdict
> which was agreed upon with a handshake, said for himself
> give up the forest except they carry him off.

> Snorri said it they should be clarified then when they
> bore witness who were with the turning over by handshake,
> said also he would not give up the forest unless they
> denied it of him.

Snorri said that it should be clearer when they bear witness
who were present at the transfer; he also said that he
should not give up the wood unless they overbore him
[give verdict against him].

<Skýrra> is tricky. In the modern language it’s only the
genitive plural of each gender in the strong adjective
declension, but a genitive plural just doesn’t fit here.
Apparently here it’s the neuter singular (all cases) of the
*weak* adjective declension of the *comparative*, which is
now <skýrara>. There’s an example of this in CV.

> Þórólfur reið þá í brott og var í allillu skapi.
> Thorofr then rode away and was in a very bad mood.
> Thorolf rode then away and was in a very bad disposition.

Then Þórólf rode away and was in a very bad mood.

> Hann reið þá inn á Bólstað að finna Arnkel son sinn.
> He then rode in to Bolstad to meet his son Arnkel.
> He rode then in to Bolstad to meet Arnkell his son.

He then rode in to Bólstað to visit Arnkel, his son.

> Arnkell fagnar vel föður sínum og spyr að erindum hans.

> Arnkell received his rather well and asks about his
> errand.

> Arnkell welcomed his father and asks as to his errand.

Arnkel receives his father well and asks after his errand.

> Þórólfur svarar: "Það er erindi mitt hingað að eg sé
> missmíði á að fæð er með okkur.

> Thorolfr answers: "It is my errand here that I would see
> mistakes in my work to that coldness is between us.

> Thorolf answers, “It is my errand hither that I see things
> are not all right, that coolness is between us.

Þórólf answers: ‘That is my errand hither, that I see faults
in [the fact] that we are on indifferent terms.

> Vildi eg að nú legðum við það niður og tækjum upp
> frændsemi okkra því að það er óskaplegt að við séum
> ósáttir því að mér þætti sem við mundum miklir verða hér í
> héraði við harðfengi þína en ráðagerðir mínar."

> I wanted that we put that down and we take up our
> friendship because that is horrible that we should be not
> at peace because to me it seemed as we would become
> greater here in the district with your valor and my
> plans."

> I would want that we now lay it down and take up our
> friendship because it is horrible that we are unreconciled
> because to me it seems that we would be stronger here in
> the district with your hardiness than my plans.”

I’d like us now to lay that down and take up our kinship,
because it is unnatural that we are unreconciled, because it
would seem to me that we [two] would become great [i.e., a
great power] here in [the] district with your valor and my
plans.’

> "Því betur þætti mér," segir Arnkell, "er fleira væri með
> okkur."

> "It would seem better to me," says Arnkell, "which would
> be more between us."

‘The better it would seem to me,’ says Arnkel, ‘the more
communicativeness there were between us.’

The constructions <því [comparative-1] sem [comparative-2]>
and <því [comparative-1] er [comparative-2]> are both 'the
[comparative-1], the [comparative-2]', as in ‘the more, the
merrier’.

Brian