Bill Kennedy is also a member of the meets-in-the-flesh þing
to which I belong, which just started Njáls saga. (And no, I
didn’t twist his arm!)

> Hún bað hann fara með sem hann vildi.

> She asked him to do as he wanted.

> She bade him do as he wished.

> She bade him go between as he wanted.

> She bade him to do (lit: go) with (her) as he wanted.

She told him to wield [it] as he wished.

See <fara> Z18, <fara með e-u> ‘to do (so and so) with a
thing, to deal with, manage’ and associated examples.

> Hann setr nú jarlinn á millum fóta henni.

> He now sets the earl between her legs.

> He sets now “the earl” between her legs.

> He placed now the ‘earl’ in between her legs.

> He places (present tense) now the-‘earl’ between her legs.

He now places the jarl between her legs.

> Var þar gata eigi mjök rúm, en þó kom hann fram ferðinni.

> (The) way there was not much room, and yet he brought
> about the journey.

> The hole there was not much room, but still he came
> forward in the journey.

> There was not much room in the space, but even so, he went
> further in.

> There, (the) path (gata) was not much room, but
> nevertheless he effected (lit: came forward in)
> the-journey.

[The] path there was not very wide, but nevertheless he
managed the journey.

We have here the adjective <rúmr>, modifying <gata>.

> Lágu þau nú um stund, sem þeim líkar, áðr en bóndadóttir
> spyrr, hvárt jarlinum mundi hafa tekizt herzlan.

> They now lay a while, as it pleased them, before the
> farmer's daughter asks, whether the earl would have taken
> place the temporing.

> They lay now for a while, as pleased them, before when the
> farmer’s daughter asks, whether the hardening of “the
> earl” would have taken effect.

> Now they lay in bed for a while, as they pleased, but
> before the farmer’s daughter asked, wether the ‘earl’ will
> have taken hardening.

> They lay now for a while, as (it) pleases them, before (áð
> en) (the) farmer´s-daughter asks whether the-tempering
> (hardening, nominative) of the-‘earl’ would have
> taken-place (ie succeeded).

They now lay for a while, as pleases them, before [the]
farmer’s daughter asks whether the jarl’s tempering had
taken place.

I think that <mundi> is subjunctive only because it’s within
a question.

> En hann spyrr, hvárt hún vill herða oftar, en hún kvað sér
> þat vel líka, ef honum þykkir þurfa.

> And he asks, whether she wants to temper oftener, and she
> said for herself (that she would) like that, if it seemed
> a need to him.

> And he asks, whether she will harden (it) more often, and
> she said she likes it well, if he thinks to need.

> And he asked, wether she will harden it again, and she
> said that she would like that well, if he thought it
> necessary.

> But (And) he asks, whether she wants to temper (harden)
> (it) more-often, but (and) she declared that to please her
> well, if (it) seems to him to ‘stand’-in-need-of (it).

And he asks whether she wants to harden [it] more often, and
she said that she likes that well, if he thinks it
necessary.

> Greinir þá ekki, hversu oft at þau léku sér á þeiri nótt,
> en hins getr, at Bósi spyrr, hvárt hún vissi ekki til, -
> "hvert at leita skyldi at gammseggi því, sem vit fóstbræðr
> erum eftir sendir ok gullstöfum er ritat utan."

> It doesn't then tell, how often that they played during
> their night, [en hins getr?], that Bosi asks, whether she
> didn't know of, -- "where (one) should search for that
> vulture's egg, that we fosterbrothers were sent out after
> and gold letters are written (on the) outside."

> They did not disagree, how often that they played with
> each other on that night, ??? that Bosi asks whether she
> knew anything “where should (one) search for that
> vulture’s egg, that we foster brothers are sent after and
> gold lettering is written on the outside.”

> It is not told how often that they played themselves
> throughout the night, but it is guessed that Bosi asked
> whether she knew for certain “how they should get at the
> vulture’s egg as the foster brothers had been sent after
> and gold letters written on the outside.”

> (It) records (greina, Z3) then not, how often they played
> (amused themselves) on that night, but (it) mentions that
> (geta e-s, Z.ii.2), that Bósi asks, whether she knew not
> of, - “where (one) should seek for that vulture’s-egg,
> which we-two foster-brothers are sent after and (which) is
> written outside (without) with gold-letters (dative).”

[It] is not then recorded how often [they] played at that
[‘those’] during that night, but it is told that Bósi asks
whether she did not know — ‘where should be sought the
vulture’s egg that we two foster brothers have been sent
after and on the outside of which gold letters are written.’

CV has <e-s getr> ‘it is told, recorded’.

> Hún kvaðst eigi minna mundu launa honum gullit ok góða
> nætrskemmtan en segja honum þat, sem hann vill vita, - "en
> hverr var þér svá reiðr, at þik vill feigan ok senda þik
> forsending?"

> She said for herself not less would reward him the gold
> and good night-(kemmtan?) but tells him that: as he wants
> to know, -- "but who was so angry at you, and wishes your
> death and sends you on a dangerous mission?"

> She said she would not remember? to reward him the gold?
> and good night enjoyment but tell him that, which he
> wanted to know “and who is so angry with you, that you
> will be fated to die and sends you on this dangerous
> mission.”

> She answered no less should she reward him for the gold
> and the good nights enjoyment then tell him that, as he
> will know, “but who was so angry at you that wants you
> dead and sends you on a dangerous mission?”

> She declared-of-herself (that she) would not to reward him
> less (comparative adv, minna) for the-gold (finger ring)
> and good night-enjoyment (skemmtan) than (minna…en) to say
> to him that, which he wants to know, - “but (and) who was
> so angry with you, that (he) wants you fated-to-die and
> (wants) to send (infinitive) you on a dangerous mission?’

She said that she would not less repay him for the gold and
good night entertainment than to tell him that which he
wants to know, — ‘but who was so angry at you that [he]
wants your death [‘wants you fated to die’] and to send you
[on] a dangerous mission?’

> "Eigi gengr illt til alls, ok verðr engi frægr af engu,"
> segir hann, "eru þeir ok margir hlutir, at oft snúast til
> gæfu, þó at háskasamliga sé stofnaðir."

> "He doesn't do evil to all, and no fame comes from
> nothing," he says, "they are also many matters that often
> turn themselves to good luck, though it would be
> dangerously found."

> “It doesn’t go badly all the time? and no one becomes
> famous from nothing,” says he, “There are many
> opportunities, that often turn themselves into good luck,
> even though arranged to be perilous.”

> “Bad does not come to all, and none becomes famous from
> nothing,” he said, “ and many events there are, that often
> turn to success, though dangerous they be at he
> beginning.”

> “(It) goes not badly in-respect-of everything (“Things
> could be far worse”?), and no-one becomes famous for
> nothing,” he says, “they are also many ‘lots’, that often
> turn-themselves to good-fortune, even though (they) be
> dangerously (ie for their danger) arranged.”

‘[It] does not go badly in everything, and no one becomes
famous for nothing,’ he says, ‘and there [‘they’] are many
things that often turn turn into good luck, though [they] be
dangerously set up.’

> 8. Þeir félagar náðu gammsegginu.

> 8. The fellows obtained the vulture's egg.

> Those comrades approach the vulture’s egg.

> They the friends get hold of the vulture’s egg.

> 8. Those comrades got-hold of (past tense)
> the-vulture’s-egg.

The companions obtained the vulture’s egg.

> "Hér í skógi þessum stendr hof mikit.

> "here in the forest stands a large heathen temple.

> “Here in the forest stands a great temple.

> “Here in this forest stands a great temple.

> “Here in this wood stands a large temple.

‘Here in this wood stands a great temple.

> Þat á Hárekr konungr, er hér ræðr fyrir Bjarmalandi.

> That (belons) to king Harekr, who rules here over
> Bjarmaland.

> King Harekr who rules here over Bjarmaland has it.

> That is King Harek’s, who here rules before Bjarmaland.

> King Hárekr, who here has authority over (ie rules)
> Bjarmaland (Land of the Perms), owns (á = eiga) that.

King Hárek, who rules here over Bjarmaland, owns it.

> Þat er göfgat goð þat, er Jómali heitir.

> The god that is worshipped there is called Jomali.

> It is for worship of that god, who is named Jomali.

> There is worshipped that god, who is called Jomali.

> That (There?) is worshipped that god, who is-called
> Jómali.

There is worshipped the god who is called Jómali.

An edition showing ms. variants makes the first word <þar>
and offers no support for <þat>; I suspect that <þat> is a
typo.

I was able to discover that this is not the only Bjarmaland
temple to Jómali (also Jómáli) mentioned in the Old Norse
literature: another appears in Ólafs saga hins helga. The
god’s name appears to derive from Finnish <jumala> ‘a god’
(or the cognate word in another Finnic language, e.g.,
Karelian).

> Þat er gull mikit ok gersemar.

> It is (made of) much gold and jewels.

> It is much gold and treasure.

> There is much gold and treasure.

> That (There?) is much gold and treasures (plural).

Much gold and costly things are there.

This <þat> appears to be another typo for <þar>.

> Fyrir því hofi ræðr móðir konungs, er Kolfrosta heitir.

> The kings mother, who governs over that heathen temple, is
> named Kolfrost (Charcoal-frost?).

> Over the temple rules the king’s mother, who is named
> Kolfrosta.

> For that temple rules the mother of the king, who is
> called Kolfrost.

> (The) king´s mother, who is-called Kolfrosta,
> has-authority over (ráða fyrir) that temple.

Over that temple presides [the] king’s mother, who is called
Kolfrosta.

Her name is not otherwise attested, so far as I can
discover. The prototheme <Kol->, which is found in several
masculine and feminine names, is etymologically identical to
<kol> ‘coals, charcoal’; as a name element it seems
originally to have been a color word. The deuterotheme
<-frosta>, a derivative of <frost> ‘frost’, is not otherwise
attested, and the simplex names <Frosta> (fem.) and <Frosti>
(masc.) are attested only for mythological or fictional
characters.

> Hún er mögnuð af blótskap, svá at henni kemr engi hlutr á
> óvart.

> She is made strong by a spell from idolatry, so that
> nothing takes her by surprise. (Z. úvart)

> She is ? by heathen worship so that to her comes no chance
> (without her being) unaware.

> She is great at heathen worship, so that to her none takes
> by surprise.

> She is made-strong (magna) from sacrifice, so that no
> thing comes to her unawares.

She is made strong by sacrifice [or perhaps worship], so
that nothing takes her by surprise.

> Hún veit þat fyrir með konstrum sínum, at hún á eigi at
> lifa út allan þenna mánuð, ok því fór hún hamfari austr á
> Glæsivöllu ok nam í burt Hleiði, systur Goðmundar konungs,
> ok ætlar, at hún skuli vera hofgyðja eftir sik.

> She knows that previously by her magic arts room, that she
> doesn't have all this month to live, and therefore she
> went travelling in the shape of an animal east to
> Glaesivoll and took away Hleidi, king Godmundar's sister,
> and intends that she (i.e. Hleidi) should be priestess
> after her (i.e., after Kolfrast).

> She knew it before with her wise advice (Baetke), that she
> has not to live out all these months and for that reason
> she went traveling in the shape of an animal east to
> Glaesivellir and took Hleidi, sister of King Godmund away
> and intends that she shall be priestess after her.

> She knows before with her knowing? that she will not live
> out all of this month, and she went traveling in a strange
> shape east to Splendid Plain and took away Hleidi, the
> sister of King Godmund, and means that she shall be temple
> priestess after her.

> She knows that beforehand with her “devices” (dative pl of
> konstr, CV) , that she does not have all this month (masc
> dat sg) to live out, and therefore she journeyed a
> journey-in-the-shape-of-an-animal east to Glæsivellir
> (Glistening Plains) and took away Hleiði, sister of King
> Goðmundr, and intends, that she (Hleiði) shall be
> temple-priestess after her (Kolfrosta).

She knows beforehand by her artifices that she was bound not
to live through this whole month, and therefore she
travelled east to Glæsisvellir in the form of an animal and
took away Hleið, king Goðmund’s sister, and intends that she
[= Hleið] should be priestess after herself.

I take <á ... at lifa> to be an instance of <eiga> Z3;
<allan þenna mánuð> is masc. acc. sing.

This seems to be the only instance of the feminine name
<Hleiðr>. The name is related to the Old Norse name of the
Danish town of Lejre, <Hleiðra>, which seems to be cognate
with Gothic <hleiþra> ‘booth, tent’. According to de Vries
its proper sense is ‘booths at a gathering place’ or ‘fence
around a sanctuary’. It’s also related to English <ladder>.

As before, I use <Glæsisvellir>, since this seems to be the
correct form.

> En þat er þó skaði mikill, því at hún er allra meyja
> fríðust ok kurteisust, ok væri betr, at þat færist undan."

> And yet that is a great harm, because she is of all girls
> the finest and most curteous, and it would be better, that
> that be refused." (Z. fara 17: farast undan = excuse
> oneself (from doing a thing), to decline, refuse)

> And that is still a great loss, because she is of all
> young women most beautiful and most well-bred, and it were
> better that refused.”

> And that is yet a great harm, for she is of all a girl
> beautiful and courtly, and it would be best that that be
> avoided.”

> But (And) that is nevertheless a great loss (skaði, Z2),
> because she is of all maidens (gen plural) most-fair and
> most-well-bred, and (it) were better, that (she)
> release-herself (foerast undan?, Z4 refl) from that.”

And is indeed a great loss, for she is of all maidens [the]
most beautiful and most courteous, and it would be better
that it be avoided.

In this construction <færist> ought to be a subjunctive, so
I take it to be from <fara>, not from <fœra>.

> "Hvat er til vandhæfa í hofinu?" sagði Bósi.

> "What difficulty exists in the heathen temple?" said Bosi.

> “What is the difficulty in the temple?” said Bosi.

> “What is the difficulty of the temple?” said Bosi.

> “What difficulty exists in the-temple?” said Bósi.

‘What difficulty exists in the temple?’ said Bósi.

> "Gammr er þar," sagði hún, "svá bölvaðr ok grimmr, at hann
> drepr allt þat, er fyrir verðr hans ódæmum.

> "A vulture is there," she said, "so cursed and grim, that
> it kills all that, who meet its (i.e., "the temple's")
> monstrosity. (Z. verða 8: verða fyrir e-u, to meet with)

<Hans> can’t refer to the temple: <hans> is masculine, and
<hof> is neuter.

> “The vulture is there,” said she, “so accursed and dire,
> that he kills all that which for him becomes enormous.?

> “The vulture is there,” she said, “so cursed and fierce
> that he kills all that comes near him without exception.

> “(The) Vulture is there,” she said, “so accursed and dire,
> that it (he) kills all that, which is in the way of (verða
> fyrir e-m, Z8) its (his) monstrosities.

‘[The] vulture is there,’ she said, ‘so cursed and grim that
it kills everything that comes in range of its monstrous
acts.

Baetke has <verða fyrir e-m> ‘to be met by someone, to fall
into someone’s hands’ and <ódœmi> ‘monstrous act’ (among
other meanings).

Brian