Einarr svarar:  "Of síð hefir þú sagt mér til þessa,
Einarr - answered - too - late - have - you - told - me - concerning - this
Einar answered:  "You have told me about this too late,
 
því at nú hafa allir ráðit sér vistir,
because - now - have - all - engaged - themselves - employment
because now everyone will have taken those positions
 
þær er beztar eru, en mér þykkir þó illt at hafa órval af."
those - which - best - are - but - to me - it seems - yet - bad - to - have - what is left - from
which are the best, and it seems unpleasant to me to have what is left over."
 
 
Einn dag tók Einarr hest sinn ok reið á Aðalból.
one - day - took - Einarr - horse - his - and - rode - to - Aðalból
One day Einar took his horse and rode to Adalbol.
 
Hrafnkell sat í stofu.
Hrafnkell - was seated - in - sitting-room
Hrafnkel was sitting in the living room.
[Here is a diagram of a typical dwelling with a "stofa":  http://www.iit.edu/~fordrob/hist.htm ]
 
Hann heilsar honum vel ok glaðliga.
he - greets - him - well - and - gladly
He greeted him heartily.
 
Einarr leitar til vistar við Hrafnkel.
Einarr - looks - for - employment - with Hrafnkel
Einar asked Hrafnkel about employment.
 
 
Hann svaraði:  "Hví leitaðir þú þessa svá síð,
he - answers - why - have sought - you - this - so - late
He answered:  "Why are you seeking this so late,
 
því at ek munda við þér fyrstum tekit hafa?
because - I - would - concerning - you - first - taken - have
because I would have taken you first?
 
En nú hefi ek ráðit õllum hjónum nema til þeirar einnar iðju,
but - now - have - I - hired - all - household - except - concerning - this - one - task
But now I have hired all my staff except for this one task,
 
er þú munt ekki hafa vilja."
which - you - would - not - have - want
which you wouldn't want."
 
 
Einarr spurði, hver sú væri.
Einarr - inquired - what - it - would be
Einarr asked what it might be.
 
 
Hrafnkell kvazk eigi mann hafa ráðit til smalaferðar,
Hrafnkell - said - no - mann - to have - been hired - to - herd the sheep
Hrafnkel said that he had not hired anyone to herd the sheep,
 
en lézk mikils við þurfa.
but - conceded [from "lata" = to let, allow] - great - concerning - need
but conceded that there was great need for (such a person.)
 
 
Einarr kvazk eigi hirða, hvat hann ynni,
Einarr - said - not - care - what - he - performed
Einar said that he didn't care what job he did,
 
hvárt sem þat væri þetta eða annat,
whether - as - it - would be - this - or - another
whether it was this one or another,
 
en lézk tveggja missera bjõrg hafa vilja.
but - conceded - two - seasons (of 6 months) - means of subsistence - to have - want
but conceded that he needed to support himself for a year.
 
 
"Ek geri þér skjótan kost", sagði Hrafnkell.
I - make - you - swift - offer - said - Hrafnkell
"I'll make you an immediate offer", said Hrafnkel.
 
"Þú skalt reka heim fimm tigu ásauðar í seli ok viða heim õllum sumarviði.
you - shall - drive - home - five - of ten -ewes - in - shieling - and - provide - home - all - summerwood
"You will drive home the fifty ewes at the shieling and fetch home all the wood for the summer.
 
Þetta skaltu vinna til tveggja missera vistar.
this - shall you - perform - for - two - seasons - employment
You will do this for one year of room and board.
 
En þó vil ek skilja á við þik einn hlut sem aðra smalamenn mína.
but - yet - want - I - to stipulate - to - you - one - condition/thing - as - other - herdsmen - mine
But I want to make one thing clear to you as (I have) with my other herdsmen.
 
Freyfaxi gengr í dalnum fram með liði sínu.
Freyfaxi - goes - in - the valley - forward (upper part) - with - herd (of mares) - his
Freyfaxi roams in the upper part of the valley with his stud of mares.
 
Honum skaltu umsjá veita vetr ok sumar.
him - shall you - care - give - winter - and - summer
You will take care of him winter and summer.
 
En varnað býð ek þér á einum hlut:
but - warning - bid - I - to you - about - one - thing
But I warn you about one thing:
 
Ek vil, at þú komir aldri á bak honum,
I - want - that - you - come - never - upon - back - of him
I want you to never mount him,
 
hversu mikil nauðsyn sem þér er á, því ek hefi hér allmikit um mælt,
however - great - need - which - to you - is - upon - because - I - have - here - very great - about - declared
no matter how great your need, because I have declared very strongly about this,
 
at þeim manni skylda ek at bana verða, sem honum riði.
that - that - man - must - I - to - death - cause - who - him - ride
that I must bring about the death of any man who rides him.
 
Honum fylgja tólf hross.
him - follow - twelve - of mare
Twelve mares follow him.
 
Hvert, sem þú vilt af þeim hafa á nótt eða degi, skulu þér til reiðu.
any one (of several) - which - you - want - of - those - to have - by - night - or day - shall be - to you - for - service
Any of those which you wish to have, shall be at your service day or night.
 
Ger nú sem ek mæli, því at þat er forn orðskviðr,
do - now - as - I - say - because - it - is - old - proverb
Now do as I say, because there is an old proverb,
 
at eigi veldr sá, er varar annan.
that - not - be the cause of - he - who - warns - another
that 'he who gives warning is not at fault.'
 
Nú veiztu, hvat ek hefi um mælt."
now - know you - what - I - have - about - declared
Now you know what I have declared."