From: llama_nom
Message: 7886
Date: 2007-02-22
--- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "llama_nom" <600cell@...> wrote:
>
>
> > Gefendur heilir!
> > Gestur er inn kominn!
> > hvar skal sitja sjá?
> > Mjög er bráður
> > sá er á bröndum skal
> > síns um freista frama.
>
> Here's one possibility, by no means definitive:
>
> Hail, givers!
> A guest has come in!
> Where ought this one to sit?
> He is in great haste,
> he who by the fire must
> try his luck.
>
> gefendur = nominative plural of 'gefandi' "giver", agreeing with the
> adjective 'heilir' "hail, well", a typical greeting/salutation.
> 'bráður' "hasty, eager", adjective, masculine nominative singular to
> agree with 'gestur' (in the next stanza are revealed what a newly
> arrived guest is in urgent need of). 'mjög' "very" (adverb).
> 'brandur' "burning stick", here in the dative plural; also poetically
> "sword", as Patricia mentioned, and the name for a part of a ship, but
> the interpretations I've seen take it as to do with the fireplace in
> this context. 'freista' "to try, test" (also "to tempt"), takes the
> genitive case for the thing being tested, which here is his 'frami'.
> This can be translated in various ways in different contexts,
> revolving around the idea of how well one does: "fame, distinction;
> bravery; luck; profit." Zoega's dictionary cites this example under
> the heading "luck." 'skal' is cognate with English 'shall', but often
> keeps the old sense of obligation.
>
> LN
>
>
> --- In norse_course@yahoogroups.com, "Heidi Graw" <hgraw@> wrote:
> >
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I was refered to this group where I may find members who
> > could help me out in regards to something that members
> > of another e-mail discussion group are trying to grapple
> > with at the moment.
> >
> > We've come across a difficulty regarding a
> > translation of an ON stanza which
> > has been translated into English.
> >
> > The English translations all differ
> > in some way and are written
> > in such a manner that they're
> > causing confusion as to how
> > the stanza is to be understood.
> >
> > Would anyone like to try
> > translating the following?
> >
> > Old Norse:
> > 2.
> > Gefendur heilir!
> > Gestur er inn kominn!
> > hvar skal sitja sjá?
> > Mjög er bráður
> > sá er á bröndum skal
> > síns um freista frama.
> >
> > ***
> >
> > Any help will be much appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks a lot,
> > Heidi
> >
>