Re: Njall 139 part 3 - - Grace's translation

At 8:14:40 AM on Friday, May 22, 2009, Fred and Grace Hatton
wrote:

> I had lots of troubles with this section. Would welcome
> any liðveislu. Grace

> Ásgrímur svarar: "Fár bregður hinu betra ef hann veit hið
> verra.

> Asgrim answers, " Few praise the better if he is aware of
> the worse. ( M & P have: "When fault can be found the good
> is ignored.")

'Few disregard [or deviate from] the better'; see Zoëga s.v.
<bregða> (2).

> En það munu margir mæla að eigi dræpi eg Gauk fyrr en mér
> væri nauður á.

> But (they?) would say it that I did not kill Gauk before
> when necessity (obliged) me to.

<margir> 'many', <fyrr en> 'sooner than': But many would say
that I did not kill Gauk sooner than to-me was need of (it).
In better English, simply 'before I had to'.

> Er það nokkur vorkunn að þú verðir oss eigi að liði en
> hitt er vorkunnarlaust að þú bregðir oss brigslum.

> It is to be somewhat excused that you be not of assistance
> to us but is inexcusable that you turn reproach against
> us.

Note the <hitt> in the second clause: 'but it is
inexcusable'.

> Þeir Gissur stóðu þá upp allir og gengu út og svo til
> búðar Snorra goða og gengu inn í búðina.

> They, Gissur (and) all, stood up then and went out and so
> to Snorri's booth and went inside into the booth.

Then Gizurr & Co. all stood up and went out ...

Or a bit more seriously: Then Gizurr and his fellows all
stood up and went out ...

> Hann kenndi þegar mennina og stóð upp í móti þeim

> He recognized the men at once and stood up in meeting them

I would say 'stood up to meet them'.

> Ásgrímur mælti til Snorra: "Til þess erum við Gissur
> frændi minn komnir hingað að biðja þig liðveislu."

> Asgrim spoke to Snorri, "For this (reason) are we, my
> kinsman Gissur, come hither to ask you for assistance."

Since <við> is the dual pronoun, <við Gissur frændi minn> is
probably best translated 'we, Gizurr my kinsman and I'.

> Snorri goði svarar: "Það mælir þú þar er þér heldur
> vorkunn til, að mæla eftir mága þína slíka sem þú áttir.

> Chieftain Snorri answers, "You speak it there where you
> rather have an excuse to, to bring a case on behalf of
> your in-laws those that you had.

Perhaps 'to prosecute those who killed <mæla eptir> such
<slíka> in-laws as you had'.

> Snorri mælti: "Svo er og að mikið liggur yður þá við.

> Snorri spoke, "So (it) is also that much rests on you
> then.

I think rather 'much is at stake for you' <liggja við>.

> Og munu hvorigir gera öðrum rétt.

> And with each do the other right? (M & P have: neither
> side will be prepared to give way.)

Perhaps Zoëga s.vv. <gøra> (4), <réttr> (noun) (2): And
neither will grant the other (its) claim.

> Er þá og sá einn til því að þeir vilja þá gjalda yður
> skömm fyrir mannskaða en svívirðing fyrir frændalát."

> Then they also ??? because they want then to repay you
> with shame for loss of life and dishonour for loss of
> kinsmen."

<Er þá ok sá einn til því at ...> 'And there is then only
that (choice), because ...' (<vera til> 'to exist'; <sá
einn> 'only that').

Brian