Re: Laxdaela Saga 46 part 4 - Rob's Translation

From: Brian M. Scott
Message: 12261
Date: 2012-03-31

> Þann dag er menn skyldu á brott ríða frá boðinu tekur
> Kjartan til máls og segir svo: "Þig kveð eg að þessu Bolli
> frændi.

> The day when people should ride away from the party,
> Kjartan begins to speak and says this: "I tell you this,
> kinsman Bolli.

> That day when people should ride away from the visit,
> Kjartan began speaking and says thus, “I say this to you,
> kinsman Bolli.

> That day when persons (men) should ride away from
> the-feast, Kjartan takes (present tense) to speech and
> says thus: “I call you (your attention) to this, Bolli my
> kinsman.

Alan is right: this <kveð> is from <kveðja>, not from
<kveða>. This exact expression is an example at Z3.

> Mun eg þetta ekki í hljóðmæli færa því að það er nú að
> margra manna viti um hvörf þau er hér hafa orðið er vér
> hyggjum að í yðvarn garð hafi runnið.

> I will not hush this up because that is now known to many
> people concerning the disappearances which have taken
> place here that we believe that in your house have arisen.
> (Z. hljóðmæli - fœra e-t í -mæli, to hush up.)

> I will not brings this (charge) in secrecy because it is
> now known to many men regarding the disappearance which
> has happened here which we think that has run into your
> hands (Z).

> I will this not hush this up (lit: move this in secrecy)
> because that is now within the knowledge of many persons
> concerning those disappearances (plural) which here have
> happened which we think that (they) have run (ie found
> their way) into your dwelling (possession).

That last <er> is probably better translated 'of which,
about which'.

> Kjartan segir: "Þá menn hyggjum vér hér í ráðum hafa verið
> um þetta að þú mátt bætur á ráða ef þú vilt.

> Kjartan says: "Then we intend for people here (who) have
> been here in this plan concerning this that you are able
> to agree on compensation if you want.

> Kjartan sasy, “Then we think people here have been in a
> plot regarding this that you were able to atone for the
> plan if you wished.

> Kjartan says: “We think those persons (men) have been in
> consultations (cahoots?) here concerning this, that you
> might set about (see ráða á e-t) remediation (pl of bót)
> )ie make amends) if you want.

Note the specific entry <ráða bót (bœtr) á e-u> 'to remedy,
make good'. I think that the emphasis is on <hér>: 'We
think those people to have been in [the] plans concerning
this *here*, [so] that you could make good if you want[ed]'.

> Höfum vér lengi undan eirt fjandskap yðrum.

> We have long yielded to your friendship. (Z. eira 1 - e.
> undan e-u, to yield to)

> We have yielded for a long time under your enmity.

> We have for-a-long-time yielded to (tolerated) your
> enmity.

Rob: It may help to realize that <fjándi> 'enemy' is related
to English <fiend> (and, if you know some German, to <Feind>
'enemy').

> Þá svarar Guðrún máli hans og mælti: "Þann seyði raufar þú
> þar Kjartan að betur væri að eigi ryki.

> Then Gudrun answers his speaking (i.e., replies to what he
> said) and said: "That breaks up the cooking fire you there
> Kjartan that would be better to not smoke. (Z. raufa 1 -
> r. seyði, to break uþ the (cooking) fire)

> Then Gudrun answers his speech and spoke, “You, Kjartan,
> break up fire then that better were not dust??

> Then Guðrún answers his speech and spoke: “You break-up
> that fire there, Kjartan, which (it) were better that (it)
> not smoke (rjúka?).

Yes, subjunctive of <rjúka>. The idea seems to be that
you're stirring up the fire, which will emit a lot of smoke
that you really don't want..

> Nú þó að svo sé sem þú segir að þeir menn séu hér nokkurir
> er ráð hafi til þess sett að moturinn skyldi hverfa þá
> virði eg svo að þeir hafi að sínu gengið.

> Now although (it) so be as you say that the people would
> be here any who an agreement to this had seen that the
> headgear should disappear then I estimate so that they
> have gone. (?)

> Now even though thus be as you say that some men be here
> who have (in)? a plot arranged this headdress should
> disappear then I estimate thus that they have gone to
> themselves.

> Now even if (it) be such as you say, that those persons
> (men) here be some who have set (contrived, setja) a plan
> for that, that the head-dress should disappear, then I
> estimate (it) such that they have gone for their-own
> (claimed what is rightfully theirs?).

That's how I take it.

> En eigi þykir mér illa þó að svo sé fyrir honum hagað að
> Hrefna hafi litla búningsbót af motrinum héðan í frá."

> But it doesn't seem to me poor although so (it) would be
> before him arranged that Hrefna has little improvement in
> dress from the headgear from now on."

> But it does not seem bad to me even though thus be for it
> arranged that Hrefna has little improvement in dress from
> the headdress henceforward.”

> But (it) seems not bad to me even though (it) be so
> arranged for it (honum, ie the head-dress) that Hrefna has
> (ie gets) little improvement-in-dress from the head-dress
> hereafter.”

Or perhaps 'that Hrefna should have little ...', to
represent the subjunctive.

> Það höfðu margir menn fyrir satt að Þórólfur hefði
> brenndan moturinn í eldi að ráði Guðrúnar systur sinnar.

> Many people had said that, that Thorolf had burned the
> headgear in a fire at the advice of his sister Gudrun.

> Many people had it as truth that Thorolf had burned the
> headdress in a fire at the direction of Gudrun, his
> sister.

> Many person (men) held that for true (as the truth) that
> Þórólfr had the-head-dress burned in a fire at his sister
> Guðrúns command (ráð, Z6).

English word order pretty much requires 'that Þórólf had
burned the headress', to avoid any implication that he had
someone else do it.

Brian

Previous in thread: 12254
Previous message: 12260
Next message: 12262

Contemporaneous posts     Posts in thread     all posts