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

> 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