At 5:39:52 PM on Friday, December 14, 2012, rob13567 wrote:

> I see that this year Thorarinn is giving everyone a poem
> for Christmas....

I'd hate to have his Vísa bill ...

> "Hvað er þar frá að segja mágur?" segir Vermundur.
> “What is there to relate, in-law?” says Vermundr.
> “What more is there to say, in-law?” says Vermund

‘What is to report there, brother-in-law?’ says Vermundr.

> Þórarinn kvað:
> Thorarinn said:
> Thorarinn recited:

Þórarinn spoke:

> Sóttu heim, þeir er hættu,
> Pursue home, they who risk,
> (They) went home, those who risked,


> hjör-Nirðir mig, fjörvi.
> my sword-Njord, life.
> sword-Nirdir (with?) me for life?


> Gnýljómi beit geymi
> Clash-radiance watched a pasture
> Heed bait? roaring flash of light?


> geira stígs að vígi.
> makes a path to a battle.
> of a spear steps to fighting.


> Svo görðum vér sverða
> So gardens we sword
> So we did with swords


> sókn-miðjungar Þriðja,
> fight-mid-young the third,
> sought middle of Third


> sleitka líknar leiki
> kind shows mercy a sport
> I did not slide back? (or?) show mercy in a game


> lostigr, fáa kosti.
> Ready, grasp a choice.
> willingly, little choice.

A less modernized version:

Sóttumk heim þeirs hœttu
hjör-Nirðir mér fjörvi
(gnýljómi beit geymi
geirastígs) at vígi;
svá gørðu vér (sverða)
sóknniðjungum Þriðja
(sleitka) líknar (leiki
lostugr) fáa kosti.

Attacked at home they who threatened
my life, sword-gods,
(clash-flash bit keeper
of spear-path) by force of arms;
so we gave (swords’)
Third’s battle-descendants
(I did not break off) of mercy (play
willingly) few chances.

Gering's prose rearrangement:

Hjör-Nirðir þeir es hœttu mér fjörvi sóttu mik heim at
vígi – gnýljómi beit geymi geirastígs; svá gørðu vér
Þriðja sókn-niðjungum fá líknar kosti – sleit-ek-a lostugr
sverðaleiki.

Sword-Nirðir [= sword-gods = warriors: <Nirðir> is the
plural of <Njörðr>] who threatened my life attacked me at
home – clash-flash [= battle-flash = sword] bit spear-path’s
[= shield’s] minder/keeper [<geymir>, from <geyma>; =
warrior = Þorbjörn]; so we gave Third’s [= Óðin’s]
battle-descendants [= warriors] few chances for mercy
[‘mercies’ chances’] – I did not willingly break off the
swordplay [= battle].

Or, after filling in plain meanings for the kennings:

Warriors who threatened my life attacked me at home -
sword bit Þorbjörn; thus we gave warriors few chances for
mercy - I did not willingly break off swordplay.

Finnur Jónsson reads it a little differently:

Sóttu heim, þeirs hættu,
hjǫr-Nirðir mik, fjǫrvi
(gunnljómi beit geymi
geira stígs) at vigi;
svá gerðum vér (sverða)
sóknmiðjunum Þriðja
(sleitka) líknar (leiki
lostigr) fáa kosti.

Hjǫr-Nirðir, þeirs hættu fjǫrvi at vigi, sóttu mik heim;
gunnljómi beit geymi geira stígs; svá gerðum vér Þriðja
sóknmiðjungum fáa líknar kosti; sleitka lostigr sverða
leiki.

Warriors, they who risked life in battle, attacked me at
home; sword bit warrior; thus we gave warriors few chances
for mercy; I did not willingly break off swordplay.

> Guðný systir hans nam staðar á gólfinu og mælti: "Hefir þú
> nokkuð varið þig nú frýjuorðinu þeirra út þar?"

> Gudny, his sister, took to the floor and said: “Have you
> somewhat become now the “free words” out there?”

> Gudny, his sister, took a position on the floor and spoke,
> “Have you defended yourself somewhat now from their
> taunting words out there?”

Guðný, his sister, took up a position on the floor and said:
‘Have you in any way warded off from you now the taunt of
those out there?’

I believe that <út> refers to the fact that Þorbjörn's
place at Fróðá was towards the sea from where they were
speaking.

> Þórarinn kvað:
> Thorarinn said:
> Thorarinn recited:

Þórarin spoke:

> Urðum vér að verja,
> We must defend,
> We were obliged to defend,


> varð ár drifin sára,
> became early driven wounds,
> of wounds became driven ?


> hrafn naut hræva, Gefnar
> a raven enjoyed dead bodies, Gefnar
> raven makes use of dead bodies, of Freya


> hjaldrskýja mig frýju,
> battle-clouds taunted me,
> battle clouds taunt me,


> þá er við hjálm á hólmi
> They who with helmets at a duel
> then is with helmet (to go) to duel


> hrein míns föður sveini,
> squealed my father to a boy,
> (with) a boy, pure father of mine?


> þaut andvaka unda
> rushed unable to sleep was content
> sleepless darted up wounded


> unnr, benlækir runnu.
> A wave, moral-wound-physician ran.
> wave, healed wounds run (again?).

Urðu vér at verja
(varð ǭr drifin sára;
hrafn naut hræva) Gefnar
hjaldrskýja mik frýju:
þás við hjalm (á holmi)
hrein míns föður sveini
þaut andvaka unda
(unnar benlœkir runnu).

We had to ward off
(wounds’s oar was driven;
raven enjoyed carrion) Gefn of
battle-clouds’ taunt from me:
when against (the) helm (on the holm)
of my father’s lad bright
whistled awakener of wounds
(wound-wave’s brooks ran).

Gering's prose rearrangement:

Vér urðum at verja mik frýju hjaldrskýja-Gefnar (ǭr sára
varð drifin; hrafn naut hræva), þá es hrein unda andvaka
þaut við hjalm míns föður sveini (benunnar lœkir runnu á
holmi).

We had to ward off from me (the) taunt (of cowardice) of
battle-clouds’ [battle-cloud = shield] Gefn [Gefn is a
byname of Freyja, so ‘shield-goddess’ = woman = Geirríð]
(wounds’ oar [= sword] was driven; (the) raven enjoyed
carrion (pl.)), when (the) bright wounds’ wakefulness [=
wounds’ awakener = sword] whistled/rushed against the helm
of my father’s lad [= the speaker] (wound-wave’s [= blood]
brooks ran on the holm [= battleground]).

In plainer words:

We had to ward off from me Geirríð’s taunt (sword was
driven; the raven enjoyed carrion) when sword rushed
against my helm (blood streamed on the battleground).

Finnur Jónsson again reads it a little differently:

Urðum vér at verja,
varð ǭr drifin sára,
(hrafn naut hræva) Gefnar
hjaldrskýja mik frýju,
þás við hjalms á holmi
hrein míns fǫður sveini
(þaut) andvaka (unda
unnr, benlœkir runnu).

Vér urðum at verja mik frýju hjaldrskýja Gefnar, - sára ǭr
varð drifin; hrafn naut hræva -, þás andvaka hjalms hrein
á holmi við sveini míns fǫður; unda unnr þaut; benlœkir
runnu.

We had to defend me from Geirríð’s taunt of cowardice -
sword was driven; raven enjoyed carrion - when bright
helm’s wakefulness [verb of motion apparently omitted] on
battlefield against my father’s lad [= me]; blood rushed;
wound-rivulets ran.

Brian