> Þat þóttust þeir vita, at karl mundi blindr vera.

> It seemed to them sure, that the man would be blind.

> They (nominative) bethought-themselves to see (vita, verb)
> that, that (the) old-man must (munu, Z2) be blind.

They thought that to mean that the old man must be blind.

I take this to be <vita> Z7, with <þat> referring to the old
man’s confusion.

> Hleypr nú Hrani inn ok rekr sverðit undir hönd honum, svo
> gegnum hann stóð, en karl brá við skjótt ok steyptist fram
> úr fletinu, en Hrani brá sér undan, ok brýzt karl um, svo
> allt skalf ok gekk úr lagi, er fyrir varð.

> Hrani now runs inside and thrusts his sword under his
> hand, so through he stood, and/but the man moved suddenly
> and tumbled down forward along the raised flooring on the
> side, and/but Hrani moved away, and the man made a hard
> struggle, so (he) shuddered dead and went wrong, which
> happened previously. (Z. lag: ganga ór lagi = to go wrong)

> Hrani now runs inside and drives the-sword under his (the
> old-man’s) arm, so (that) (it) stood (stuck) through him
> (acc), but (the) old-man speedily
> made-a-sudden-motion-with-his-body and tumbled forward
> out-from the raised-bench, but (and) Hrani quickly-drew
> himself away (sprang back), and (the) old-man
> makes-a-hard-struggle (brjótast um, Z8), so everything
> shook and went out-of (its) right-position (was displaced,
> ganga ór lagi, under lag, Z2), which went before (him) (ie
> was in his way, verða fyrir e-m, Z8).

Hrani now runs inside and thrusts his sword under his [= the
old man] arm so [that it] stuck through him, but the old man
leaped up and threw himself forth from the bench along the
side of the hall, but Hraní sprang back, and the old man
makes a hard struggle, so [that] everything that was in his
way was shaken and went out of [its] proper place.

> Drapst hann svo um síðir.

> He so was killed at last.

> He died at last.

At last he died thus.

> Fór þá Einarr inn fyrir hann, ok könnuðu hellinn, hvar
> þeir fundu marga gripi í gulli ok silfri, báru nú úr
> hellinum, svo sem þeir gátu komizt með.

> Then Einarr when inside in front of him, and explored the
> cave, where they discovered many valuable treasures in
> gold and silver, they now took outside the cave, so as
> they got through with.

> Then Einarr went inside before him, and explored (kanna)
> the-cave, where they found many treasures in gold and
> silver, bore them now out-of the-cave, such (items) as
> they were-able-to get-through with.

Then Einar went ahead of him [= Hrani] and [they] explored
the cave, where they found many treasures in gold and
silver; [they] now carried out of the cave such [items] as
they were able to take with [them].

Note that <könnuðu> is 3rd person plural.

> Gekk þeim illa þaðan at fara.

> They fared badly to go from there. (or "to go after that")

> (It) went badly for them (ie they fared badly, they had
> great difficulty) to go from there.

They had a hard time travelling from there.

> Lágu þeir þar nærri um nóttina eftir.

> They lay there near during the next night.

> They lay (were situated) nearer there during the-night
> after.

They were near there the next night.

I think that this is the adverb <nærri> 'near', not the
comparative adjective.

> En um daginn eftir fóru þeir til baka með bagga sína.

> And during the next day, they went back with their
> bundles. (I didn't find "til baka" in Z., but it means
> "back" in Swedish, so I am hoping it's a cognate)

Yes. In the modern language it’s a compound adverb 'back',
like Swedish <tillbaka>, Danish <tilgage>, and Norwegian
<tilbake>, from the proposition <til> and the gen. plur. of
<bak> 'a back'. I really don’t know whether it’s a native
Icelandic development or a borrowing from Continental
Scandinavian.

> But during the-day after they journeyed back (cf tilbaka,
> Modern Icelandic) with their bundles.

And the next day they travelled back with their bundles.

> Enga lifandi skepnu sjá þeir á leið sinni ok gengu síðan
> heim.

> They saw no living creature on their way and then went
> home.

> They see no living creature on their way and went (on
> foot) after-that home.

They see no living creature on their way and then went home.

> Nú segja þeir Helga ok öðrum mönnum frá ferðum sínum.

> Now they tell Helgi and the other men concerning their
> journey.

> Now they say to Helgi and other folk about their travels.

Now they tell Helgi and other folks about their travels.

> Þótti öllum mönnum mikils um vert ok lofuðu hreysti Hrana.

> All men took it so much to heart and they praised Hrani's
> valor. (Z. verðr 1: svá þótti honum mikils um vert, he
> took it so much to heart)

> (It) seemed to all folks worthy of much (Everyone took it
> so much to heart) and praised (the) valour of Hrani.

Many folks found it remarkable and praised Hrani’s valor.

> Mikit fé vantaði menn um haustit, ok héldu allir, at tröll
> þessi hefðu tekit þat, þó þeir fóstbræðr yrðu eigi varir
> við.

> Men lacked many sheep during the fall, and all held that
> this troll had taken that (i.e., "them"), althought they,
> (the) foster brothers, didn't perceive anything. (Modern
> Icelandic: verða var við e-ð become aware of sth, perceive
> sth)

> Men (people) lacked (ie were missing) much sheep during
> the-autumn, and everyone held (ie maintained the view)
> that these trolls (plural) had taken them (ie fé, gram
> sg), though those foster-brothers became (ie were) not
> aware of (it) (verða varr við e-t, Z1).

Folks were much livestock in the fall, and everyone held
that these trolls had taken it, though the foster brothers
were not aware of it.

> Líðr nú svo þessi vetr, at eigi berr til tíðenda.

> The winter no passes so, that it didn't bring any news.

> This winter now passes such that (it) bears not of tidings
> (ie nothing of note happens).

This winter now passes in such a way that nothing of note
happens.

> 9. kafli - Draumr Hrana

> Hrani's Dream

> Chapter 9 – Hrani´s Dream

Hrani’s Dream

> Nú sem vora tók, kemr Hrana í hug, at framameira sé at
> fara utan ok kynna sér önnur lönd, höfðingja ok siðferði.

> Now as spring began, Hrani remembers that all the more
> (it) would be to go abroad and to become acquainted with
> other lands, leaders and conduct of life.

> Now as (it) started to-become-spring (vára, verb), (it)
> comes to (the) mind of Hrani, that (it) would-be
> more-forward (even more worthy?) to travel abroad and
> make-himself acquainted with other lands (countries),
> chieftains and modes-of-life (probably plural).

Now that it was becoming spring, it occurs to Hrani that it
would be of more fame to travel abroad and get to know other
lands, chieftains, and ways of living.

Another edition writes it as two words, <frama meira>.
That’s still a bit puzzling, since it can only be an oblique
singular case of <frami meiri> 'more courage; more luck;
more fame; more profit', and while all of the senses are
more or less plausible, one would expect a nominative with
<sé>. In view of the old man’s comments (below), I finally
decided to interpret it as a genitive meaning something like
‘of more fame’, but I’m certainly less than fully confident!
Still, it seems very likely that the basic sense is ‘more
advantageous’.

> Þat var einn morgun fyrir uppstöður, at hann svaf svo sem
> aðrir í hvílu sinni, ok dreymir hann, at hann sé úti
> staddr í túni á Helgastöðum.

> It was one morning before arising, that he was sleeping,
> as the others, in his bed, and he dreams that he was
> outside the house in the yard at Helgi-stad.

> That was one morning before rising (lit: upstanding), that
> he slept just as others in his bed, and (it)
> comes-in-a-dream to him (ie he dreamt), that he was
> standing outside in (the) home-meadow at Helgastaðir
> (Helgi’s-steads).

It was one morning before arising that he slept just as
others in his bed, and he dreams that he is outside the
house in the home field at Helgastaðir.

Another edition makes it <uppistöðutíma> 'arising time, time
to get up'.

> Hann lítr mann gamlan, en þó vænligan á velli, þykkist nú
> heilsa honum ok spyrja at nafni.

> He sees an old man, but nevertheless promisingly in a
> field, it seemed now (reasonable) to greet him and ask his
> name.

> He beholds a man (person), old but still fine in
> appearance (lit: fine on (the) ground but see á velli,
> under völlr, Z1), bethinks-himself now to great him and
> ask for (his) name.

He sees an old man, but yet fine in appearance, [and] now
thinks to greet him and ask for his name.

> Komumaðr tekr vel kveðju hans ok kveðst Þórir heita.

> (The) newcomer receives his greeting well and said for
> himself to be named Thorir.

> (The) new-comer (lit coming-person) receives well his
> greeting and declares-of-himself to-be-called Þórir.

The newcomer receives his greeting well and says that he is
called Þóri.

> "Óspurt þekki ek þik," segir komumaðr.

> "Unasked, I perceive you," says the newcomer. ("I don't
> need to ask; I know who you are.")

> “I recognise you unasked (ie without needing to ask),”
> says the new-comer.

‘I recognize you without asking [‘unasked’, or perhaps
‘uninformed’],’ says the newcomer.

> "Þú heitir Hrani ok ert dóttursonr minn.

> "You are named Hrani, and you are my grandson.

> “You are-called Hrani, and are my daughter’s-son.

‘You are called Hrani and are my daughter’s son.

> Stendr þú helzt til þess at verða sómi ættar þinnar bæði
> kurteisis ok atgervis vegna, eða hvat vinnr þú hreystiligt
> ok hrósvert hér í plássi framar en komit er?

> You stand best to that to become honor to your family,
> both courtesy and ability proceed, what do you work boldly
> and the worth of a horse here forward in place than has
> come?

> You stand (are likely, expected, obligated?) especially to
> that, to become (ie to be) (the) honour (pride?) of your
> family both on account (vegna) of chivalry and of
> accomplishments, so what (will) you do (that is) more
> (framarr) bold and worthy-of-praise  here in (this?) place
> than is (has) come (happened) (already)(ie than you have
> already achieved?)?

You best have claim to become the honor of your line on
account of both courtesy and accomplishments, so what [will]
you do here in [this] place that is more bold and
praiseworthy than has [already] happened?

I interpret ‘honor’ here to mean something like ‘paragon,
outstanding member’.

> Nú er eigi ólíkligt, at þik fýsti hér eftir at koma í
> önnur lönd ok freista, hvat þar liggr fyrir þér eða hvat
> þú kannt þar til frægðar vinna."

> It is not now unlikely that you were eager according to
> this to come to another land and try, what lies there
> before you or what you knew to win fame thereto." (Z.
> fýsa: mik fýsir = I am eager, desire strongly)

> Now (it) is not unlikely, that you are-eager (lit: (it)
> urges you) here-after to come to other lands (countries)
> and test-out, what lies (lays in wait) for you there or
> what you are-able to (kunna + inf) achieve there towards
> (your) renown.”

It is not unlikely now that you were eager hereafter to come
to other lands and experience what lies before you there or
what you are able to do there to attain fame.

Brian