> Konungr bauð honum grið, ok lögðu margir þar vel til, en
> Herrauðr segist eigi grið vilja þiggja, nema Bósi hafi
> bæði lífs grið ok lima, en konungr sagði þess enga ván.

> The king offered him pardon, and contributed much well
> there, but Herraudr said for himself not to want to accept
> pardon except that Bosi had both a pardon for life and
> limb, but the king said (there was) no hope of that. (Z.
> bjóða: bjóða grið = to offer pardon)

> The king offered him a truce and offered much in addition,
> but Herraudr said of himself not to want to accept a
> truce, unless Bosi were given quarter for both life and
> limb, but the king said this could not be expected.

> (The) king offered him a pardon, and many (people) put in
> a good word there-to (ie urged him to do it, cf leggja
> gott til e-s, Z14), but (and) Herrauðr says-of-himself not
> to want to accept (the) pardon, unless Bósi has safety for
> both life and limb (grið, Z2), but (the) king said (ie
> declared) (there to be) no hope of that.

[The] king offered him a pardon, and many spoke up for that
[‘spoke well thereto’], but Herrauð says that he will not
accept a pardon unless Bósi should have safety for both life
and limbs, and [the] king said that [there was] no hope of
that.

> Herrauðr sagðist þess manns bani skyldu verða, sem réði
> lífláti Bósa, ok eigi konungi hlífa heldr en öðrum.

> Herraudr said for himself that man's death should be, as
> decided Bosi's death, and shouldn't spare the king more
> than another.

> Herrauder said it would be this man’s (his own) bane as
> death was planned for Bosi, and not (would one) be spared
> by the king rather than the other.

> Herrauðr said-of-himself (ie that he) should become (the)
> slayer of that person (man), who undertook (the)
> loss-of-life of Bósi, and (that he should) not spare (the)
> life of (the) king more than of (any) other (man).

Herrauð said that he would be [the] death of that man who
caused Bósi’s death and [would] not spare [the] king more
than others.

> Konungr segir þá, at þar færi eigi illa, at sá hefði brek,
> er beiðist.

> The king then says, that it would not go bad there, at
> such a claim had, which was requested.

> The king says then that there would go not badly that that
> one had demanded who requested on his own behalf.?

> (The) king says then, that (it) would go not badly there
> (ie it would turn out well), such that (ie, when, if)
> that-one (ie he) who requests on his own behalf
> should-have a claim (not exactly sure what the king´s
> point is here?)

[The] king says then that it would not be going badly if he
who made a demand for himself got a demand [in return].

> Var konungr þá svá reiðr, at eigi mátti orðum við hann
> koma, ok bað leiða Herrauð aftr í myrkvastofuna ok skyldi
> þá báða drepa um morguninn, því at konungr vildi eigi
> annat, ok þótti nú flestum óvænliga horfa.

> The king was then so angry, that he was unable to make use
> of words (i.e., couldn't speak), and asked to conduct
> Herraudr bacck to the dungeon and both should be killed at
> morning, because the king didn't want (anything)
> different, and most now thought it looks hopeless. (Z.
> úvænliga: horfa úvænliga = it looks hopeless)

> The king was then so angry that no words could affect him
> and bade Herraudr be led back to the dungeon and they
> should both be killed in the morning, because the king did
> not wish otherwise and it seemed most unpromising to
> change his mind.

> (The) king was then so angry, that (one) could not bring
> words by him (ie it was useless trying to talk to him),
> and (he) bade to lead Herrauðr back to the-dungeon (dark
> room) and (one) should kill them both next morning,
> because (the) king wanted not (anything) different, and
> (it) seemed now to most (people) to turn unpromisingly
> (that things took a serious turn for the worse).

[The] king was then so angry that it was not possible to
speak with him and ordered Herrauð to be conducted back to
the dungeon, and they should both be killed in the morning,
because [the] king wanted nothing else, and most now thought
that it looked hopeless.

> Þetta kveld kom Busla kerling at máli við Þvara karl ok
> spurði, hvárt hann ætlaði ekki at bjóða fé fyrir son sinn,
> en hann sagðist eigi vilja ausa út fé sínu ok sagðist
> vita, at hann gæti eigi keypt þeim manni líf, sem deyja
> skyldi ok feigr væri, ok spurði, hvar nú væri komit töfrum
> hennar, at hún veitti eigi Bósa nokkut lið, en hún sagði
> sér eigi mega göngumannligar fara en honum.

> This evening old woman Busla arrived to speak with old man
> Thvari and asked whether he intended to offer money for
> his son, but he said for himself not to want to pour out
> his money and said for himself a sign, that he didn't get
> an agreement about the men's life, as should die and would
> be fated to die and asked where her enchantments would be,
> that she should not grant Bosi some help, and/but she said
> for herself cannot beggarly go than him.

> That evening old woman Busla came to a discussion with
> commoner Thvari and asked whether he did not intend to
> offer money for his son, but he said he did not want to
> pour out his money and said to know that he would not be
> able to purchase that man’s life, since he should die and
> was fated to die and asked, what had happened to her
> witchcraft, that she did not grant Bosi some help, but she
> said she was not able to go more in the manner of a beggar
> than he.?

> This evening old-woman Busla came into conversation with
> commoner Þvari and asked, whether he intended not to offer
> money for his son, but he said-of-himself not to want to
> pour (dish) out his money and said-of-himself to know
> (verb), that he would-not-able to purchase (the) life of
> that person (man) who should (by fate) die and was fated
> (to die), and asked, where now (it) was come with her
> sorcery (ie what use was her sorcery now), (such) that she
> granted not Bósi any help, but she said (it) not to
> be-able to go more-beggarly for her than for him (ie it
> was impossible for anyone including herself to be more
> ‘miserable’(niggardly) than him).

This evening old lady Busla came came to speak with Þvari
[the] commoner and asked whether he intend not to offer
money for his son, and he said that he did not want to pour
out his money and said that he knew that would not be able
to buy [the] life of that man who was to die and was fated
to die and asked how matters now stood with her sorcery,
that she did not give Bósi any help, and she said that she
could not behave in more niggardly [‘beggarly’] fashion than
he.

> Þetta kveld it sama kom Busla í þat herbergi, sem Hringr
> konungr svaf í, ok hóf upp bæn þá, er síðar er kölluð
> Buslubæn, ok hefir hún víðfræg orðit síðan, ok eru þar í
> mörg orð ok ill, þau sem kristnum mönnum er þarfleysa í
> munn at hafa, en þó er þetta upphaf á henni:

> This same evening Busla arrived at the quarters, which
> king Hringr slept in, and began a prayer, which since is
> called "Busla's-prayer," and she has become famous since,
> and they were many words, also poor, those where for
> Christian men it is needless to have in (one's) mouth, and
> yet this is an honor to her: (Z. hefja: hefja e-t upp = to
> begin)

> That same evening Busla came into those quarters in which
> King Hringr slept, and brought up that entreaty then,
> which since is called Busla’s entreaty, and she has become
> famous since, and there are in many words and evil, those
> as Christian men who needlessly(unwittingly?) in their
> mouths have, but still is this beginning hers:

> This the same evening Busla came into that room, in which
> King Hringr slept, and raised up that entreaty, which
> later is called Busla’s-Entreaty, and she has become
> widely-renowned since, and there-in are many words and bad
> (ones at that), those which for Christian folk (men) (it)
> is needlessness to have in (the) mouth, but still this
> beginning is in it (ie the entreaty, boen, fem).(ie the
> entreaty begins thus)

This same evening Busla went into the room in which king
Hring slept and began the prayer that was later called
Buslubœn [‘Busla’s prayer’], and it has since become famous,
and therein are many ill words [‘many words and ill’], those
that Christian folk do not need to have in their mouths
[‘those that to Christian folk is needlessness to have in
mouth’], but nevertheless this is [the] beginning of it:

In <hefir hún víðfræg> the antecedent of the pronoun is
<bœn>.

> "Hér liggr Hringr konungr,
> hilmir Gauta,
> einráðastr
> allra manna;
> ætlar þú son þinn
> sjálfr at myrða,
> Þau munu fádæmi
> fréttast víða.

> "Here lies King Hringr,
> Gauta's prince,
> the most self-willed
> of all men;
> You intend your son
> yourself to murder,
> monstrosities (CV) will
> be reported widely.

> “Here lies King Hringr,
> Chief of the Geats,
> most self-willed of all men;
> you yourself intend to murder your son,
> These exceptional things be inquired about widely.

> “Here lies King Hringr
> chief of (the) Geats
> most-self-willed
> of all people (men)
> You intend your son
> to murder yourself
> Those exceptional-things will
> be-reported widely

‘Here lies king Hring,
prince of Geats,
most self-willed
of all men;
you intend your son
yourself to murder —
these exceptional things will be
reported widely.

> Heyr þú bæn Buslu,
> brátt mun hún sungin,
> svá at heyrast skal
> um heim allan,
> ok óþörf öllum,
> þeim sem á heyra,
> en þeim þó fjándligust,
> sem ek vil fortala.

> Hear Busla's prayer
> soon she will sing,
> so that it shall be heard
> around all homes,
> and doing harm to all
> they who hear,
> and they yet the most fiendish,
> as I will foretell (?).

> You listen to Busla’s entreaty,
> she will quickly have sung,
> so that all about home shall hear
> and all those very bad news
> as to hear,
> that those still most fiendish
> that I will admonish.

> Hear you (the) entreaty of Busla
> It (the entreaty, fem noun) will (be) sung soon (this is
> my song and it won´t take long)
> so that (it) shall be-heard
> around all (the) world
> and (it shall be) disturbing to all,
> to those who listen to (it)
> but nevertheless most-fiendish to those
> whom I want to persuade (cf fortölur) (ie the king).

Hear Busla’s prayer,
soon will it [be] sung,
so that [it] shall be heard
over all [the] world,
and harmful to all
those who listen to [it],
and yet most fiendish to him
whom I want to persuade.

As further confirmation of ‘persuade’ I discovered that one
ms. has <þeims vilk fyrir telja>; see <telja> Z5.

> Villist vættir,
> verði ódæmi,
> hristist hamrar,
> heimr sturlist,
> versni veðrátta,
> verði ódæmi,
> nema þú, Hringr konungr,
> Herrauð friðir
> ok honum Bósa
> bjargir veitir.

> Supernatural beings lost (their) way (?)
> it would become a monstrous thing,
> hammers trembled,
> this world was deranged,
> weather would get worse,
> it would become a monstrous thing,
> except you, King Hringr,
> you would free Herraud
> and to Bosi
> you would grant help.

> Wights ? gone astray
> became monstrous,
> shook hammers,
> disturbed home,
> weather worsens,
> become monstrous,
> unless you, King Hringr
> give Herraudr peace and
> him, Bosi, comfort.

> Supernatural-Beings (Wights) would-go-astray,
> (A) Monstrous-thing (a cataclysm?) would happen
> Precipices (hamarr, Z3) would-be-shaken
> (The) world would-be-deranged
> (The) weather-condition would-get-worse
> (A) Monstrous-thing would-happen
> unless you, King Hringr
> make-peace with Herrauðr
> and to him Bósi
> grant deliverance.

May spirits go astray,
may [the] unprecedented happen,
may crags tremble,
may [the] world be deranged,
may [the] weather worsen,
may [the] unprecedented happen,
unless you, king Hring,
appease Herrauð
and to him, Bósi,
give succor.

The first five lines are definitely subjunctive; they might
be conditional, as in Alan’s version, but I’m inclined think
that Busla was pronouncing a curse (conditional on Hring’s
failure to act as she wished). In other words, I’m
interpreting as the kind of subjunctive seen in English
‘long live the king’.

It seems to me that it’s not entirely out of the question
that <friða> here already has something close to one of its
modern senses, ‘to protect’.

Brian