> 1. Formáli.

> Preamble

> Preface

> 1. Prologue.

Forward.

Such splendid unanimity! :-)

> Atburðir margir, þeir er verða, falla mönnum oft ór minni,
> en sumir eru annan veg sagðir en verit hafa, ok trúa því
> margir, er logit er, en tortryggja þat satt er.

> Many events, they that come to pass, often fall out of
> memory, and some are told another way than they have been,
> and many believe it, who has lied, but distrust what is
> true.

> Great events, those which happened, often befall men out
> from less, and some are told otherwise than they have
> happened, and many believe it when it has been untrue, and
> doubted when it is true.

> Many (margr, Z2) events, those which happen, often fall
> out-of (the) memory of people (ie they are forgotten), but
> (and) some (events) are said (ie told) another way (ie
> otherwise) than to have (actually) been (ie they are
> misreported), and many (people) believe that which is lied
> (pp of ljúga) (ie falsehoods), but (and) (they) mistrust
> that (which) is true. (never more true than nowadays)

Many events that occur [‘those that occur’] often fall from
people’s memory, and some are told otherwise than [they]
were [‘have been’], and many believe that which is lied and
mistrust what is true.

> En fyrir því, at aftr hverfr lygi, þá er sönnu mætir, þá
> ætlum vér at rita nökkura atburði, þá er gerzt hafa á
> várum dögum á meðal vár kunnra manna, sem vér vitum
> sannleik til.

> And/but before that, that a lie recoils before the truth,
> then we intend to write (about) some events, those which
> have arisen (?) in the days between man's calamities,
> which we know of truth. (Z. hverfa 3: aptr hverfr lygi, þá
> er sönnu mœtir, a lie recoils before the truth)

> But for it, that turns lies back, then is truth mighty,
> then we expect to write of some events, those which have
> happened in our times between our familiar men, who we
> know of truthfully.

> But for that (reason), that a lie turns back, when (it)
> meets (moeta) proof (sanna) (‘a lie recoils before the
> truth’, hverfa, Z3), then we intend to write certain
> events, those which have come to pass (görast) in our days
> among us familiar (known) people (ie our contemporaries),
> which we know (the) verity (sannleikr) of.

But since a lie turns back when it meets truth, we intend to
write some events that have occurred in our days among
people well known to us [‘our familiar people’], [events]
that we know the truth of.

<Mætir> is from <mœta> in its later spelling <mæta>.

> Í þeim atburðum mun sýnast mikil þolinmæði guðs almáttigs,
> sú er hann hefir hvern dag við oss, ok sjálfræði þat, er
> hann gefr hverjum manni, at hverr má gera þat, sem vill,
> gott eða illt.

> In those events will appear God Almighty's long-suffering,
> such as he has each day with us, and that free will, which
> he gives each man, that each one can do that, as (he/she)
> wants, good or ill.

> In those events will show the great patience of God
> Almighty, that which he has every day with us, and that
> free will, which he gave to each man, that each might do
> that which (he) will (for) good or ill.

> In those events (the) great forbearance of God almighty
> will appear (manifest itself), that (forbearance) which he
> has (maintains, hafa, Z5) each day with us, and that
> liberty (free-will), which he gives to each person, (so)
> that each (person) may do that which (he or she) wants,
> good or evil (bad).

In those events will appear God Almighty’s great patience,
that which he has with us every day, and the free will that
he gives each person, that each may do that which he wants
[to do], good or bad.

Brian