Source text: “Odin's Raven Chant”

Hrafnagaldr Óðins

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English translation made by AI from the Old Norse.

1

Allfather acts,
elves understand,
Vanir know,
Norns show the way,
the giantess gives birth,
mortals endure,
giants yearn,
Valkyries long.

2

The Aesir poorly
discerned the purpose;
contrary, they confused
the being's runes;
Odhrœrir was to
keep watch over Urd,
but could not protect her
from the greater multitude.

3

Therefore the mind turns away,
seeking the others;
it suspects men's
ruin if it delays;
Thrain's dream
seemed oppressive;
Dain's dream
seemed obscure.

4

Powers among the dwarves
dwindle; the worlds
sink down into
Ginnung's darkness;
often Alsvid
strikes down from above,
often gathers again
those who have fallen.

5

Neither earth nor sun
stands firm forever;
through the treacherous air
the current never ceases;
from the glorious ones is hidden,
in Mimir's well,
certainty of being;
do you understand yet, or what?

6

In the valleys dwells
an inquisitive goddess,
from Yggdrasil's
ash descended;
of elven descent,
they called her Idunn,
of Ivaldi the Elder's
children the youngest.

7

She ill endured
her descent,
beneath the lofty tree
held by its trunk;
she found no pleasure
with Norvi's child,
accustomed to happier
dwellings at home.

8

The victory-gods see
Nauma grieving;
at Vigg's sanctuaries
they gave her a wolfskin;
she let them clothe her,
changed her disposition,
practised deceit,
changed her appearance.

9

Vidrir chose
the guardian of Bifrost
to question the bearer
of Gjoll's sun,
about every world,
whatever she knew.
Bragi and Lopt
were filled with dread.

10

They chanted spells,
rode on magic staffs,
Rognir and Regin,
to the world's dwelling;
Odin listens
in Hlidskjalf,
letting them travel
far along their way.

11

The wise one questioned
the server of drinks
about the gods' birth
and the paths they followed;
whether she knew heaven's,
Hel's and the world's
appointed season, lifetime,
and ending.

12

She spoke no thought,
nor could Gefjon
put words together,
nor speak with gladness;
tears trickled
from the shields of her skull,
her strength lay hidden,
and reddened her anew.

13

Just so comes from the east,
out of Elivagar,
a thorn from the field
of the frost-cold giant,
with which Dain strikes the hosts,
every one of them,
through glorious Midgard,
each night.

14

Then deeds grow sluggish,
hands fall idle,
a swoon drifts over
the white god's sword;
insensibility flows into
the giantess's wind,
stilling with its surges
the whole gathering.

15

Just so Jorunn seemed
to the gods to have become,
swollen with sorrow,
when they got no answer;
they pressed all the harder
as refusal faced them,
yet far less
did much talking help.

16

The leader of the questioning
went on his way,
the keeper of Herjan's
Gjallarhorn;
he took Nal's kinsman
along as his companion;
Grimnir's poet
watched over the woman.

17

Vidar's followers
reached Vingolf,
by Fornjot's kinsmen
both conveyed;
they go inside,
greet the Aesir
at once at Ygg's
merry drinking feast.

18

They wished Hangatyr health,
the luckiest of the Aesir,
and rule over the ale
of the high seat;
may the gods sit happy
at the drinking feast,
forever with Yggjung
keeping their joy.

19

Seated on benches
at Bolverk's command,
the host of gods
ate their fill of Saehrimnir;
Skogul at the tables
ladled from Hnikar's handled cup
portions of mead
into Mimir's horns.

20

Many things they asked
over the meal,
the high gods of Heimdall,
the holy ones of Loki:
whether prophecies or wise words
the woman had imparted,
on past midafternoon,
until dusk began to fall.

21

They said it had
turned out badly,
the fruitless errand,
all too inglorious;
it would be hard
to contrive matters
so that from the woman
an answer could be gained.

22

Omi replies,
and all listened:
“Night shall be used
for fresh counsel;
let each ponder until morning
who can devise
plans to bring
the Aesir glory!”

23

Across Rind's leagues ran,
weary,
the rich fodder
of Fenrir of the plains;
the gods left the feast
and bade farewell to
Hropt and Frigg
as Hrimfaxi went.

24

Delling's son drove
his horse forward,
adorned with precious
gemstones;
over the world of men
the horse's mane glows;
the steed drew Dvalin's plaything
in a chariot.

25

At the mighty earth's
northern edge,
beneath the outermost root
of the foremost tree,
they went to bed,
giantesses and giants,
corpses, dwarves,
and dark elves.

26

The gods rose,
Alfrodull rose,
north toward Niflheim
Night made her way;
up raised the dawn-blast
Ulfrun's son,
the lord of the sounding horn
at Himinbjorg.