Frumtexti: „Hamðismál“

Spruttu á tái
tregnar íðir,
græti alfa
in glýstömu;
ár of morgin
manna bölva
sútir hverjar
sorg of kveykva.

Var-a þat nú
né í gær,
þat hefir langt
liðit síðan,
- er fátt fornara,
fremr var þat halfu, -
er hvatti Guðrún
Gjúka borin,
sonu sína unga
at hefna Svanhildar:

"Systir var ykkur
Svanhildr of heitin,
sú er Jörmunrekkr
jóm of traddi,
hvítum ok svörtum
á hervegi,
grám, gangtömum
Gotna hrossum.

Eftir er ykkr þrungit
þjóðkonunga;
lifið einir ér
þátta ættar minnar.

Einstæð em ek orðin,
sem ösp í holti,
fallin at frændum
sem fura at kvisti,
vaðin at vilja,
sem viðr at laufi,
þá er in kvistskæða
kemr um dag varman."

Hitt kvað þá Hamðir
inn hugumstóri:
"Lítt myndir þú þá, Guðrún,
leyfa dáð Högna,
er þeir Sigurð vökðu
svefni ór,
saztu á beð,
en banar hlógu.

Bækr váru þínar
inar bláhvítu
ofnar völundum,
flutu í vers dreyra;
svalt þá Sigurðr,
saztu yfir dauðum,
glýja þú né gáðir,
Gunnarr þér svá vildi.

Atla þóttisk þú stríða
at Erps morði
ok at Eitils aldrlagi,
þat var þér enn verra;
svá skyldi hverr öðrum
verja til aldrlaga
sverði sárbeitu,
at sér né stríddi-t."

Hitt kvað þá Sörli,
- svinna hafði hann hyggju -:
"Vilk-at ek við móður
málum skipta;
orðs þykkir enn vant
ykkru hváru.
Hvers biðr þú nú, Guðrún,
er þú at gráti né fær-at?

Bræðr grát þú þína
ok buri svása,
niðja náborna
leidda nær rógi;
okkr skaltu ok, Guðrún,
gráta báða,
er hér sitjum feigir á mörum,
fjarri munum deyja."

Gengu ór garði
görvir at eiskra,
liðu þá yfir ungir
úrig fjöll
mörum húnlenzkum
morðs at hefna.

Fundu á stræti
stórbrögðóttan:
"Hvé mun jarpskammr
okkr fulltingja?"

Svaraði inn sundrmæðri,
svá kvaðsk veita mundu
fullting frændum,
sem fótr öðrum.
"Hvat megi fótr
fæti veita
né holdgróin
hönd annarri?"

Þá kvað þat Erpr
einu sinni,
- mærr of lék
á mars baki -:
"Illt er blauðum hal
brautir kenna."
Kóðu harðan mjök
hornung vera.

Drógu þeir ór skíði
skíðiéarn,
mækis eggjar,
at mun flagði;
þverrðu þeir þrótt sinn
at þriðjungi,
létu mög ungan
til moldar hníga.

Skóku loða,
skalmir festu,
ok góðbornir
smugu í guðvefi.

Fram lágu brautir,
fundu vástigu
ok systurson
sáran á meiði,
vargtré vindköld
vestan bæjar,
trýtti æ trönu hvöt,
titt var-at bíða.

Glamr var í höllu,
halir ölreifir,
ok til gota ekki
gerðu at heyra,
áðr halr hugfullr
í horn of þaut.

Segja fóru ærir
Jörmunrekki,
at sénir váru
seggir und hjalmum:
"Ræðið ér um ráð,
ríkir eru komnir,
fyr máttkum hafið ér mönnum
mey of tradda."

Hló þá Jörmunrekkr,
hendi drap á kampa,
beiddisk-at bröngu,
böðvaðisk at víni;
skók hann skör jarpa,
sá á skjöld hvítan,
lét hann sér í hendi
hvarfa ker gullit.

"Sæll ek þá þóttumk,
ef ek sjá knætta
Hamði ok Sörla
í höllu minni,
buri mynda ek þá binda
með boga strengjum,
góð börn Gjúka
festa á galga."

Hitt kvað þá Hróðrglöð,
stóð of hleðum,
mæfingr mælti
við mög þenna:
-- -- --
"Því at þat heita,
at hlýðigi myni;
megu tveir menn einir
tíu hundruð Gotna
binda eða berja
í borg inni háu."

Styrr varð í ranni,
stukku ölskálir,
í blóði bragnar lágu,
komit ór brjósti Gotna.

Hitt kvað þá Hamðir
inn hugumstóri:
"Æstir, Jörmunrekkr,
okkarrar kvámu
bræðra sammæðra
innan borgar þinnar;
fætr sér þína,
höndum sér þú þínum,
Jörmunrekkr, orpit
í eld heitan."

Þá hraut við
inn reginkunngi
baldr í hrynju,
sem björn hryti:
"Grýtið ér á gumna,
alls geirar né bíta,
eggjar né éarn
Jónakrs sonu."

Hitt kvað þá Hamðir
inn hugumstóri:
"Böl vanntu, bróðir,
er þú þann belg leystir;
oft ór þeim belg
böll ráð koma."
Sörli Kvað:

"Hug hefðir þú, Hamðir,
ef þú hefðir hyggjandi;
mikils er á mann hvern vant,
er mannvits er!"
Hamðir kvað:

"Af væri nú höfuð,
ef Erpr lifði,
bróðir okkarr inn böðfrækni,
er vit á braut vágum,
verr inn vígfrækni,
- hvöttumk at dísir, -
gumi inn gunnhelgi,
- gerðumk at vígi -."
Sörli kvað:

"Ekki hygg ek okkr
vera ulfa dæmi,
at vit mynim sjalfir of sakask
sem grey norna,
þá er gráðug eru
í auðn of alin.

Vel höfum vit vegit,
stöndum á val Gotna,
ofan eggmóðum,
sem ernir á kvisti;
góðs höfum tírar fengit,
þótt skylim nú eða í gær deyja;
kveld lifir maðr ekki
eftir kvið norna."

Þar fell Sörli
at salar gafli,
enn Hamðir hné
at húsbaki.
Þetta eru kölluð Hamðissmál in fornu.

Great the evils once that grew,
With the dawning sad of the sorrow of elves;
In early morn awake for men
The evils that grief to each shall bring.

Not now, nor yet of yesterday was it,
Long the time that since hath lapsed,
So that little there is that is half as old,
Since Guthrun, daughter of Gjuki, whetted
Her sons so young to Svanhild's vengeance.

"The sister ye had was Svanhild called,
And her did Jormunrek trample with horses,
White and black on the battle-way,
Gray, road-wonted, the steeds of the Goths.

"Little the kings of the folk are ye like,
For now ye are living alone of my race.

"Lonely am I as the forest aspen,
Of kindred bare as the fir of its boughs,
My joys are all lost as the leaves of the tree
When the scather of twigs from the warm day turns."

Then Hamther spake forth, the high of heart:
"Small praise didst thou, Guthrun, to Hogni's deed give
When they wakened thy Sigurth from out of his sleep,
Thou didst sit on the bed while his slayers laughed.

"Thy bed-covers white with blood were red
From his wounds, and with gore of thy husband were wet; So Sigurth was slain, by his corpse didst thou sit,
And of gladness didst think not: 'twas Gunnar's doing.

"Thou wouldst strike at Atli by the slaying of Erp
And the killing of Eitil; thine own grief was worse;
So should each one wield the wound-biting sword
That another it slays but smites not himself."

Then did Sorli speak out, for wise was he ever:
"With my mother I never a quarrel will make;
Full little in speaking methinks ye both lack;
What askest thou, Guthrun, that will give thee no tears?

"For thy brothers dost weep, and thy boys so sweet,
Thy kinsmen in birth on the battlefield slain;
Now, Guthrun, as well for us both shalt thou weep,
We sit doomed on our steeds, and far hence shall we die."

Then the fame-glad one— on the steps she was—
The slender-fingered, spake with her son:
"Ye shall danger have if counsel ye heed not;
..............
By two heroes alone shall two hundred of Goths
Be bound or be slain in the lofty-walled burg."

From the courtyard they fared, and fury they breathed;
The youths swiftly went o'er the mountain wet,
On their Hunnish steeds, death's vengeance to have.

On the way they found the man so wise; ..............
"What help from the weakling brown may we have?"

So answered them their half-brother then:
"So well may I my kinsmen aid
As help one foot from the other has."

"How may a foot its fellow aid,
Or a flesh-grown hand another help?"

Then Erp spake forth, his words were few,
As haughty he sat on his horse's back: "To the timid 'tis ill the way to tell."
A bastard they the bold one called.

From their sheaths they drew their shining swords,
Their blades, to the giantess joy to give;
By a third they lessened the might that was theirs,
The fighter young to earth they felled.

Their cloaks they shook, their swords they sheathed,
The high-born men wrapped their mantles close.

On their road they fared and an ill way found,
And their sister's son on a tree they saw,
On the wind-cold wolf-tree west of the hall,
And cranes'-bait crawled; none would care to linger.

In the hall was din, the men drank deep,
And the horses' hoofs could no one hear,
Till the warrior hardy sounded his horn.

Men came and the tale to Jormunrek told
How warriors helmed without they beheld:
"Take counsel wise, for brave ones are come,
Of mighty men thou the sister didst murder."

Then Jormunrek laughed, his hand laid on his beard,
His arms, for with wine he was warlike, he called for;
He shook his brown locks, on his white shield he looked,
And raised high the cup of gold in his hand.

"Happy, methinks, were I to behold
Hamther and Sorli here in my hall; The men would I bind with strings of bows,
And Gjuki's heirs on the gallows hang."

In the hall was clamor, the cups were shattered,
Men stood in blood from the breasts of the Goths.

Then did Hamther speak forth, the haughty of heart:
"Thou soughtest, Jormunrek, us to see,
Sons of one mother seeking thy dwelling;
Thou seest thy hands, thy feet thou beholdest,
Jormunrek, flung in the fire so hot."

Then roared the king, of the race of the gods,
Bold in his armor, as roars a bear:
"Stone ye the men that steel will bite not,
Sword nor spear, the sons of Jonak."

Sorli spake: 27.
"Ill didst win, brother, when the bag thou didst open,
Oft from that bag came baleful counsel;
Heart hast thou, Hamther, if knowledge thou hadst!
A man without wisdom is lacking in much."

Hamther spake: 28.
"His head were now off if Erp were living,
The brother so keen whom we killed on our road,
The warrior noble,— 'twas the Norns that drove me
The hero to slay who in fight should be holy.

"In fashion of wolves it befits us not
Amongst ourselves to strive, Like the hounds of the Norns, that nourished were
In greed mid wastes so grim.

"We have greatly fought, o'er the Goths do we stand
By our blades laid low, like eagles on branches;
Great our fame though we die today or tomorrow;
None outlives the night when the Norns have spoken."

Then Sorli beside the gable sank,
And Hamther fell at the back of the house.