Frumtexti: „Sólarljóð“

Fé ok fjörvi
rænti fyrða kind
sá hinn grimmi Greppr;
yfir þá vegu,
er hann varðaði,
náði engi kvikr komask.

Einn hann át
oft harðla,
aldri bauð hann manni til matar,
áðr enn móðr
ok meginlítill
Gestr af götu kom.

Drykks of þurfi
lézk inn dæsti maðr
ok vanmettr vera;
hræddu hjarta
hann lézk trúa,
þeim er áðr hafði vályndr verit.

Mat ok drykk
veitti hann þeim, er móðr var,
allt af heilum hug;
guðs hann gáði,
góðu honum beindi,
því hann hugðisk váligr vera.

Upp hinn stóð,
illt hann hugði,
eigi var þarfsamliga þegit;
synð hans svall,
sofanda myrði
fróðan, fjölvaran.

Himna guð
bað hann hjálpa sér,
þá hann veginn vaknaði;
en sá gat
við synðum taka,
er hann hafði saklausan svikit.

Helgir englar
kómu ór himnum ofan
ok tóku sál hans til sín;
í hreinu lífi
hon skal lifa
æ með almáttkum guði.

Auð né heilsu
ræðr engi maðr,
þótt honum gangi greitt;
margan þat sækir
er minnst of varir,
engi ræðr sættum sjálfr.

Ekki þeir hugðu
Unnarr ok Sævaldi,
at þeim myndi heill hrapa;
nakðir þeir urðu
ok næmðir hvívetna,
ok runnu sem vargar til viðar.

Munaðar ríki
hefir margan tregat,
oft verðr kvalræði af konum;
meingar þær urðu,
þó inn máttki guð
skapaði skírliga.

Sáttir þeir váru
Sváfaðr ok Skartheðinn,
hvárrgi mátti annars án vera,
fyrr enn þeir æddusk
fyr einni konu:
hon var þeim til lýta lagin.

Hvárskis þeir gáðu
fyr þá hvítu mey,
leiks né ljóss daga;
engan hlut
máttu þeir annan muna
en þat ljósa lík.

Daprar þeim urðu
inar dimmu nætr,
engan máttu þeir sætan sofa;
en af þeim harmi
rann heift saman
millum virkðavina.

Fádæmi verða
í flestum stöðum
goldin grimmliga;
á hólm þeir gengu
fyr it horska víf
ok fengu báðir bana.

Ofmetnað drýgja
skyldi engi maðr,
þat hefik sannliga sét,
því at þeir hverfa,
er honum fylgja,
flestir guði frá.

Rík þau váru
Ráðný ok Véboði
ok hugðusk gott eitt gera;
nú þau sitja
ok sárum snúa
ýmsum elda til.

Á sik þau trúðu
ok þóttusk ein vera
allri þjóð yfir;
en þó leizk
þeira hagr
annan veg almáttkum guði.

Munað þau drýgðu
á marga vegu
ok höfðu gull fyr gaman;
nú er þeim goldit,
er þau ganga skulu
milli frosts ok funa.

Óvinum þínum
trúðu aldregi,
þó þér fagrt mæli fyrir;
góðu þú heit,
gott er annars
víti hafa at varnaði.

Svá honum gafsk
Sörla inum góðráða,
þá er hann lagði á Vígúlfs vald;
tryggliga hann trúði,
- en hinn at tálum varð, -
sínum bróðurbana.

Grið hann þeim seldi
af góðum hug,
en þeir hétu honum gulli í gegn;
sáttir létusk,
meðan saman drukku,
en þó kómu flærðir fram.

En þá eftir
á öðrum degi,
er þeir höfðu í Rýgjardal riðit,
sverðum þeir meiddu,
þann er saklauss var
ok létu hans fjörvi farit.

Lík hans þeir drógu
á leynigötu
ok brytjuðu í brunn niðr;
dylja þeir vildu,
en dróttinn sá
heilagr himnum af.

Sál hans bað
inn sanni guð
í sinn fögnuð fara;
en sökudólgar
hygg ek síðla muni
kallaðir frá kvölum.
II.

Dísir bið þú þér
dróttins mála
vera hollar í hugum;
viku eftir
mun þér vilja þíns
alt at óskum ganga.

Reiðiverk,
þau er þú unnit hefr,
bæt þú eigi illu yfir;
grættan gæla
skaltu með góðum hlutum,
þat kveða sálu sama.

Á guð skal heita
til góðra hluta,
þann er hefir skatna skapat;
mjök fyrir verðr
manna hverr,
er seinar finna föður.

Æsta dugir
einkum vandliga
þess er þykkir vant vera;
alls á mis verðr,
sá er einskis biðr;
fár hyggr þegjanda þörf.

Síðla ek kom,
snemma kallaðr,
til dómvalds dyra;
þangat ek ætlumk,
því mér heitit var:
sá hefir krás, er krefr.

Syndir því valda,
at vér hryggvir förum
ægisheimi ór;
engi óttask,
nema illt geri;
gott er vammalausum vera.

Úlfum glíkir
þykkja allir þeir,
sem eiga hverfan hug;
svá mun gefask,
þeim er ganga skal
þær inar glæddu götur.

Vinsamlig ráð
ok viti bundin
kenni ek þér sjau saman;
görla þau mun
ok glata aldregi,
öll eru þau nýt at nema.
III.

Frá því er at segja,
hvé sæll ek var
ynðisheimi í,
ok hinu öðru,
hvé ýta synir
verða nauðgir at náum.

Vil ok dul
tælir virða sonu,
þá er fíkjask á fé;
ljósir aurar
verða at löngum trega;
margan hefir auðr apat.

Glaðr at mörgu
þótta ek gumnum vera,
því at ek vissa fátt fyrir;
dvalarheim
hefr dróttinn skapat
munafullan mjök.

Lútr ek sat,
lengi ek hölluðumk,
mjök var ek þá lystr at lifa;
en sá réð,
sem ríkr var;
frammi eru feigs götur.

Heljar reip
kómu harðliga
sveigð at síðum mér;
slíta ek vilda,
en þau seig váru;
létt er lauss at fara.

Einn ek vissa,
hvé alla vega
sullu sútir mér;
Heljar meyar
er mér hrolla buðu
heim á hverju kveldi.

Sól ek sá,
sanna dagstjörnu,
drúpa dynheimum í;
en Heljar grind
heyrðak ek á annan veg
þjóta þungliga.

Sól ek sá
setta dreyrstöfum;
mjök var ek þá ór heimi hallr;
máttug hon leizk
á marga vegu
frá því sem fyrri var.

Sól ek sá,
svá þótti mér,
sem ek sæja göfgan guð;
henni ek laut
hinzta sinni
aldaheimi í.

Sól ek sá,
svá hon geislaði,
at ek þóttumk vættki vita;
en gylfar straumar
grenjuðu annan veg,
blandnir mjök við blóð.

Sól ek sá
á sjónum skjálfandi,
hræðslufullr ok hnipinn;
því at hjarta mitt
var harðla mjök
runnit sundr í sega.

Sól ek sá
sjaldan hryggvari;
mjök var ek þá ór heimi hallr;
tunga mín
var til trés metin,
ok kólnat at fyrir utan.

Sól ek sá
síðan aldregi
eftir þann dapra dag,
því at fjalla vötn
lukðusk fyrir mér saman,
en ek hvarf kallaðr frá kvölum.

Vánarstjarna flaug
- þá var ek fæddr, -
brott frá brjósti mér;
hátt-at hon fló,
hvergi settisk,
svá at hon mætti hvíld hafa.

Öllum lengri
var sú in eina nótt,
er ek lá stirðr á stráum;
þá merkir þat,
er guð mælti,
at maðr er moldu samr.

Virði þat ok viti
in virki guð,
sá er skóp hauðr ok himin;
hversu munaðarlausir
margir fara,
þótt við skylda skili.

Sinna verka
nýtr seggja hverr;
sæll er sá, sem gott gerir;
auði frá
er mér ætluð var
sandi orpin sæng.

Hörundar hungr
tælir hölða oft,
hann hefir margr til mikinn;
lauga vatn
er mér leiðast var
eitt allra hluta.

Á norna stóli
sat ek níu daga,
þaðan var ek á hest hafinn;
gýgjar sólir
skinu grimmliga
ór skýdrúpnis skýjum.

Utan ok innan
þóttumk ek alla fara
sigrheima sjau;
upp ok niðr
leitaða ek æðra vegar,
hvar mér væri greiðastar götur.

Frá því er at segja,
hvat ek fyrst of sá,
þá er ek var í kvölheima kominn:
sviðnir fuglar,
er sálir váru,
flugu svá margir sem mý.

Vestan sá ek
fljúga Vánar dreka,
ok fell á glævalds götu;
vængi þeir skóku,
svá víða þótti mér
springa hauðr ok himinn.

Sólar hjört
leit ek sunnan fara,
hann teymðu tveir saman;
fætr hans
stóðu foldu á,
en tóku horn til himins.

Norðan sá ek
ríða niðja sonu,
ok váru sjau saman;
hornum fullum
drukku þeir inn hreina mjöð
ór brunni Baugregins.

Vindr þagði,
vötn stöðvaði,
þá heyrða ek grimmligan gný;
sínum mönnum
svipvísar konur
mólu mold til matar.

Dreyra steina
þær inar dökku konur
drógu daprliga;
blóðug hjörtu
hengu þeim fyrir brjóst utan,
mædd við miklum trega.

Margan mann
sá ek meiddan fara
á þeim glæddu götum;
andlit þeira
sýndusk mér öll vera
rýgjar blóði roðin.

Marga menn
sá ek moldar gengna,
þá er eigi máttu þjónustu ná;
heiðnar stjörnur
stóðu yfir höfði þeim
fáðar feiknstöfum.

Menn sá ek þá,
er mjök ala
öfund um annars hagi;
blóðgar rúnar
váru á brjósti þeim
merkðar meinliga.

Menn sá ek þar
marga ófegna,
þeir váru villir vega;
þat kaupir sá,
er þessa heims
apask at óheillum.

Menn sá ek þá,
er mörgum hlutum
véltu um annars eign;
flokkum þeir fóru
til Fégjarnsborgar
ok höfðu byrðar af blýi.

Menn sá ek þá,
er margan höfðu
fé ok fjörvi rænt;
brjóst í gegnum
renndu brögnum þeim
öflgir eitrdrekar.

Menn sá ek þá,
er minnst vildu
halda helga daga;
hendr þeira
váru á heitum steinum
negldar nauðliga.

Menn sá ek þá,
er af mikillæti
virðusk vánum framar;
klæði þeira
váru kynliga
eldi um slegin.

Menn sá ek þá,
er margt höfðu
orð á annan logit;
heljar hrafnar
ór höfði þeim
harðliga sjónir slitu.

Allar ógnir
fær þú eigi vitat,
þær sem helgengnir hafa;
sætar syndir
verða at sárum bótum;
æ koma mein eftir munuð.

Menn sá ek þá,
er margt höfðu
gefit at guðs lögum;
hreinir kyndlar
váru yfir höfði þeim
brenndir bjartliga.

Menn sá ek þá,
er af miklum hug
veittu fátækum frama;
lásu englar bækr
ok ymna skrift
helgar yfir höfði þeim.

Menn sá ek þá,
er mjök höfðu
hungri farit hörund;
englar guðs
lutu öllum þeim;
þat er æðsta unað.

Menn sá ek þá,
er móður höfðu
látit mat í munn;
hvílur þeira
váru á himingeislum
hafðar hagliga.

Helgar meyjar
höfðu hreinliga
sál af syndum þvegit
manna þeira,
er á mörgum degi
pína sjálfa sik.

Hávar reiðir
sá ek með himnum fara,
þær eiga götur til guðs;
menn þeim stýra,
er myrðir eru
alls fyrir engar sakir.

Inn máttki faðir!
Inn mæzti sonr!
Heilagr andi himins!
Þik bið ek skilja,
er skapat hefr,
oss alla eymðum frá.
IV.

Hringvör ok Listvör
sitja í Herðis dyrum
organs stóli á;
járn dreyri
fellr ór nösum þeim,
sá vekr fjón með fyrðum.

Óðins kván
rær á jarðar skipi,
móðug á munað;
seglum hennar
verðr síð hlaðit,
þeim er á þráreipum þruma.

Arfi, faðir
einn þér ráðit hefi
ok þeir Sólkötlu synir
hjartar horn,
þat er ór haugi bar
inn vitri Vígdvalinn.

Hér eru rúnar,
sem ristit hafa
Njarðar dætr níu:
Böðveig hin elzta
ok Kreppvör hin yngsta
ok þeira systr sjau.

Bölvi hverju
þeir bellt hafa
Sváfr ok Sváfrlogi;
blóð þeir vökðu
ok benjar sugu
illum ey vana.
V.

Kvæði þetta,
er þér kennt hefik,
skaltu fyrir kvikum kveða:
Sólarljóð,
er sýnask munu
minnst at mörgu login.

Hér vit skiljumk,
ok hittask munum
á feginsdegi fira;
dróttinn minn
gefi dauðum ró,
en hinum líkn, er lifa.

Of wealth and life
that grim Grepp
robbed the sons of men;
along the roads
he watched,
no one passed alive.

He ate alone
very often,
never inviting anyone to share his food,
until, weary
and weak,
Gest came along the road.

The exhausted man said
he needed a drink
and had not eaten enough;
with a frightened heart
he said he trusted the man
who had formerly been cruel.

He gave food and drink
to the weary man,
wholeheartedly;
he kept God in mind
and treated him kindly,
for he thought himself a sinful man.

The other rose,
with evil in mind;
the kindness was poorly repaid;
his sin swelled;
he murdered the sleeping man,
wise and well on his guard.

He prayed to the God of heaven
to help him
when he woke, mortally wounded;
but the other took
his sins upon himself,
having betrayed an innocent man.

Holy angels
came down from heaven
and took his soul into their keeping;
in a life of purity
it shall live
forever with almighty God.

Neither wealth nor health
can anyone command,
though things go well for him;
what he least expects
befalls many a man;
no one determines his own lot.

Unnar and Saevaldi
never thought
their good fortune would fail;
they were stripped naked
and deprived of everything,
and ran like wolves to the woods.

The power of desire
has brought grief to many;
women often bring torment;
harmful they became,
though mighty God
created them pure.

Svafad and Skarthedin
were friends;
neither could do without the other,
until they went mad
for one woman:
she was destined to bring them disgrace.

For that fair maiden
they cared for neither
pleasure nor the light of day;
no other thing
could they keep in mind
but that radiant body.

Dreary for them
were the dark nights;
they could sleep no sweet sleep;
and from that sorrow
hatred arose
between devoted friends.

Outrageous deeds
are in most places
cruelly repaid;
they went to duel on an island
for that beautiful woman,
and both met their death.

No one should
practice arrogance;
this I have truly seen,
for those who follow it
mostly turn
away from God.

Powerful were
Radny and Vebodi,
and thought they did only good;
now they sit
and turn their wounds
toward different fires.

They trusted in themselves
and thought themselves alone
above all other people;
yet their condition
appeared otherwise
to almighty God.

They indulged themselves
in many ways
and took their pleasure in gold;
now they are repaid,
when they must walk
between frost and flame.

Never trust
your enemies,
though they speak you fair;
promise what is good;
it is good to take another's
punishment as a warning.

So it went
for Sorli, wise in counsel,
when he put himself in Vigulf's power;
he firmly trusted
his brother's killer,
but the other proved treacherous.

He granted them peace
in good faith,
and they promised him gold in return;
they professed friendship
while they drank together,
yet treachery came to light.

Then afterward,
on the following day,
when they had ridden into Rygjardal,
they wounded with swords
the innocent man
and took his life.

They dragged his body
along a hidden path
and hacked it up into a well;
they wished to conceal it,
but the holy Lord
saw from heaven.

The true God
bade his soul
enter into his joy;
but his murderers,
I think, will only late
be called away from torment.
II.

Pray that the maidens
of the Lord's word
be kindly disposed toward you;
a week later
everything you desire
will go as you wish.

The angry deeds
that you have done,
do not compound with evil;
with good things you must comfort
those you have made weep;
this, they say, befits the soul.

One must call on God
for good things,
on him who created humankind;
everyone falls
far behind
who is slow to find the Father.

It helps to ask,
with special care,
for what you think you lack;
whoever asks for nothing
misses everything;
few consider a silent person's need.

Late I came,
though called early,
to the Judge's doors;
there I intend to go,
for I was promised:
whoever asks receives a feast.

Sins cause us
to depart sorrowfully
from the world of terror;
no one fears
unless he does evil;
it is good to be blameless.

Like wolves
seem all those
whose hearts are fickle;
such will be the lot
of those who must walk
those blazing roads.

Friendly counsels,
bound together with wisdom,
I teach you, seven in all;
remember them well
and never lose them;
all are useful to learn.
III.

This must be told:
how happy I was
in the world of delight,
and also this:
how the sons of men
unwillingly become corpses.

Desire and delusion
beguile the sons of men
who hunger for wealth;
bright coins
turn to lasting grief;
wealth has made fools of many.

Men thought me
glad of many things,
for I had little foresight;
the Lord has made
the world where we sojourn
very full of delight.

Bowed down I sat;
long I lay leaning;
then I yearned greatly to live;
but he who was mighty
ruled;
ahead lie the doomed man's roads.

Hel's ropes
came tightly
wound around my sides;
I wanted to break them,
but they were tough;
it is easy to travel free.

I alone knew
how on every side
sorrows seethed within me;
Hel's maidens
invited me, with shudders,
home each evening.

I saw the sun,
the true star of day,
sinking in the resounding worlds;
but from another direction
I heard Hel's gate
thundering heavily.

I saw the sun
marked with bloody signs;
then I was slipping far from the world;
mighty it appeared
in many ways,
changed from what it had been before.

I saw the sun;
it seemed to me
as though I saw glorious God;
I bowed to it
for the last time
in the world of men.

I saw the sun;
so brightly it shone
that I seemed to know nothing;
but the sea's currents
roared on the other side,
heavily mingled with blood.

I saw the sun,
my eyes trembling,
full of fear and bowed down;
for my heart
had utterly
fallen apart into shreds.

I saw the sun,
seldom more sorrowful;
I was then far gone from this world;
my tongue
was reckoned as wood,
and my body had grown cold outside.

I saw the sun
never again
after that dreary day,
for the mountain waters
closed together before me,
and I departed, called away from torment.

The star of hope flew
—then I was born—
away from my breast;
it did not fly high,
nowhere did it settle
where it might find rest.

Longer than all others
was that single night
when I lay stiff upon the straw;
then the truth is shown
of what God said:
that man is one with dust.

May the mighty God
consider this and know it,
he who made earth and heaven:
how bereft
many depart,
though they part from their kin.

Every man reaps
the fruit of his deeds;
blessed is he who does good;
far from wealth,
there was allotted to me
a bed strewn with sand.

The hunger of the flesh
often deceives men;
many have too much of it;
bathing water
was to me the most hateful
of all things.

On the Norns' seat
I sat for nine days;
from there I was lifted onto a horse;
the giantess's suns
shone fiercely
from the cloud-drooper's clouds.

Outside and within
I seemed to travel through all
seven worlds of victory;
up and down
I sought a higher way,
where the paths would be easiest for me.

Now I must tell
what I first saw
when I entered the worlds of torment:
singed birds,
which were souls,
flew as thick as midges.

From the west I saw
the dragons of Van flying,
and I fell upon the evildoer's road;
they shook their wings
so that far and wide, it seemed to me,
earth and heaven burst apart.

The stag of the sun
I saw coming from the south;
two together led him;
his feet
stood upon the earth,
but his antlers reached to heaven.

From the north I saw
the sons of the dark moons riding,
and there were seven together;
from full horns
they drank the pure mead
from Baugregin's well.

The wind fell silent,
the waters stood still;
then I heard a dreadful din;
for their men
fickle women
ground earth for food.

Bloodstained stones
those dark women
dragged sorrowfully;
bloody hearts
hung outside their breasts,
wearied with great grief.

Many a man
I saw walking wounded
upon those burning roads;
their faces
all seemed to me
to be reddened with a giantess's blood.

Many men
I saw gone to earth
who could not receive the sacraments;
heathen stars
stood above their heads,
painted with dreadful signs.

I saw those men
who greatly nurture
envy of another's fortunes;
bloody runes
had been marked upon their breasts
with grievous pain.

I saw men there,
many without joy;
they had lost their way;
that is what he earns
who in this world
is led astray by evil.

I saw those men
who in many ways
schemed for another's property;
in bands they went
to Fegjarnsborg,
carrying burdens of lead.

I saw those men
who had robbed many
of wealth and life;
through the breasts
of those men ran
mighty venomous dragons.

I saw those men
who were least willing
to keep the holy days;
their hands
were upon hot stones
cruelly nailed.

I saw those men
who in their arrogance
valued themselves beyond their worth;
their clothes
were strangely
wreathed in fire.

I saw those men
who had spoken many
lying words against others;
the ravens of Hel
from their heads
fiercely tore their eyes.

You cannot know
all the terrors
that those gone to Hel endure;
sweet sins
bring painful penalties;
suffering always follows pleasure.

I saw those men
who had given much
according to God's laws;
pure torches
above their heads
were burning brightly.

I saw those men
who with generous hearts
helped the poor advance;
angels read holy books
and written hymns
above their heads.

I saw those men
who had greatly
afflicted their flesh with hunger;
the angels of God
bowed to them all;
that is the highest joy.

I saw those men
who had placed food
in their mother's mouth;
their resting places
upon the beams of heaven
were skillfully arranged.

Holy maidens
had washed clean
of sins the souls
of those men
who on many a day
inflict suffering on themselves.

Lofty chariots
I saw traveling through the heavens;
their roads lead to God;
men steer them
who have been murdered
for no cause at all.

Mighty Father!
Most glorious Son!
Holy Spirit of heaven!
I ask you, who have created us,
to deliver
us all from misery.
IV.

Hringvor and Listvor
sit in Herdis's doorway
upon an organ stool;
iron blood
falls from their nostrils;
it awakens hatred among men.

Odin's wife
rows in the ship of earth,
eager for pleasure;
her sails
will be furled late,
those that hang upon desire's ropes.

My heir, I, your father,
have alone secured for you,
with Solkatla's sons,
the stag's antler
that wise Vigdvalinn
carried from the burial mound.

Here are the runes
that have been carved
by Njord's nine daughters:
Bodveig the eldest
and Kreppvor the youngest
and their seven sisters.

Every evil
has been wrought
by Svaf and Svaflogi;
they stirred up blood
and sucked wounds,
ever accustomed to evil.
V.

This poem,
which I have taught you,
you shall recite before the living:
The Song of the Sun,
which in many things will seem
to contain the fewest lies.

Here we two part,
and we shall meet
on mankind's day of joy;
may my Lord
give rest to the dead
and mercy to those who live.