Stanza 158

Original Old Norse:	Auden & Taylor:	Bellows:	Bray:
Þat kann ek it þrettánda ef ek skal þegn ungan verpa vatni á munat hann falla þótt hann í fólk komi hnígra sá halr fyr hjörum	I know a thirteenth if I throw a cup Of water over a warrior, He shall not fall in the fiercest battle, Nor sink beneath the sword,	A thirteenth I know, | if a thane full young With water I sprinkle well; He shall not fall, | though he fares mid the host, Nor sink beneath the swords.	157. A thirteenth I know: if the new-born son of a warrior I sprinkle with water, that youth will not fail when he fares to war, never slain shall he bow before sword.
Chisholm:	Hollander:	Terry:	Thorpe:
I know a thirteenth: If I sprinkle a young thane with water, he will not fall, though he goes to battle. He will not be cut down by swords.	That thirteenth I know if a thane's son I shall wet with holy water: never will he fall, though the fray be hot, nor sink down, wounded by sword.	I know a thirteenth: if I pour water over a youth, he will not fall in any fight, swords will not slay him.	160. For the thirteenth I know, if on a young man I sprinkle water, he shall not fall, though he into battle come: that man shall not sink before swords.
The sprinkling of a child with water was an established custom long before Christianity brought its conception of baptism.