Sunday, September 2, 2018

Stanzas 163 - 164



Original Old Norse: Auden & Taylor: Bellows: Bray:
Þat kann ek it átjánda
er ek æva kennik
mey né manns konu
alt er betra
er einn um kann
þat fylgir ljóða lokum
nema þeiri einni
er mik armi verr
eða mín systir sé
To learn to sing them, Loddfafnir,
Will take you a long time,
Though helpful they are if you understand them,
Useful if you use them,
Needful if you need them.
164. Long these songs | thou shalt, Loddfafnir,
Seek in vain to sing;
Yet good it were | if thou mightest get them,
Well, if thou wouldst them learn,
Help, if thou hadst them.
162.
These songs, Stray-Singer, which man's son knows not,
long shalt thou lack in life,
though thy weal if thou win'st them, thy boon if thou obey'st them
thy good if haply thou gain'st them.
Chisholm: Hollander: Terry: Thorpe:
- In this lore wilt thou, Loddfafnir, be
unversed forever and say:
thy weal were it, if this wisdom thine--
'tis helpful, if heeded,
'tis needful, if known.
But all this lore you, Loddfafnir,
will long be lacking --
though it would help you to have it,
do you good to get it,
be needed if you knew it.
-




This stanza is almost certainly an interpolation, and seems to have been introduced after the list of charms and the Loddfafnismol (stanzas 111-138) were combined in a single poem, for there is no other apparent excuse for the reference to Loddfafnir at this point. The words "if thou mightest get them" are a conjectural emendation.








Original Old Norse: Auden & Taylor: Bellows: Bray:
Nú era Háva mál
kveðin Háva höllu í
allþörf ýta sonum
óþörf jötna sonum
heill sá er kvað
heill sá er kann
njóti sá er nam
heilir þeirs hlýddu
I know an eighteenth that I never tell
To maiden or wife of man,
A secret I hide from all
Except the love who lies in my arms,
Or else my own sister.
165. An eighteenth I know, | that ne'er will I tell
To maiden or wife of man,--
The best is what none | but one's self doth know,
So comes the end of the songs,--
Save only to her | in whose arms I lie,
Or who else my sister is.
163.
An eighteenth I know: which I ne'er shall tell
to maiden or wife of man
save alone to my sister, or haply to her
who folds me fast in her arms;
most safe are secrets known to but one-
the songs are sung to an end.
Chisholm: Hollander: Terry: Thorpe:
163.
I know an eighteenth that none know,
neither maid, nor man’s wife.
It is always better kept secret,
except to the one
who lies in my arms,
or my sister.
That eighteenth I know which to none I will tell,
neither maid nor man's wife--
'tis best warded I but one know it:
this speak I last of my spells--
but only to her in whose arms I lie,
or else to my sister also.
I know an eighteenth which I never tell
a maiden or any man's wife --
the best of charms if you can chant it;
this is the last of my lay --
unless to a lady who lies in my arms,
or I'll sing it to my sister.
165. For the eighteenth I know
that which I never teach
to maid or wife of man,
(all is better
what one only knows.
This is the closing of the songs)
save her alone
who clasps me in her arms,
or is my sister.




Some translators insert Stanza 163 before 164, some do not. I've combined them both here to keep in line with the groupings.

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