Prose Edda — Old Norse facing a living language
Heimdallr heitir einn. Hann er kallaðr hvíti áss. Hann er mikill ok heilagr. Hann báru at syni meyjar níu ok allar systr. Hann heitir ok Hallinskíði ok Gullintanni. Tennr hans váru af gulli. Hestr hans heitir Gulltoppr. Hann býr þar, er heita Himinbjörg við Bifröst. Hann er vörðr goða ok sitr þar við himins enda at gæta brúarinnar fyrir bergrisum. Hann þarf minna svefn en fugl.
"One is called Heimdall. He's called the White God. He's great and holy — nine maidens, all sisters, bore him as their son. He's also called Hallinskidi and Gullintanni, since his teeth were gold. His horse is called Gulltopp. He lives at the place called Himinbjorg, by Bifrost — he's the gods' watchman, and sits there at the edge of the sky to guard the bridge against the mountain-giants. He needs less sleep than a bird.
Hann sér jafnt nótt sem dag hundrað rasta frá sér. Hann heyrir ok þat, er gras vex á jörðu eða ull á sauðum, ok allt þat er hæra lætr. Hann hefir lúðr þann, er Gjallarhorn heitir, ok heyrir blástr hans í alla heima. Heimdallar sverð er kallat höfuð manns. Hér er svá sagt: 39. Himinbjörg heita, en þar Heimdall kveða valda véum; þar vörðr goða drekkr í væru ranni glaðr inn góða mjöð.
He sees a hundred leagues around him, by night as well as day, and he can hear grass growing on the earth, or wool growing on sheep, and everything louder than that. He owns the horn called Gjallarhorn, and its call can be heard through every world. Heimdall's sword is called Man's Head. It's also said: Himinbjorg it's called, where Heimdall, they say, / always keeps his home; / there the gods' watchman drinks, / glad, in his snug hall, / the good mead.
Ok enn segir hann sjálfr í Heimdallargaldri: 40. Níu em ek mæðra mögr, níu em ek systra sonr
And he himself says, in the Song of Heimdall: I am the child of nine mothers, / I am the son of nine sisters.