Sigrdrífumál

Sigurðr reið upp á Hindarfjall ok stefndi suðr til Frakklands. Á fjallinu sá hann ljós mikit, svá sem eldr brynni, ok ljómaði af til himins. En er hann kom at, þá stóð þar skjaldborg ok upp ór merki. Sigurðr gekk í skjaldborgina ok sá , at þar lá maðr ok svaf með öllum hervápnum. Hann tók fyrst hjálminn af höfði hánum. Þá sá hann, at þat var kona. Brynjan var föst sem hon væri holdgróin. Þá reist hann með Gram frá höfuðsmátt brynjuna í gögnum niðr ok svá út í gögnum báðar ermar. Þá tók hann brynju af henni, en hon vaknaði, ok settist hon upp ok sá Sigurð ok mælti:"Hvat beit brynju?Hví brá ek svefni?Hverr felldi af mérfölvar nauðir?"Hann svaraði:"Sigmundar burr- sleit fyr skömmuhrafn hrælundir, -hjörr Sigurðar!"Hon kvað:

Sigurd rode up onto Hindarfjall and turned south, toward the land of the Franks. On the mountain he saw a great light, as if fire were burning, glowing up to the sky. When he came closer, he found a wall of shields, with a banner rising above it. Sigurd went in through the shield-wall and saw a man lying there asleep in full war-gear. He took the helmet off first, and only then saw that it was a woman. Her mail was fused to her body as if it had grown into the flesh. He cut it open with Gram, down from the neck-opening, and out through both sleeves. He pulled the mail from her, and she woke, sat up, saw Sigurd, and said:"What bit through my mail?Why did I break from sleep?Who tore from methese pale bonds?"He answered:"Sigmund's son —a raven just nowtore at the corpse-fields —this is Sigurd's blade!"

"Lengi ek svaflengi ek sofnuð varlöng eru lýða læ;Óðinn því veldrer ek eigi máttakbregða blundstöfum."Sigurðr settist niðr ok spyrr hana nafns. Hon tók þá horn fullt mjaðar ok gaf honum minnisveig:

She said:"Long did I sleep,long was I under it,long are the sorrows of mortals;Odin's doing,that I couldn't breakthe runes that bound my sleep." Sigurd sat down and asked her name. She took a horn full of mead and gave him a drink to remember by:

"Heill dagr!Heilir dags synir!Heil nótt ok nift!Óreiðum augumlítið okkr þinigok gefið sitjöndum sigr!

"Hail to the day!Hail to the day's sons!Hail to night and her daughter!Look on us herewith kind eyes,and grant victory to those who sit here!

Heilir æsir!Heilar ásynjur!Heil sjá in fjölnýta fold!Mál ok mannvitgefið okkr mærum tveimok læknishendr, meðan lifum."Hon nefndist Sigrdrífa ok var valkyrja. Hon sagði, at tveir konungar börðust. Hét annarr Hjálmgunnarr. Hann var þá gamall ok inn mesti hermaðr, ok hafði Óðinn hánum sigri heitit en"annarr hét AgnarrAuðu bróðirer vætr engivildi þiggja."Sigrdrífa felldi Hjálmgunnarr í orrustunni, en Óðinn stakk hana svefnþorni í hefnd þess ok kvað hana aldri skyldu síðan sigr vega í orrustu ok kvað hana giftast skyldu - "en ek sagðak hánum, at ek strengðak heit þar í mót at giftast engum þeim manni, er hræðast kynni." Hann segir ok biðr hana kenna sér speki, ef hon vissi tíðindi ór öllum heimum. Sigrdrífa kvað:

Hail the Aesir!Hail the goddesses!Hail this generous, giving earth!Give us speech and wit,the two of us here,and healing hands, as long as we live." She named herself Sigrdrifa, and she was a valkyrie. She told him two kings had been at war. One was called Hjalmgunnar — he was old, and the greatest of warriors, and Odin had promised him victory — but "the other was named Agnar, Auda's brother, whom no one at all wanted to favor." Sigrdrifa struck Hjalmgunnar down in that battle, and Odin, in revenge, pricked her with a sleep-thorn, and said she would never again win victory in battle, and that she must marry. "But I told him that I made a vow in answer: never to marry a man who knew fear." Sigurd speaks, and asks her to teach him wisdom, if she knows news from every world. Sigrdrifa said:

"Bjór færi ek þérbrynþings apaldrmagni blandinnok megintíri;fullr er hann ljóðaok líknstafagóðra galdraok gamanrúna.

"Ale I bring you,tree of battle,mixed with strengthand mighty glory;full it is of chantsand healing charms,of potent spellsand runes of joy.

Sigrúnar skaltu kunnaef þú vilt sigr hafaok rísta á hjalti hjörssumar á véttrimumsumar á valböstumok nefna tysvar Tý.

Victory-runes you must know,if you want to win;carve them on your sword's hilt,some on the blade's ridge,some on the guard,and speak the name of Tyr twice.

Ölrúnar skaltu kunnaef þú vill annars kvænvéli-t þik í tryggð, ef þú trúir;á horni skal þær rístaok á handar bakiok merkja á nagli Nauð.

Ale-runes you must know,so another man's wifewon't betray your trust, if you trust her;carve them on the hornand on the back of your hand,and mark Need on your nail.

Full skal signaok við fári sjáok verpa lauki í lög;þá ek þat veitat þér verðr aldrimeinblandinn mjöðr.

Bless your cup,and watch for danger,and drop a leek into the drink;then I knowyour mead will nevercarry hidden harm.

Bjargrúnar skaltu kunnaef þú bjarga viltok leysa kind frá konum;á lófum þær skal rístaok of liðu spennaok biðja þá dísir duga.

Birth-runes you must know,if you want to helpfree a child from its mother;carve them on your palms,clasp them round the joints,and ask the guardian spirits for aid.

Brimrúnar skaltu rístaef þú vilt borgit hafaá sundi seglmörum;á stafni skal rístaok á stjórnarblaðiok leggja eld í árer-a svá brattr brekiné svá bláar unnirþó kemstu heill af hafi.

Sea-runes you must carve,if you want to keep your shipssafe at sea;carve them on the prowand on the rudder,and burn them into the oar —no wave will rise too steep,no swell too dark,for you to come home safe from the sea.

Limrúnar skaltu kunnaaf þú vilt læknir veraok kunna sár at sjá;á berki skal þær rístaok á baðmi viðarþeim er lúta austr limar.

Healing-runes you must know,if you want to be a healerand know how to tend wounds;carve them on the bark,and on the trunk of a treewhose branches lean toward the east.

Málrúnar skaltu kunnaef þú vilt, at manngi þérheiftum gjaldi harm:þær of vindrþær of vefrþær of setr allar samaná því þingier þjóðir skuluí fulla dóma fara.

Speech-runes you must know,if you don't wantanyone to repay your wrongs with hate:you wind them, you weave them,you lay them all together,at the assembly where peoplemust face full judgment.

Hugrúnar skaltu kunnaef þú vilt hverjum verageðsvinnari guma;þær of réðþær of reistþær of hugði Hroftraf þeim legier lekit hafðiór hausi Heiðdraupnisok ór horni Hoddrofnis.

Thought-runes you must know,if you want to bewiser in mind than any man;Hropt devised them,carved them,worked them out,from the liquor that had drippedfrom Heiddraupnir's skull,and from Hoddrofnir's horn.

Á bjargi stóðmeð Brimis eggjarhafði sér á höfði hjalm;þá mælti Mímis höfuðfróðligt it fyrsta orðok sagði sanna stafi.

On a crag he stood,Brimir's blade in hand,a helmet on his head;then Mimir's headspoke its first wise word,and told the true letters.

Á skildi kvað ristnarþeim er stendr fyr skínandi goðiá eyra Árvakrsok á Alsvinns hófiá því hvéli, er snýskundir reið Hrungnisá Sleipnis tönnumok á sleða fjötrum.

He said they were carvedon the shield that standsbefore the shining sun-god,on Arvak's earand Alsvinn's hoof,on the wheel that turnsbeneath Hrungnir's chariot,on Sleipnir's teethand the sled's harness-straps.

Á bjarnar hrammiok á Braga tunguá ulfs klóumok á arnar nefiá blóðgum vængjumok á brúar sporðiá lausnar lófaok á líknar spori.

On the bear's paw,and on Bragi's tongue,on the wolf's clawsand the eagle's beak,on bloody wingsand the bridge's far end,on the healer's palmand the track of mercy.

Á gleri ok á gulliok á gumna heillumí víni ok í virtriok vilisessiá Gugnis oddiok á Grana brjóstiá nornar nagliok á nefi uglu.

On glass and on gold,and on charms that bring luck,in wine and in new-brewed ale,and the seat of the favored,on Gungnir's pointand Grani's chest,on a Norn's fingernailand an owl's beak.

Allar váru af skafnarþær er váru á ristnarok hverfðar við inn helga mjöðok sendar á víða vega;þær ro með ásumþær ro með alfumsumar með vísum vönumsumar hafa mennskir menn.

All the runes that had been carvedwere shaved off again,and mixed into the sacred mead,and sent out on wide roads;they're kept among the Aesir,kept among the elves,some with the wise Vanir,and some mortal men hold them.

Þat eru bókrúnarþat eru bjargrúnarok allar ölrúnarok mætar meginrúnarhveim er þær kná óvilltarok óspilltarsér at heillum hafa;njóttu, ef þú namstunz rjúfask regin.

These are the book-runes,these are the birth-runes,and all the ale-runes,and the mighty power-runes,for anyone who can keep themunconfused, uncorrupted,for his own good luck;use them, if you've learned them,until the powers fall.

Nú skaltu kjósaalls þér er kostr of boðinnhvassa vápna hlynr;sögn eða þögnhafðu þér sjalfr í hug;öll eru mein of metin."Sigurðr kvað:

Now you must choose,since the choice is yours to make,warrior of the sharp blade;speech or silence,keep that in your own mind;every danger has been weighed."

"Munk-a ek flæjaþótt mik feigan vitiremk-a ek með bleyði borinn;ástráð þínek vil öll hafa;svá lengi sem ek lifi."Sigrdrífa kvað:

Sigurd said:"I won't run,even if you know I'm marked for death —I wasn't born a coward;I want all your loving counsel,for as long as I live."

"Þat ræð ek þér it fyrstaat þú við frændr þínavammalaust verir;síðr þú hefnirþótt þeir sakar geri;þat kveða dauðum duga.

Sigrdrifa said:"This I counsel you first:stay blameless toward your kin;don't take revenge,even when they wrong you;that, they say, serves you well when you're gone.

Þat ræð ek þér annatat þú eið né sverirnema þann er saðr sé;grimmar limarganga at tryggðrofi;armr er vára vargr.

This I counsel you second:swear no oathunless it's true;cruel branches growfor the one who breaks trust;wretched is the wolf of broken vows.

Þat ræð ek þér þriðjaat þú þingi ádeili-t við heimska haliþví að ósviðr maðrlætur oft kveðinverri orð en viti.

This I counsel you third:at the assembly,don't argue with fools;a witless man will oftensay worse thingsthan he even realizes.

Allt er vantef þú við þegirþá þykkir þú með bleyði borinneða sönnu sagðr;hættr er heimis kviðrnema sér góðan geti; -annars dagsláttu hans öndu faritok launa svá lýðum lygi.

It's a hard thing either way:stay silent,and you'll seem born a coward,or as if the slander were true;risky is what people say of you,unless you earn a good name;so the next day,let him breathe his last —repay a liar's lies that way.

Þat ræð ek þér it fjórðaef býr fordæðavammafull á vegiganga er betraen giska séþótt þik nótt of nemi.

This I counsel you fourth:if a sinful witchlives along your road,it's better to walk onthan to sleep under her roof,even if night catches you.

Fornjósnar auguþurfu fira synirhvars skulu vreiðir vega;oft bölvísar konursitja brautu nærþær er deyfa sverð ok sefa.

Men need far-seeing eyeswherever they go to fight in anger;evil-minded womenoften sit by the roadside,dulling swords and courage.

Þat ræð ek þér it fimmtaþóttú fagrar séirbrúðir bekkjum ásifja silfrlát-a-ðu þínum svefni ráða;teygj-at-tu þér at kossi konur.

This I counsel you fifth:even if you see lovely womensitting on the benches,don't let their charmrob you of sleep;don't lure a woman to your kiss.

Þat ræð ek þér it séttaþótt með seggjum fariölðrmál til öfugdrukkin deilaskal-at-tu við dolgviðu;margan stelr vín viti.

This I counsel you sixth:even if drunken menturn ale-talk to quarrel,don't argue with a drunk enemy;wine steals many a man's sense.

Söngr ok ölhefr seggjum veritmörgum at móðtregasumum at banasumum at bölstöfum;fjölð er, þat er fira tregr.

Song and alehave brought grief to many men,death to some,and ruin to others;there's much that troubles men.

Þat ræð ek þér it sjaundaef þú sakar deilirvið hugfulla haliberjask er betraen brenna séinni auðstöfum.

This I counsel you seventh:if you're drawn into a feudwith brave men,it's better to fightthan to be burned alivein your own hall.

Þat ræð ek þér it áttaat þú skalt við illu sjáok firrask flærðarstafi;mey þú teygj-atné manns konuné eggja ofgamans.

This I counsel you eighth:watch for evil,and steer clear of deceit;don't lure a young woman,or another man's wife,or stir up too much desire.

Þat ræð ek þér it níundaat þú náum bjargirhvars þú á foldu finnrhvárts eru sóttdauðireða eru sædauðireða eru vápndauðir verar.

This I counsel you ninth:give burial to the dead,wherever you find them,whether they died of sickness,or drowned at sea,or fell by weapons.

Laug skal geraþeim er liðnir eruþváa hendr ok höfuðkemba ok þerraáðr í kistu fariok biðja sælan sofa.

Prepare a washingfor those who've passed;wash their hands and head,comb and dry them,before they go into the coffin,and wish them a blessed sleep.

Þat ræð ek þér it tíundaat þú trúir aldregivárum vargdropahvárstu ert bróður banieða hafir þú felldan föður;ulfr er í ungum syniþó sé hann gulli gladdr.

This I counsel you tenth:never trust the sonof the man whose kin you killed —whether you slew his brother,or brought down his father;there's a wolf in a young son,even gladdened with gold.

Sakar ok heiftirhyggja-t svefngar verané harm in heldr;vits ok vápnavant er jöfri at fáþeim er skal fremstr með firum.

Never think feuds and hatredever truly sleep,nor grief either;a leader who means to stand first among menneeds both wit and weapons.

Þat ræð ek þér it elliftaat þú við illu séirhvern veg at vini;langt líf þykkjumk-a-klofðungs vita;römm eru róg of risin."

This I counsel you eleventh:stay watchful for harmfrom every side, even from friends;I don't think a long lifeis granted this prince —fierce troubles have risen."