fréanmæðel
ingwine húnfriþ
éalá friðes fréa folcwealda goda
mægenheard manndryhten micellíce wǽpned
eofores ridda ⁊ ielfa hierde·
hwǽr magon þé findan fíra hwáhwugu·
áhst þú swelce æðele ingwe fréa
⁊ swá sǽlig setl smǽte gehíewod
þætte ése ⁊ ielfe ⁊ ielda bearn
þé áres ⁊ weorðes unnan sculon·
ne sittest þú ǽne on sele andlange
þenden ælfrador líxt ǽringa gehwám
ac felafealde biþ folc ælfhámes·
wǽre þú ing ǽrest mid eástdenum
gesewen secgum óþ þú siþþan eást
ofer wǽg gewite · wægn æfter rann·
þus heardingas þé hæle nemdon·
ac ne gíenge þú ǽrest óþ gársecges ecge
⁊ siþþan fóre þú fréa ofer fisces bæþ
westerne wununge wrǽtlíce tó staðolienne·
ælfhám tó ríxienne ésa tóþfeoh·
siþþan þyrsas oferwunnon wuda ⁊ feldas
geond middangeard mánbealu brǽdende·
hwurfe eft on hæleðum · hrúsan gebredodest
⁊ ætfenge þínne eard on ealdorstóle gesceaftes·
gehéhte þú béowan hierde cornes
ymb bera eglan blǽde wíde sprengan·
bebude þú hréðe blóstmena dægbode
ælfsigor mǽran mannum gehwelcum·
Address to the Lord
Hail Lord of peace, folk-ruler of the gods,¹
might-hardy liege-lord, largely endowed,
rider of the boar, & guardian of the elves.
Where can any of the living find you?
You possess such nobility, lord Ing,
and so blessed a seat,² finely fashioned,
that gods and elves and children of men
must grant you honor and dignity.
You sit not alone in all your hall³
while the elven-sky shines⁴ every daybreak;
rather numerous are the folk of Elfhome.
Were you, Ing, first among the East-Danes
seen by warriors, until you then eastward
departed over the waves, your wagon running after?
Did the hardy warriors thus name you a hero?⁵
But did you not first walk to the edge of the sea
and then travel, Lord, over the fish’s bath,
to establish wondrously a westerly residence,
Elfhome to rule, tooth-gift of the gods?⁶
But when thyrses conquered the woods and fields
spreading wickedness throughout the world,
you returned among warriors, restored the land
and took your place on the lordly throne of creation.
You ordered Béowa, the grain’s guardian
amid the beards of barley to scatter the yield about.⁷
You bade Hréðe, the blossoms’ day-herald
announce the elven-victory to every man.
notes
¹ cf. Skírnismál 3 · folkvaldi goða
² cf. Lokasenna 43 · ef ek eðli ættak sem ingunar freyr / ok svá sælligt setr
³ cf. Skírnismál 3 · þú einn sitr endlanga sali
⁴ cf. Skírnismál 4 · því at alfrǫðull lýsir um alla daga
⁵ cf. Old English Rune Poem
⁶ cf. Grímnismál 5 · alfheim frey gáfu í árdaga / tívar at tannfé
⁷ cf. Béowulf 18 · Béow[ulf] wæs bréme · blǽd wíde sprang; the masculine blǽd of Béowulf means ‘prosperity, glory, renown,’ while the (accusative) feminine blǽde means ‘fruit, product [of growth]’; sprang (past tense of springan) in Béowulf is intransitive, while sprenġan here is transitive.