"Runaljod" lyrics

Fé vældr fræ'nda rógi;
fóðesk ulfr í skógi

Rúnar munt þú finna
ok ráðna stafi,
mjök stóra stafi,
mjök stinna stafi,
er fáði fimbulþulr
ok gerðu ginnregin
ok reist hroftr rögna.
[Hávamál 142]

Úr er af illu jarni;
oft leypr ræinn á hjarni

Þurs vældr kvenna kvillu;
kátr værðr fár af illu

Óss er flestra færða;
för, en skalpr er sværða

Nam ek upp rúnar, æpandi nam...
[Hávamál 139]

Ræið kvæða rossom væsta;
Reginn sló sværðet bæzta

Kaun er barna bolvan;
bol gorver mann folvan

Hagal er kaldastr korna;
Herjan skóp hæimin forna

Nauð gerer nappa kosti;
naktan kælr í frosti

Is köllum brú bræiða;
blindan þarf at læiða

Ár er gumna góði;
get ek at örr var Fróði

Sól er landa ljómi;
lúti ek að helgum dómi

Týr er einhendr ása;
oft værðr smiðr at blása

Bjarkan er laufgrænstr líma;
Loki bar flæ'rðar tima

Maðr er moldur auki;
mikill er græip á hauki
Mikill er græip á hauki...

Nam ek upp rúnar, æpandi nam...

Laukr er, er fællr ór fjalle;
foss en gull ero nosser

Ýr er vetrgrænstr víða;
vant er, er brennr, at svíða

[English translation:]

Wealth cause dispute among friends;
the wolf lives in the forest

Runes will you discover
And meaningful staves,
Very powerful staves,
Very strong staves,
That the wise high-storyteller gained
That the higher creative-powers crafted
That the Hroptr of Gods carved.
[Hávamál 142]

Slag comes from bad iron; the reindeer often races over the frozen snow.

Giant causes women's sorrow;
few are cheerful from misfortune

River mouth is way of most journeys;
but the sheath is the one of swords

I took up the runes, crying aloud I took them...
[Hávamál 139]

Riding, one says, is for horses the worst;
Regin forged the best sword

Ulcer is fatal for children;
death makes man pale

Hail is the coldest of grain;
Herjan shaped the world in olden times

Need leaves you little choice;
the naked freeze in the frost

Ice we call the broad bridge;
the blind man must be led

Good year is a blessing for men;
I say that Frodi was generous

Sun is light of the land
I bow before the holy

Tyr is one-handed among the Æsir;
often the smith must blow

Birch is the limb greenest with leaves;
Loki brought success of deceit

Man is increase of soil;
mighty is the hawk's claw
Mighty is the hawk's claw...

I took up the runes, crying aloud I took them...

Water is what falls from the mountain;
but of gold are the jewels

Yew is the greenest tree in winter;
it often singes when it burns