Heathenry
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The Norwegian Rune Poem
Modern English Translation
Wealth is a source of discord among kinsmen;
the wolf lives in the forest.
Dross comes from bad iron;
the reindeer often races over the frozen snow.
Giant causes anguish to women;
misfortune makes few men cheerful.
Estuary is the way of most journeys;
but a scabbard is of swords.
Riding is said to be the worst thing for horses;
Reginn forged the finest sword.
Ulcer is fatal to children;
death makes a corpse pale.
Hail is the coldest of grain;
Christ created the world of old.
Constraint gives scant choice;
a naked man is chilled by the frost.
Ice we call the broad bridge;
the blind man must be led.
Plenty is a boon to men;
I say that Frothi was generous.
Sun is the light of the world;
I bow to the divine decree.
Tyr is a one-handed god;
often has the smith to blow.
Birch has the greenest leaves of any shrub;
Loki was fortunate in his deceit.
Man is an augmentation of the dust;
great is the claw of the hawk.
A waterfall is a River which falls from a mountain-side;
but ornaments are of gold.
Yew is the greenest of trees in winter;
it is wont to crackle when it burns.
Original Old Norse
Fé vældr frænda róge;
føðesk ulfr í skóge.
Úr er af illu jarne;
opt løypr ræinn á hjarne.
Þurs vældr kvinna kvillu;
kátr værðr fár af illu.
Óss er flæstra færða
fo,r; en skalpr er sværða.
Ræið kveða rossom væsta;
Reginn sló sværðet bæzta.
Kaun er barna bo,lvan;
bo,l gørver nán fo,lvan.
Hagall er kaldastr korna;
Kristr skóp hæimenn forna.
Nauðr gerer næppa koste;
nøktan kælr í froste.
Ís ko,llum brú bræiða;
blindan þarf at læiða.
Ár er gumna góðe;
get ek at o,rr var Fróðe.
Sól er landa ljóme;
lúti ek helgum dóme.
Týr er æinendr ása;
opt værðr smiðr blása.
Bjarkan er laufgrønstr líma;
Loki bar flærða tíma.
Maðr er moldar auki;
mikil er græip á hauki.
Lögr er, fællr ór fjalle
foss; en gull ero nosser.
Ýr er vetrgrønstr viða;
vænt er, er brennr, at sviða.
Source for the Modern English
Source for the Old Norse
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