Völuspa - Ald-Saxisc

Englisc forsprecing
I For silence I ask! Humble and mighty, Sons of Guldintendi (Heimdallr); Following your will, Wodan (Oðinn, Odin), father of the Gods I will recount, The ancient stories of men, The oldest I remember.

II I remember the Giants, Born in the earliest times, They who, long time ago, Gave me life, Nine worlds I remember, Nine wide areas, And the glorious World Tree, Under the ground still buried.

III It was in the First Age, When there no thing was, No sand, no sea, No cold waves, No earth there was, No heaven above, Gaping was the Gulf, And grass nowhere.

IV Then the sons of the Giant, Created Middilgard (Miðgarðr, Midgard) the glorious, From the south shone the sun, Lit the rocks, Then Earth covered, With green foliage.

V Southern came the sun, Fellow of the moon, Beaming till the sky’s edge, Not knowing what its place was, The moon did not know its strength, The stars did not know (either), What their places were.

VI Here all the Gods gathered, Into their judgment hall, The supreme Gods consulted, To the night and the waxing moon, They gave name, Named both the Morning and the Day, Then the Dawn and the Dusk, And made Time and Seasons

XVII Then came three glorious Gods, Powerful and benevolent, Coming from the Gods’ dwelling, They found on the Lowland An Ash (Ask) and an Elm (Embla) With no strength or fate.

XVIII They had no breath, Neither sense, nor blood, Nor Word nor life colours ; Wodan gave them breath, Hano (Hǫnir) gave them sense, Lôðo (Lóðurr) gave them blood, And life colours.

XIX I know that an Ash stands, It is called Irminsûl (Yggdrasill), Immense tree, Splattered with white mud Which is to fall on the valley; Eternally green it stands, Above the Sea of Wurd (Urðr, Urd).

XX Here came the Virgins, Knowing much, Three, come from the sea, That lies under the Tree, One called Wurd (Urðr, Urd), The other Werðandi (Verðandi), The third Sculd (Skuld) They engraved the Runes, They made the Laws, They settled the lives of men, The destiny of the mortals.

XXI I remember well, The first war in the world, When Gulddôm (Gullveig) the Witch, Was the Gods’ spears’ challenge, And into Wodan’s home, She was burnt, Three times burnt, Three times born again, Still present, She is still alive.

XXIII Here all the Gods gathered, Into their judgment hall, And consulted to know, If the Gods should pay tribute, Or if all Gods, Should receive offering.

XXIV Wodan threw his spear, Towards the enemy lines, In the first war of the world, Broken was the Bulwark, Of the dwelling of the heavenly Gods, The field remained open, To the earth Gods.

XXV Here all the Gods gathered, Into their judgment hall, And consulted to know, Who jailed the air, And pledged to the Giants, The most comely Goddess.

XXVI Only Thunar (Þórr, Thor) fought there, Full of anger, He seldom remains inactive, When he hears such things, Forgot had been the pledges, Broken had been the oaths, All the solemn agreements, Between the Gods sworn.

XXVIII 7-12 I know, Wodan, where your eye is hidden, Inside the glorious well of Mimaro (Mimir), Each morning, Mimir drinks mead, Of the Gods’ pledge ; Do you want to know more?

XXX I see the Walcuriun (Valkyrja, Walkyries) Come from far away, Ready to ride, Towards the Gods’ dwelling, Sculd (Skuld) holds a shield, The others are Scacor (Skögul), Gund (Gunnr), Hild (Hildr), Tôgor (Göndul) and Speriscacor (Geirskögul) ; Of the Lord of the Armies They are the maids, Ready to ride, the Walcuriun.

XXXI Of Baldor (Baldur), Wodan's son, I see the gory image, I see his hidden doom, High on the plain, Stood a plant, Sore thin and very fine, Mistletoe bough.

XXXII From this so frail bough, Was made the deadly arrow, Which Haðu threw ; Baldor's brother Soon to be born, The one to avenge the murder, Of Wodan's son.

XXXIII He did not wash his hands any more, Neither combed his hair, Until on the Pyre, Baldor’s murderer had been brought, But Frîja (Frigg) cried in her dwelling, Walhalla’s (Valhalla) misfortune, Do you want to know more?

XXXIV Then Baldor’s brother knew How to forge the chains, Strong and harsh, Hose ties tight,

XXXV I see caught on the rocks A villain looking sly Looking like Logðar, There Sigwini is sat, Who from her husband’s destiny Did not rejoice ; Do you want to know more?

XXXVI Here furiously barks Haðilin (Garmr) Within the infernal depth, The chain is about to break off And the beast to leap, I see plenty of things, Further in the future I see the bitter fate Of the Gods of Victory.

XLV The brothers will split And will kill eachother, The parents will soil Their own offsprings ; Evil will be on earth, Ax Time, Sword Time, Cleaved shall be the shield, Wind Time, Wolf Time Before the world collapses, None will save none.

XLVI Giants wake up, Fate kindle, To the Guardian’s horn’s call, Guldintendi blows hard, In his standing horn, Wodan consults the Oracle.

XLVII Irminsûl (Yggdrasill) the great Tree shakes, The old trunk groans, The Giants set themselves free, Everything shakes on Hellia’s way, Before fire Annihilates the World.

XLVIII What about the Gods? What about the Elves? Everything shakes in the Giants’ world, The Gods hold Councel, The Dwarves grumble Fore their Stone Cavern, Do you want to know more?

XLIX Here furiously barks Haðilin Within the infernal depth, The chain is about to break off And the beast to leap, I see plenty of things, Further in the future I see the bitter fate Of the Gods of Victory.

L From the East comes a Giant, His shield lifted, The Great Snake writhing in rage, Caught by the Giants’ fury, The Great Snake whips the waves, The Eagle caws and rips the corpses, The ships of the deads’ realm Is now untied.

LI The ship comes from the East, Bringing the Fire Giants, At its bow drives Logðar (Loki) ; The monsters, Wolf’s allies, All following the Giants’ brother

LII The Giants’ Chief comes from the south, With the ravenous fire, Hellia’s sword twinkles, The rocks collapse, The monsters fall, Men walk On way to Hell, Heaven breaks in two.

LIII Then a new misfortune, Is about to happen on the Gods, As Wodan goes forth To fight the Wolf, The glorious God fights the Giants, So perished the Gods’ father.

LIV Here furiously barks Haðilin Within the infernal depth, The chain is about to break off And the beast to leap, I see plenty of things, Further in the future I see the bitter fate Of the Gods of Victory.

LVII Sun darkened, Earth engulfed into the Sea, Shining Stars, Waver in the Sky, Smoke rose up, Flames scolded, An intense Heat Rose till the Sky.

LIX I see emerge a second time, Earth out of water, Again fine and green Coming out of foam ; Flow the waterfalls, Above flies the Eagle That in the mountain Chases the fish.

LX In the green valley, The Gods met, Spoke about the mighty Snake, They remember The old events, The antic Runes Of the supreme God.

LXI There in the green grass, They will find back The wonderful golden tablets That they possessed earlier.

LXII On the desolate fields Will grow new harvests, All ills shall be healed, Baldor shall come back, Wodan and Baldor will dwell, In the Victory Hall. Do you want to know more?

LXIV I see a dwelling stand, Glossier than sun’s light, All covered in Gold, In the sky standing ; Here forever, The faithful warriors Will remain joyful.

Ald-Saxisc

 * I
 * Stillî, bêdiu ic allum!
 * Oðmôdig endi craftag,
 * Suni Guldintendies,
 * Sô thîn willio,
 * Wodan, fadar godô,
 * Ic meldon scal,
 * Aldu spellunga mannô,
 * Eldost sô ic mag âthencian.


 * II
 * Ic gehugdigon entos,
 * An ôrginnunga geboran,
 * Siu the, sô lango gegangan,
 * Mî aldarlag hebbiað gegevan,
 * Nigun werolda gehuggiu ic,
 * Nigun micile gerûm,
 * Endi baldrag weroldbôm,
 * Noh undar grunde geburgid.


 * III
 * Was an êrista eldi,
 * Thanne neowiht was,
 * Ne sand ne sêo,
 * Ne caldu sêoûðia,
 * Ne was nêthwanan erða,
 * Ne was thâruppan nên heƀan,
 * Allamicil was gat,
 * Oc nêhwergin was gras.


 * IV
 * Thô, suni thes grôtun Etinnun,
 * Scôpun middilgard thena wuldarlîcun,
 * Fram sûðaro sîdun âscên sunna,
 * Geliuhtida lêia,
 * Thô iru behwelƀida erða,
 * Grônilîcum lôƀum.


 * V
 * Sunna quam fram sûðaro sîdun,
 * Wini tô mânun,
 * Und heƀanendie blîcandi,
 * Newitan hwilîc is stedi was,
 * Ne wista mâno hwilîc ira starkî was,
 * Ne wistun sterrun,
 * Hwâr iro stedios wârun.


 * VI
 * Thô tesamnalârun alle godu,
 * Innan themu dômselie,
 * Furiste godu sia rêdun,
 * Tô nahte endi tô ârîsandiumo mânun,
 * Namun gâƀun siu,
 * Nemnidun eogehweðar ge morgan ge dag,
 * Ge morgansterrun ge twîlioht,
 * Oc dâdun getîd endi gêrtalu.


 * XVII
 * Thô quâmun thrîe diurlîce godu,
 * Mahtag endi gôdlîc,
 * Fram godo hême cumandi,
 * An denniu andfundun,
 * Asc oc elm,
 * Ano ge herdisli ge wurd.


 * XVIII
 * Ne hafdun ne brâð,
 * Ne fornumft, ne blôd,
 * Ne word, ne aldarfarwa,
 * Wodan gaf im brâð,
 * Hano gaf im fornumft,
 * Lôðo gaf im blôd,
 * Oc aldarfarwa.


 * XIX
 * Ic wêt that asc standid,
 * Irminsûl is hêtan,
 * Erman bôm,
 * Mid hwîtumu horu getheccid,
 * Thârfram cumid dau,
 * The an dale niðardriosid,
 * Ewigo grôni standid,
 * Boƀan lagie Wurdes.


 * XX
 * Thârfram sindun mâgað coman,
 * Filo cenniandi,
 * Thrîe, fram sêwe coman,
 * The undar bôme liggid,
 * En is Wurd hêtan,
 * Oðar Werðandi,
 * Thredda Sculd ôc sô,
 * Sia hebbiað gerûnios gewritan,
 * Endi lag gedôn,
 * Oc hebbiað aldar manno setted
 * Dôdandio wurd.


 * XXI
 * Ic âhuggiu wela,
 * Erist wîg in werolde,
 * Hwanne Gulddôm thiu grôta wicia,
 * Gewilliun thero sperio godo was,
 * Endi binnan timbre Wodanes,
 * Gebrunnan warð,
 * Thrîe sîðu brunnan,
 * Thrîe sîðu eftboran wiðar,
 * Noh wesandi,
 * Siu noh leƀed.


 * XXIII
 * Thô tesamnalârun alle godu,
 * Innan themu dômselie,
 * Tô witanne sia rêdun,
 * Ef godu malsculd fargeldan scoldin,
 * Efða sô siu alle godu,
 * Geƀun âwinnan môstin.


 * XXIV
 * Wodan is speri warp,
 * An furmostan stedi fiundo,
 * An êrist wîg weroldes,
 * Afgebrocan warð wal,
 * Timbres heƀangodô,
 * Feld noh was frî,
 * Godum erðô.


 * XXV
 * Thô tesamnalârun alle godu,
 * Innan themu dômselie,
 * Tô witanne sia rêdun,
 * Hwê luft gefangan hafda,
 * Endi etinnum siu swôrun,
 * Scônista gudin.


 * XXVI
 * Noh Thunar thâr gefaht,
 * Gebelge fôlean,
 * Seldan smultro belîƀid,
 * Thanne sulîce thing hôrid,
 * Fargetan weddios wârun,
 * Afgebrocan êðos wurdun,
 * Alle fernu samwordios,
 * Twisc godum belôƀid.


 * XXVIII 7-12
 * Ic wêt, Wodan, hwâr ôgo thîn liggid,
 * Binnan wundarlîcum Mimarun watarhôl,
 * Eogehweðrumu morgane medu drincid,
 * Swôres fadres godô ;
 * Williað gî mêro gewitan ?


 * XXX
 * Walkuriun ik gisehu,
 * Ferro gikoman,
 * Swîðo tô rîdenne,
 * Tô hûse godo,
 * Sculd scild heldid,
 * Oðar sindun Scacor, Gund,
 * Hild, Tôgor endi Speriscacor,
 * Drohtines herio,
 * Sia mâgaðinna sindun,
 * Swîðo tô rîdanne, walcuriun.


 * XXXI
 * Baldres, sunu Wodanes,
 * Blôdag bilið forðsehu ic,
 * Is dôgalwurd besehu ic,
 * Hôg an emniðu,
 * Stôd wurt,
 * Swîðo ge thunni ge scôni sô wela,
 * Mistles hrîs.


 * XXXII
 * Fan thesumu tôgun sô brutil,
 * Warð dôdlîcan speri scapan,
 * The Haðu tôwarp,
 * Baldres brôðar,
 * Sâno boran tô werðanne,
 * Waldâd âwrecan
 * Wodanes sunies.


 * XXXIII
 * Ne mêro is handi thwahan,
 * Ne ôc is hâr cembian,
 * Untat an sacerie,
 * Baldores bano gebrâht werðe,
 * Ac Frîja innan ira seliðu scrîd,
 * Missiburium Walhallô ;
 * Williað gî mêro gewitan ?


 * XXXIV
 * Thô wista Baldres brôðar,
 * Hwô racinsun tô smîtenne,
 * Strang endi herdi wârun,
 * Thîhtum âðarium lidilis.


 * XXXV
 * Ic gesehu an lêia gefangan,
 * Fêcanlîcan fecniun,
 * Logðar gelîc,
 * Thâr is Sigwini setan,
 * Hwê fan ira weres wurde,
 * Ne scal geniudon ?
 * Williað gî mêro gewitan ?


 * XXXVI
 * Nû wôdo bescindid Haðilin,
 * Binnan helligrunde,
 * Scal racinsa gebrecan,
 * Endi nôtil andspringan,
 * Filo thing gesehu,
 * Ferroro an tôcumft,
 * Bittar dôm farsehu ic,
 * Sigies Godo.


 * XLV
 * Andbrecan sculun brôðar,
 * Endi im sculun âcwellian,
 * Sculun eldirun spildian,
 * Iro selƀe aƀrun,
 * Uƀil scal an erðu,
 * Acusgetîd, swerdgetîd,
 * Gecloƀan werðað scildu,
 * Windgetîd, wulfgetîd,
 * Befôran werold anafellid,
 * Neoman scal neoman sparon.


 * XLVI
 * Entos âwâciod,
 * Andbernid wurd,
 * Tô hôhte mundborun hornes,
 * Herdio âðomod Guldintendi,
 * Innan is standanumu horn,
 * Wodan wiciunga ârâdid.


 * XLVII
 * Irminsûl grôt bôm scûdrod,
 * Ald strunc scrîd,
 * Etinnun hebbiað siu selƀo âlâtan,
 * An wege tô Helliu gehwat scacid,
 * Befôran eld,
 * Werold swilgid.


 * XLVIII
 * Hwâr sindun Godu ?
 * Hwâr sindun Alƀa ?
 * Gehwat scûdrod in werolde ento,
 * Arêdun thê Godu,
 * Gellodun thê dwergos,
 * Fôr ira stêninumu ceƀiu ;
 * Williað gî mêro gewitan ?


 * XLIX
 * Nû wôdigo bescindid Haðilin,
 * Binnan helligrunde,
 * Scal racinsa gebrecan,
 * Endi nôtil andspringan,
 * Filo thing gesehu,
 * Ferroro an tôcumft,
 * Bittar dôm farsehu ic,
 * Sigies Godo.


 * L
 * Fram Oste cumid etinna,
 * Gehaƀan is scild,
 * Sia selƀo ôbultigo grôt Nadra wringid,
 * Hebbiandi ento wôd sehan,
 * Erman nadra wâg wîpod,
 * Arn scrîcod endi lîc gerîpod,
 * Scip tô dôdono cuningdôme
 * Ne is mêro brogdan.


 * LI
 * Scip fram Oste cumid,
 * Eldetinnun anabrengiandi,
 * An hôfde it Logðar drîƀid,
 * Wihtu, wulƀes getriuwiun,
 * Alle ento brôðar folgioð.


 * LII
 * Wrîsiono oƀarhôfdio fram sûðaro sîdun cumid,
 * An fretlîc fiur,
 * Helliun swerd glîtid,
 * Lêiun fallað,
 * Wihtu scacað,
 * Men umbigangað,
 * An wege Helles,
 * Twîrîpod himil.


 * LIII
 * Hêr niuwi missiburi
 * An godum befellid,
 * Thanna Wodan forðgangid,
 * Wulf tô gefehtenne,
 * Baldrag God entum gefehtid,
 * Sô starf fadar Godô.


 * LIV
 * Nû wôdigo bescindid Haðilin,
 * Binnan helligrunde,
 * Scal racinsa gebrecan,
 * Endi nôtil andspringan,
 * Filo thing gesehu,
 * Ferroro an tôcumft,
 * Bittar dôm farsehu ic,
 * Sigies Godo.


 * LVII
 * Sunna sia selƀo behûdda,
 * Erða warð at lagie fretan,
 * Glîtandie sterrun
 * Umbi himile wancioð,
 * Rôc ârîsað,
 * Lôgna gebôtsiað,
 * Irmin hêt,
 * Und heƀane âhebbid.


 * LIX
 * Oðaran sîð gesehu ârîsan,
 * Erða ût ahu,
 * Wiðar ge scôni ge grôni,
 * Ut ûðiu âcuman ;
 * Watarfal rinnað,
 * Oƀar fliugid arn,
 * The an bergum,
 * Fisc giagod.


 * LX
 * In grôniumu dale,
 * Môtiað Godu,
 * Craftagro nadrun gesprecan,
 * Mîmarioð siu,
 * Aldu dâdi,
 * Frôdu rûna,
 * Allamahtag God.


 * LXI
 * Thâr an grôniumu,
 * Sculun siu wiðarfindan,
 * Wuldragu guldinun bêc,
 * The êrlîco irun wârun.


 * LXII
 * An wôstigum feldum
 * Sculun niuwie herƀistas,
 * Hêlid werðan alle uƀil,
 * Scal Baldor wiðarcuman ;
 * Sculun Wodan endi Baldor wunon
 * Binnan sigiselie,
 * Williað gî mêro gewitan ?


 * LXIV
 * Gesuhu hûs âstandan,
 * Blêcoro thanna sunnalioht,
 * Golde allableccod,
 * An himile standid ;
 * Hêr for êwandage,
 * Getriuwie hildiscalcos
 * Sculun an blîði belîƀan.