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~ Historical & Classical Poetry ~

 

The Norwegian Rune Poem
Jump to the modern English translation below

Here you have both alliterative Fornyrðislag meter, and end rhyme.

Fé vældr frænda róge; 
fðesk ulfr í skóge.

Úr er af illu jarne; 
opt lypr ræinn á hjarne.

Þurs vældr kvinna kvillu; 
kátr værðr fár af illu.

Óss er flæstra færða för; 
en skalpr er sværða.

Ræið kveða rossom væsta; 
Reginn sló sværðet bæzta.

Kaun er barna bölvan; 
böl görver nán fölvan.

Hagall er kaldastr korna; 
Kristr skóp hæimenn forna.

Nauðr gerer næppa koste; 
nöktan kælr í froste.

Ís köllum brú bræiða; 
blindan þarf at læiða.

Ár er gumna góðe; 
get ek at örr var Fróðe.

Sól er landa ljóme; 
lúti ek helgum dóme.

Týr er æinendr ása; 
opt værðr smiðr blása.

Bjarkan er laufgroenstr 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 vetrgroenstr viða; 
vænt er, er brennr, at sviða.

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 hardest 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.

Need gives scant choice; 
a naked man is chilled by the frost.

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

Harvest is a boon to men; 
I say that Froði was generous.

Sun is the light of the world; 
I bow to the divine decree.

Týr 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 talon-span of the hawk.

Waterfall is a River falling from a mountain; 
but ornaments are of gold.

Yew is the greenest of trees in winter; 
it is wont to crackle when it burns.