The Icelandic Rune Poem

Fé er frænda róg ok flæðar viti ok grafseiðs gata.

Wealth is strife among kinsmen and the fire of the flood-tide and the path of the serpent.

Followed in the manuscripts by the tags aurum ("gold") and fylkir ("leader"). Both of the last two phrases are standard kennings for gold.

Úr er skýja grátr ok skára þverrir ok hirðis hatr.

Drizzle is the weeping of the clouds and the spoiler of the hay-harvest and a thing the herdsman hates.

Manuscript tags: umbre and vísi ("leader"). The Latin word is the manuscript reading and it does not fit: umbra means "shadow". Editors who want it to match úr as drizzle emend to imber, "rain shower".

Þurs er kvenna kvöl ok kletta búi ok varðrúnar verr.

The giant is the torment of women and the dweller in the cliffs and the husband of Varðrún.

Manuscript tags: Saturnus ("Saturn") and þengill ("prince").

Óss er algingautr ok ásgarðs jöfurr ok valhallar vísi.

The god is the ancient Gautr and the ruler of Ásgarðr and the lord of Valhǫll.

Manuscript tags: Jupiter and oddviti ("chief"). Unlike the Norwegian poem, the Icelandic poem keeps the old association of this rune with a god, and says which god, though never by name: Gautr is a by-name of Óðinn, and the ruler of Ásgarðr and lord of Valhǫll can be nobody else. The name Óðinn itself does not occur in the stanza. Do not lean on the Latin tag for that identification, though. Jupiter here stands for the chief god rather than for Óðinn specifically: the conventional Roman equivalent for Óðinn is Mercury, which is why his day is Wednesday, dies Mercurii, while Jupiter conventionally answers to Þórr. The glosses in this poem are ad hoc: the same list gives Saturnus for þurs.

Reið er sitjandi sæla ok snúðig ferð ok jórs erfiði.

Riding is a blessed sitting and a swift journey and the toil of the horse.

Manuscript tags: iter ("journey") and ræsir ("ruler").

Kaun er barna böl ok bardaga för ok holdfúa hús.

A sore is the bane of children and a mark of battle and the house of rotting flesh.

Manuscript tags: flagella and konungr ("king"). The Latin word is damaged in the manuscript and is usually printed flagellum, "whip, scourge". The middle phrase is read differently by different editors.

Hagall er kaldakorn ok krapadrífa ok snáka sótt.

Hail is cold grain and a driving sleet and the sickness of snakes.

Manuscript tags: grando ("hail") and hildingr ("chieftain").

Nauð er Þýjar þrá ok þungr kostr ok vássamlig verk.

Constraint is the grief of the bondwoman and a hard condition and toilsome work.

Manuscript tags: opera ("toil") and niflungr ("prince").

Íss er árbörkr ok unnar þak ok feigra manna fár.

Ice is the bark of rivers and the roof of the wave and a peril for doomed men.

Manuscript tags: glacies ("ice") and jöfurr ("ruler").

Ár er gumna góði ok gott sumar ok algróinn akr.

A good year is a boon to people and a good summer and a fully ripened field.

Manuscript tags: annus ("year") and allvaldr ("mighty ruler").

Sól er skýja skjöldr ok skínandi röðull ok ísa aldrtregi.

The sun is the shield of the clouds and a shining ray and the lifelong sorrow of ice.

Manuscript tags: rota ("wheel") and siklingr ("king").

Týr er einhendr áss ok ulfs leifar ok hofa hilmir.

Týr is the one-handed god and the leavings of the wolf and the ruler of temples.

Manuscript tags: Mars and tiggi ("prince"). "The leavings of the wolf" refers to the myth in which Fenrir bites off Týr's hand.

Bjarkan er laufgat lim ok lítit tré ok ungsamligr viðr.

The birch is a leafy branch and a little tree and youthful wood.

Manuscript tags: abies ("fir") and buðlungr ("prince").

Maðr er manns gaman ok moldar auki ok skipa skreytir.

Man is the delight of man and an increase of the dust and the adorner of ships.

Manuscript tags: homo ("man") and mildingr ("generous ruler").

Lögr er vellanda vatn ok viðr ketill ok glömmungr grund.

Water is welling water and a wide kettle and the field of the fish.

Manuscript tags: lacus ("lake") and lofðungr ("prince").

Ýr er bendr bogi ok brotgjarnt járn ok fífu fárbauti.

Yew is a bent bow and brittle iron and the Fárbauti of the arrow.

Manuscript tags: arcus ("bow") and ynglingr ("king"). Fárbauti is a giant's name; the kenning is obscure.