The complete text
Alvíssmál
How Thor Outsmarted the All-Wise Dwarf
About these two editions
These are complete reading editions of the poem and its accompanying prose, rather than a facsimile of Codex Regius. Bellows sometimes orders, divides, or supplements stanzas differently, so the two editions do not always share stanza numbers. Editorial introductions and footnotes are omitted; follow the source links for that commentary.
Original wording is retained. Obvious transcription errors in stanza numbering have been corrected. Spelling and names differ from the modern retelling.
Tap an underlined name for an explanation. Switch editions above at any time.
Old Norse
Normalized Old Norse · Guðni Jónsson edition · Source ↗
kvað:
Stanza 1"Bekki breiða, nú skal brúðr með mér heim í sinni snúask; hratat um mægi mun hverjum þykkja, heima skal-at hvíld nema."
kvað:
Stanza 2"Hvat er þat fira? Hví ertu svá fölr um nasar? Vartu í nótt með ná? Þursa líki þykki mér á þér vera; ert-at-tu til brúðar borinn."
kvað:
Stanza 3" ek heiti, bý ek fyr jörð neðan, á ek undir steini stað; vagna vers ek em á vit kominn; bregði engi föstu heiti fira."
kvað:
Stanza 4"Ek mun bregða því at ek brúðar á flest of ráð sem faðir; vark-a ek heima, þá er þér heitit var, at sá einn, er gjöf er, með goðum."
kvað:
Stanza 5"Hvat er þat rekka, er í ráðum telsk fljóðs ins fagrglóa? Fjarrafleina þik munu fáir kunna; hverr hefr þik baugum borit?"
kvað:
Stanza 6"Vingþórr ek heiti, ek hef víða ratat, sonr em ek Síðgrana; at ósátt minni skal-at-tu þat it unga man hafa ok þat gjaforð geta."
kvað:
Stanza 7"Sáttir þínar er ek vil snemma hafa ok þat gjaforð geta; eiga vilja heldr en án vera þat it mjallhvíta man."
kvað:
Stanza 8"Meyjar ástum mun-a þér verða, vísi gestr, of varit, ef þú ór heimi kannt hverjum at segja allt þat, er ek vil vita."
Stanza 9"Segðu mér þat, , - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr, at vitir -: hvé sú jörð heitir, er liggr fyr alda sonum heimi hverjum í?"
kvað:
Stanza 10"Jörð heitir með mönnum, en með ásum fold, kalla vega vanir, ígræn jötnar, alfar gróandi, kalla aur uppregin."
kvað:
Stanza 11"Segðu mér þat, , - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr, at vitir -: hvé sá himinn heitir, erakendi, heimi hverjum í?"
kvað:
Stanza 12"Himinn heitir með mönnum, en hlýrnir með goðum, kalla vindófni vanir, uppheim jötnar, alfar fagraræfr, dvergar drjúpansal."
kvað:
Stanza 13"Segðu mér þat, Avlíss, - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr, at vitir -: hversu máni heitir, sá er menn séa, heimi hverjum í?"
kvað:
Stanza 14" heitir með mönnum, en mylinn með goðum, kalla hverfanda hvél helju í, skyndi jötnar, en skin dvergar, kalla alfar ártala."
kvað:
Stanza 15"Segðu mér þat, , - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr, at vitir -: hvé sú sól heitir, er séa alda synir, heimi hverjum í?"
kvað:
Stanza 16" heitir með mönnum, en sunna með goðum, kalla dvergar leika, eygló jötnar, alfar fagrahvél, alskír ása synir."
kvað:
Stanza 17"Segðu mér þat, , - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr, at vitir -: hvé þau ský heita, er skúrum blandask, heimi hverjum í?
kvað:
Stanza 18"Ský heita með mönnum, en skúrván með goðum, kalla vindflot vanir, úrván jötnar, alfar veðrmegin, kalla í helju hjalm huliðs."
kvað:
Stanza 19"Segðu mér þat, , - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr, at vitir -: hvé sá vindr heitir, er víðast ferr, heimi hverjum í?"
kvað:
Stanza 20"Vindr heitir með mönnum, en váfuðr með goðum, kalla gneggjuð ginnregin, æpi jötnar, alfar dynfara, kalla í helju hviðuð."
kvað:
Stanza 21"Segðu mér þat, , - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr, at vitir -: hvé þat logn heitir, er liggja skal, heimi hverjum í?"
kvað:
Stanza 22"Logn heitir með mönnum, en lægi með goðum, kalla vindlot vanir, ofhlý jötnar, alfar dagsefa, kalla dvergar dags veru."
kvað:
Stanza 23"Segðu mér þat, , - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr, at vitir -: hvé sá marr heitir, er menn róa, heimi hverjum í?"
kvað:
Stanza 24"Sær heitir með mönnum, en sílægja með goðum, kalla vág vanir, álheim jötnar, alfar lagastaf, kalla dvergar djúpan mar."
kvað:
Stanza 25"Segðu mér þat, , - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr, at vitir -: hvé sá eldr heitir, er brennr fyr alda sonum, heimi hverjum í?"
kvað:
Stanza 26"Eldr heitir með mönnum, en með ásum funi, kalla vág vanir, frekan jötnar, en forbrenni dvergar, kalla í helju hröðuð."
kvað:
Stanza 27"Segðu mér þat, , - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr, at vitir -: hvé viðr heitir, er vex fyr alda sonum, heimi hverjum í?"
kvað:
Stanza 28"Viðr heitir með mönnum, en vallarfax með goðum, kalla hlíðþang halir, eldi jötnar alfar fagrlima, kalla vönd vanir."
kvað:
Stanza 29"Segðu mér þat, , - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr,at vitir, hvé sú nótt heitir, in kennda, heimi hverjum í?"
kvað:
Stanza 30"Nótt heitir með mönnum, en njól með goðum, kalla grímu ginnregin, óljós jötnar, alfar svefngaman, kalla dvergar draumnjörun."
kvað:
Stanza 31"Segðu mér þat, , - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr, at vitir -: hvé þat sáð heitir, er sá alda synir, heimi hverjum í?"
kvað:
Stanza 32"Bygg heitir með mönnum, en barr með goðum, kalla vöxt vanir, æti jötnar, alfar lagastaf, kalla í helju hnipin."
kvað:
Stanza 33"Segðu mér þat, , - öll of rök fira vörumk, dvergr, at vitir -: hvé þat öl heitir, er drekka alda synir, heimi hverjum í?"
kvað:
Stanza 34"Öl heitir með mönnum, en með ásum bjórr, kalla veig vanir, hreinalög jötnar, en í helju mjöð, kalla sumbl synir."
kvað:
Stanza 35"Í einu brjósti ek sák aldrigi fleiri forna stafi; miklum tálum kveð ek tældan þik: Uppi ertu, dvergr, of dagaðr, nú skínn sól í sali."
English translation
Henry Adams Bellows · First published 1923 · Source & commentary ↗
spake:
Stanza 1"Now shall the bride | my benches adorn, And homeward haste forthwith; Eager for wedlock | to all shall I seem, at home shall they rob me of rest."
spake:
Stanza 2"What, pray, art thou? | Why so pale round the nose? By the dead hast thou lain of late? To a giant like | dost thou look, methinks; Thou wast not born for the bride."
spake:
Stanza 3" am I, | and under the earth My home 'neath the rocks I have; With the wagon-guider | a word do I seek, Let the gods their bond not break."
spake:
Stanza 4"Break it shall I, | for over the bride Her father has foremost right; At home was I not | when the promise thou hadst, And I give her alone of the gods."
spake:
Stanza 5"What hero claims | such right to hold O'er the bride that shines so bright? Not many will know thee, | thou wandering man! Who was bought with rings to bear thee?"
spake:
Stanza 6", the wanderer | wide, am I, And I am 's son; Against my will | shalt thou get the maid, And win the marriage word."
spake:
Stanza 7"Thy good-will now | shall I quickly get, And win the marriage word; I long to have, | and I would not lack, This snow-white maid for mine."
spake:
Stanza 8"The love of the maid | I may not keep thee From winning, thou guest so wise, If of every world | thou canst tell me all That now I wish to know.
Stanza 9"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the earth, | that lies before all, In each and every world?"
spake:
Stanza 10" 'Earth' to men, 'Field' | to the gods it is, 'The Ways' is it called by the ; 'Ever Green' by the giants, | 'The Grower' by elves, 'The Moist' by the holy ones high."
spake:
Stanza 11"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the heaven, | beheld of the high one, In each and every world?"
spake:
Stanza 12" 'Heaven' men call it, | 'The Height' the gods, The 'The Weaver of Winds'; Giants 'The Up-World,' | elves 'The Fair-Roof,' The dwarfs 'The Dripping Hall.'"
spake:
Stanza 13"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men.: What call they the moon, | that men behold, In each and every world?"
spake:
Stanza 14"'Moon' with men, 'Flame' | the gods among, 'The Wheel' in the house of hell; 'The Goer' the giants, | 'The Gleamer' the dwarfs, The elves 'The Teller of Time."
spake:
Stanza 15"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the sun, | that all men see, In each and every world?"
spake:
Stanza 16"Men call it 'Sun,' | gods 'Orb of the Sun,' 'The Deceiver of ' the dwarfs; The giants 'The Ever-Bright,' | elves 'Fair Wheel,' 'All-Glowing' the sons of the gods."
spake:
Stanza 17"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the clouds, | that keep the rains, In each and every world?"
spake:
Stanza 18"'Clouds' men name them, | 'Rain-Hope' gods call them, The call them 'Kites of the Wind'; 'Water-Hope' giants, | 'Weather-Might' elves, 'The Helmet of Secrets' in hell."
spake:
Stanza 19"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the wind, | that widest fares, In each and every world?"
spake:
Stanza 20"'Wind' do men call it, | the gods 'The Waverer,' 'The Neigher' the holy ones high; 'The Wailer' the giants, | 'Roaring Wender' the elves, In hell 'The Blustering Blast.'
spake:
Stanza 21"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the calm, | that quiet lies, In each and every world?"
spake:
Stanza 22" 'Calm' men call it, | 'The Quiet' the gods, The 'The Hush of the Winds'; 'The Sultry' the giants, | elves 'Day's Stillness,' The dwarfs 'The Shelter of Day.'
spake:
Stanza 23"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the sea, | whereon men sail, In each and every world?"
spake:
Stanza 24" 'Sea' men call it, | gods 'The Smooth-Lying,' 'The Wave' is it called by the ; 'Eel-Home' the giants, | 'Drink-Stuff' the elves, For the dwarfs its name is 'The Deep.'
spake:
Stanza 25"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the fire, | that flames for men, In each of all the worlds?"
spake:
Stanza 26" 'Fire' men call it, | and 'Flame' the gods, By the is it 'Wildfire' called; 'The Biter' by giants, | 'The Burner' by dwarfs, 'The Swift' in the house of hell."
spake:
Stanza 27"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the wood, | that grows for mankind, In each and every world?"
spake:
Stanza 28"Men call it 'The Wood, | gods 'The Mane of the Field,' 'Seaweed of Hills' in hell; 'Flame-Food' the giants, | 'Fair-Limbed' the elves, 'The Wand' is it called by the ."
spake:
Stanza 29"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the night, | the daughter of , In each and every world?"
spake:
Stanza 30"'Night' men call it, | 'Darkness' gods name it, 'The Hood' the holy ones high; The giants 'The Lightless,' | the elves 'Sleep's joy" The dwarfs 'The Weaver of Dreams."'
spake:
Stanza 31"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the seed, | that is sown by men, In each and every world?"
spake:
Stanza 32"Men call it 'Grain,' | and 'Corn' the gods, 'Growth' in the world of the ; 'The Eaten' by giants, | 'Drink-Stuff' by elves, In hell 'The Slender Stem.'
spake:
Stanza 33"Answer me, ! | thou knowest all, Dwarf, of the doom of men: What call they the ale, | that is quaffed of men, In each and every world?"
spake:
Stanza 34"'Ale' among men, | 'Beer' the gods among, In the world of the 'The Foaming'; 'Bright Draught' with giants, | 'Mead' with dwellers in hell, 'The Feast-Draught' with 's sons."
spake:
.3.5. "In a single breast | I never have seen More wealth of wisdom old; But with treacherous wiles | must I now betray thee: The day has caught thee, dwarf!
(Now the sun shines here in the hall.)"