The complete text
Guðrúnarkviða I
Guðrún’s First Lament
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 ↗
sat yfir dauðum. Hon grét eigi sem aðrar konur, en hon var búinn til at springa af harmi. Til gengu bæði konur ok karlar at hugga hana, en þat var eigi auðvelt. Þat er sögn manna, at hefði etit af hjarta ok hon skilði því fugls rödd. - Þetta er enn kveðit um :
Stanza 1Ár var, þats gerðisk at deyja, er hon sat sorgfull yfir ; gerði-t hon hjúfra né höndum slá, né kveina um sem konur aðrar.
Stanza 2Gengu jarlar alsnotrir fram, þeir er harðs hugar hana löttu; þeygi gráta mátti, svá var hon móðug, mundi hon springa.
Stanza 3Sátu ítrar jarla brúðir, gulli búnar, fyr ; hvar sagði þeira sinn oftrega, þann er bitrastan of beðit hafði.
Stanza 4Þá kvað , systir: "Mik veit ek á moldu munarlausasta; hefi ek fimm vera forspell beðit, tveggja dætra, þriggja systra, átta bræðra, þó ek ein lifi."
Stanza 5Þeygi gráta mátti, svá var hon móðug at mög dauðan ok harðhuguð of hrör fylkis.
Stanza 6Þá kvað þat , Húnalands dróttning: "Hefi ek harðara harm at segja; mínir sjau synir sunnan lands, verr inn átti, í val fellu.
Stanza 7Faðir ok móðir, fjórir bræðr, þau á vági vindr of lék, barði bára við borðþili.
Stanza 8Sjalf skylda ek göfga, sjalf skylda ek götva, sjalf skylda ek höndla hrör þeira; þat ek allt of beið ein misseri, svá at mér maðr engi munar leitaði.
Stanza 9Þá varð ek hafta ok hernuma sams misseris síðan verða; skylda ek skreyta ok skúa binda hersis kván hverjan morgin.
Stanza 10Hon ægði mér af afbrýði ok hörðum mik höggum keyrði; fann ek húsguma hvergi in betra, en húsfreyju hvergi verri."
Stanza 11Þeygi gráta mátti, svá var hon móðug at mög dauðan ok harðhuguð of hrör fylkis.
Stanza 12Þá kvað þat dóttir: "Fá kanntu, fóstra, þótt þú fróð séir, ungu vífi andspjöll bera." Varaði hon at hylja um hrör fylkis.
Stanza 13Svipti hon blæju af ok vatt vengi fyr vífs knéum: "Líttu á ljúfan, leggðu munn við grön, sem þú halsaðir heilan stilli."
Stanza 14Á leit einu sinni, sá hon döglings skör dreyra runna, fránar sjónir fylkis liðnar, hugborg jöfurs hjörvi skorna.
Stanza 15Þá hné höll við bolstri, haddr losnaði, hlýr roðnaði, en regns dropi rann niðr of kné.
Stanza 16Þá grét dóttir, svá at tár flugu tresk í gögnum ok gullu við gæss í túni, mærir fuglar, er mær átti.
Stanza 17Þá kvað þat dóttir: "Ykkrar vissa ek ástir mestar manna allra fyr mold ofan; unðir þá hvárki úti né inni, systir mín nema hjá ."
kvað:
Stanza 18"Svá var minn hjá sonum sem væri geirlaukr ór grasi vaxinn eða væri bjartr steinn á band dreginn, jarknasteinn yfir öðlingum.
Stanza 19Ek þótta ok þjóðans rekkum hverri hæri Herjans dísi; nú em ek svá lítil sem lauf séi oft í jölstrum at jöfur dauðan.
Stanza 20Sakna ek í sessi ok í sæingu míns málvinar, valda megir ; valda megir mínu bölvi ok systur sinnar sárum gráti.
Stanza 21Svá ér of lýða landi eyðið sem ér of unnuð eiða svarða; mun-a þú, , gulls of njóta; þeir munu þér baugar at bana verða, er þú svarðir eiða.
Stanza 22Oft var í túni teiti meiri, þá er minn söðlaði ok þeir biðja fóru, armar véttar, illu heilli."
Stanza 23Þá kvað þat Buðla dóttir: " sé sú véttr vers ok barna, er þik, , gráts of beiddi ok þér í morgun málrúnar gaf."
Stanza 24Þá kvað þat dóttir: "Þegi þú, þjóðleið, þeira orða; urðr öðlinga hefir þú æ verit; rekr þik alda hver illrar skepnu, sorg sára sjau konunga ok vinspell vífa mest."
Stanza 25Þá kvað þat Buðla dóttir: "Veldr einn öllu bölvi of borinn Buðla bróðir minn.
Stanza 26Þá er vit í höll húnskrar þjóðar eld á jöfri ormbeðs litum, þess hefi ek gangs goldit síðan, þeirar sýnar, sáumk ey."
Stanza 27Stóð hon und stoð, strengði hon efli; brann Buðla dóttur eldr ór augum, eitri fnæsti, er hon sár of leit á .
gekk þaðan á braut til skógar á eyðimerkr ok fór allt til Danmarkar ok var þar með Þóru Hákonardóttur sjau misseri. vildi eigi lifa eftir . Hon lét drepa þræla sína átta ok fimm ambóttir. Þá lagði hon sik sverði til bana, svá sem segir í .
English translation
Henry Adams Bellows · First published 1923 · Source & commentary ↗
sat by the dead ; she did not weep as other women, but her heart was near to bursting with grief. The men and women came to her to console her, but that was not easy to do. It is told of men that had eaten of 's heart, and that she under stood the speech of birds. This is a poem about .
Stanza 1Then did | think to die, When she by | sorrowing sat; Tears she had not, | nor wrung her hands, ever wailed, | as other women.
Stanza 2To her the warriors | wise there came, Longing her heavy | woe to lighten; Grieving could not | weep, So sad her heart, | it seemed, would break.
Stanza 3Then the wives | of the warriors came, Gold-adorned, | and sought; Each one then | of her own grief spoke, The bitterest pain | she had ever borne.
Stanza 4Then spake , | 's sister: "Most joyless of all | on earth am I; Husbands five | were from me taken, (Two daughters then, | and sisters three,) Brothers eight, | yet I have lived."
Stanza 5Grieving could not | weep, Such grief she had | for her husband dead, And so grim her heart | by the hero's body.
Stanza 6Then spake, | the queen of the : "I have a greater | grief to tell; My seven sons | in the southern land, And my husband, fell | in fight all eight. (Father and mother | and brothers four Amid the waves | the wind once smote, And the seas crashed through | the sides of the ship.)
Stanza 7"The bodies all | with my own hands then I decked for the grave, | and the dead I buried; A half-year brought me | this to bear; And no one came | to comfort me.
Stanza 8"Then bound I was, | and taken in war, A sorrow yet | in the same half-year; They bade me deck | and bind the shoes Of the wife of the monarch | every morn.
Stanza 9"In jealous rage | her wrath she spake, And beat me oft | with heavy blows; Never a better | lord I knew, And never a woman | worse I found."
Stanza 10Grieving could not | weep, Such grief she had | for her husband dead, And so grim her heart | by the hero's body.
Stanza 11Then spake , | 's daughter: "Thy wisdom finds not, | my foster-mother, The way to comfort | the wife so young." She bade them uncover | the warrior's corpse.
Stanza 12The shroud she lifted | from , laying His well-loved head | on the knees of his wife: "Look on thy loved one, | and lay thy lips To his as if yet | the hero lived."
Stanza 13Once alone did | look; His hair all clotted | with blood beheld, The blinded eyes | that once shone bright, The hero's breast | that the blade had pierced.
Stanza 14Then bent, | on her pillow bowed, Her hair was loosened, | her cheek was hot, And the tears like raindrops | downward ran.
Stanza 15Then , daughter | of , wept, And through her tresses | flowed the tears; And from the court | came the cry of geese, The birds so fair | of the hero's bride.
Stanza 16Then spake, | the daughter of : "Never a greater | love I knew Than yours among | all men on earth; Nowhere wast happy, | at home or abroad, Sister mine, | with away."
spake:
Stanza 17"So was my | o'er 's sons As the spear-leek grown | above the grass, Or the jewel bright | borne on the band, The precious stone | that princes wear.
Stanza 18"To the leader of men | I loftier seemed And higher than all | of 's maids; As little now | as the leaf I am On the willow hanging; | my hero is dead.
Stanza 19"In his seat, in his bed, | I see no more My heart's true friend; | the fault is theirs, The sons of , | for all my grief, That so their sister | sorely weeps.
Stanza 20"So shall your land | its people lose As ye have kept | your oaths of yore; , no joy | the gold shall give thee, (The rings shall soon | thy slayers be,) Who swarest oaths | with once.
Stanza 21"In the court was greater | gladness then The day my | saddled, And went forth 's | hand to win, That woman ill, | in an evil hour."
Stanza 22Then spake, | the daughter of : "May the witch now husband | and children want Who, , loosed | thy tears at last, And with magic today | hath made thee speak."
Stanza 23Then , daughter | of , spake: "Speak not such words, | thou hated woman; Bane of the noble | thou e'er hast been, (Borne thou art | on an evil wave, Sorrow hast brought | to seven kings,) And many a woman | hast loveless made."
Stanza 24Then , daughter | of , spake: " is guilty | of all the sorrow, (Son of | and brother of mine,) When we saw in the hall | of the race The flame of the snake's bed | flash round the hero; (For the journey since | full sore have I paid, And ever I seek | the sight to forget.)"
Stanza 25By the pillars she stood, | and gathered her strength, From the eyes of , | 's daughter, Fire there burned, | and venom she breathed, When the wounds she saw | on then.
went thence away to a forest in the waste, and journeyed all the way to , and was there seven half-years with , daughter of . would not live after . She had eight of her thralls slain and five serving-women. Then she killed her self with a sword, as is told in the Short Lay of .