The complete text
Hamðismál
The Last Vengeance
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 ↗
Stanza 1Spruttu á tái tregnar íðir, græti alfa in glýstömu; ár of morgin manna bölva sútir hverjar sorg of kveykva.
Stanza 2-a þat nú né í gær, þat hefir langt liðit síðan, - er fátt fornara, fremr var þat halfu, - er hvatti borin, sonu sína unga at hefna :
Stanza 3"Systir var ykkur of heitin, sú er jóm of traddi, hvítum ok svörtum á hervegi, grám, gangtömum Gotna hrossum.
Stanza 4Eftir er ykkr þrungit þjóðkonunga; lifið einir ér þátta ættar minnar.
Stanza 5Einstæð em ek orðin, sem ösp í holti, fallin at frændum sem fura at kvisti, vaðin at vilja, sem viðr at laufi, þá er in kvistskæða kemr um dag varman."
Stanza 6Hitt kvað þá inn hugumstóri: "Lítt myndir þú þá, , leyfa dáð , er þeir vökðu svefni ór, saztu á beð, en banar hlógu.
Stanza 7Bækr váru þínar inar bláhvítu ofnar völundum, flutu í vers dreyra; svalt þá , saztu yfir dauðum, glýja þú né gáðir, þér svá vildi.
Stanza 8 þóttisk þú stríða at Erps morði ok at Eitils aldrlagi, þat var þér enn verra; svá skyldi hverr öðrum verja til aldrlaga sverði sárbeitu, at sér né stríddi-t."
Stanza 9Hitt kvað þá , - svinna hafði hann hyggju -: "Vilk-at ek við móður málum skipta; orðs þykkir enn vant ykkru hváru. Hvers biðr þú nú, , er þú at gráti né fær-at?
Stanza 10Bræðr grát þú þína ok buri svása, niðja náborna leidda nær rógi; okkr skaltu ok, , gráta báða, er hér sitjum feigir á mörum, fjarri munum deyja."
Stanza 11Gengu ór garði görvir at eiskra, liðu þá yfir ungir úrig fjöll mörum húnlenzkum morðs at hefna.
Stanza 12Fundu á stræti stórbrögðóttan: "Hvé mun jarpskammr okkr fulltingja?"
Stanza 13Svaraði inn sundrmæðri, svá kvaðsk veita mundu fullting frændum, sem fótr öðrum. "Hvat megi fótr fæti veita né holdgróin hönd annarri?"
Stanza 14Þá kvað þat einu sinni, - mærr of lék á mars baki -: "Illt er blauðum hal brautir kenna." Kóðu harðan mjök hornung vera.
Stanza 15Drógu þeir ór skíði skíðiéarn, mækis eggjar, at mun flagði; þverrðu þeir þrótt sinn at þriðjungi, létu mög ungan til moldar hníga.
Stanza 16Skóku loða, skalmir festu, ok góðbornir smugu í guðvefi.
Stanza 17Fram lágu brautir, fundu vástigu ok systurson sáran á meiði, vargtré vindköld vestan bæjar, trýtti æ trönu hvöt, titt var-at bíða.
Stanza 18Glamr var í höllu, halir ölreifir, ok til gota ekki gerðu at heyra, áðr halr hugfullr í horn of þaut.
Stanza 19Segja fóru ærir Jörmunrekki, at sénir váru seggir und hjalmum: "Ræðið ér um ráð, ríkir eru komnir, fyr máttkum hafið ér mönnum mey of tradda."
Stanza 20Hló þá , hendi drap á kampa, beiddisk-at bröngu, böðvaðisk at víni; skók hann skör jarpa, sá á skjöld hvítan, lét hann sér í hendi hvarfa ker gullit.
Stanza 21"Sæll ek þá þóttumk, ef ek sjá knætta ok í höllu minni, buri mynda ek þá binda með boga strengjum, góð börn festa á galga."
Stanza 22Hitt kvað þá Hróðrglöð, stóð of hleðum, mæfingr mælti við mög þenna: "Því at þat heita, at hlýðigi myni; megu tveir menn einir tíu hundruð Gotna binda eða berja í borg inni háu."
Stanza 23Styrr varð í ranni, stukku ölskálir, í blóði bragnar lágu, komit ór brjósti Gotna.
Stanza 24Hitt kvað þá inn hugumstóri: "Æstir, , okkarrar kvámu bræðra sammæðra innan borgar þinnar; fætr sér þína, höndum sér þú þínum, , orpit í eld heitan."
Stanza 25Þá hraut við inn reginkunngi baldr í hrynju, sem björn hryti: "Grýtið ér á gumna, alls geirar né bíta, eggjar né éarn Jónakrs sonu."
Stanza 26Hitt kvað þá inn hugumstóri: "Böl vanntu, bróðir, er þú þann belg leystir; oft ór þeim belg böll ráð koma." Kvað:
Stanza 27"Hug hefðir þú, , ef þú hefðir hyggjandi; mikils er á mann hvern vant, er mannvits er!"
kvað:
Stanza 28"Af væri nú höfuð, ef lifði, bróðir okkarr inn böðfrækni, er vit á braut vágum, verr inn vígfrækni, - hvöttumk at , - gumi inn gunnhelgi, - gerðumk at vígi -."
kvað:
Stanza 29"Ekki hygg ek okkr vera ulfa dæmi, at vit mynim sjalfir of sakask sem grey norna, þá er gráðug eru í auðn of alin.
Stanza 30Vel höfum vit vegit, stöndum á val Gotna, ofan eggmóðum, sem ernir á kvisti; góðs höfum tírar fengit, þótt skylim nú eða í gær deyja; kveld lifir maðr ekki eftir kvið norna."
Stanza 31Þar fell at salar gafli, enn hné at húsbaki. Þetta eru kölluð Hamðissmál in fornu.
English translation
Henry Adams Bellows · First published 1923 · Source & commentary ↗
Stanza 1Great the evils | once that grew, With the dawning sad | of the sorrow of elves; In early mom | awake for men The evils that grief | to each shall bring.
Stanza 2Not now, nor yet | of yesterday was it, Long the time | that since hath lapsed, So that little there is | that is half as old, Since , daughter | of , whetted Her sons so young | to 's vengeance.
Stanza 3"The sister ye had | was called, And her did | trample with horses, White and black | on the battle-way, Gray, road-wonted, | the steeds of the .
Stanza 4"Little the kings | of the folk are ye like, For now ye are living | alone of my race.
Stanza 5"Lonely am I | as the forest aspen, Of kindred bare | as the fir of its boughs, My joys are all lost | as the leaves of the tree When the scather of twigs | from the warm day turns."
Stanza 6Then spake forth, | the high of heart: "Small praise didst thou, , | to 's deed give When they wakened thy | from out of his sleep, Thou didst sit on the bed | while his slayers laughed.
Stanza 7"Thy bed-covers white | with blood were red From his wounds, and with gore | of thy husband were wet; So was slain, | by his corpse didst thou sit, And of gladness didst think not: | 'twas 's doing.
Stanza 8"Thou wouldst strike at | by the slaying of And the killing of ; | thine own grief was worse; So should each one wield | the wound-biting sword That another it slays | but smites not himself."
Stanza 9Then did speak out, | for wise was he ever: "With my mother I never | a quarrel will make; Full little in speaking | methinks ye both lack; What askest thou, , | that will give thee no tears?
Stanza 10"For thy brothers dost weep, | and thy boys so sweet, Thy kinsmen in birth | on the battlefield slain; Now, , as; well | for us both shalt thou weep, We sit doomed on our steeds, | and far hence shall we die."
Stanza 11Then the fame-glad one-- | on the steps she was-- The slender-fingered, | spake with her son: "Ye shall danger have | if counsel ye heed not; By two heroes alone | shall two hundred of Be bound or be slain | in the lofty-walled burg."
Stanza 12From the courtyard they fared, | and fury they breathed; The youths swiftly went | o'er the mountain wet, On their steeds, | death's vengeance to have.
Stanza 13On the way they found | the man so wise; . . . . . . . . . . "What help from the weakling | brown may we have?"
Stanza 14So answered them | their half-brother then: "So well may I | my kinsmen aid As help one foot | from the other has."
Stanza 15"How may afoot | its fellow aid, Or a flesh-grown hand | another help?"
Stanza 16Then spake forth, | his words were few, As haughty he sat | on his horse's back: "To the timid 'tis ill | the way to tell." A bastard they | the bold one called.
Stanza 17From their sheaths they drew | their shining swords, Their blades, to the giantess | joy to give; By a third they lessened | the might that was theirs, The fighter young | to earth they felled.
Stanza 18Their cloaks they shook, | their swords they sheathed, The high-born men | wrapped their mantles close.
Stanza 19On their road they fared | and an ill way found, And their sister's son | on a tree they saw, On the wind-cold wolf-tree | west of the hall, And cranes'-bait crawled; | none would care to linger.
Stanza 20In the hall was din, | the men drank deep, And the horses' hoofs | could no one hear, Till the warrior hardy | sounded his horn.
Stanza 21Men came and the tale | to told How warriors helmed | without they beheld: "Take counsel wise, | for brave ones are come, Of mighty men | thou the sister didst murder."
Stanza 22Then laughed, | his hand laid on his beard, His arms, for with wine | he was warlike, he called for; He shook his brown locks, | on his white shield he looked, And raised high the cup | of gold in his hand.
Stanza 23"Happy, methinks, | were I to behold and | here in my hall; The men would I bind | with strings of bows, And 's heirs | on the gallows hang."
Stanza 24In the hall was clamor, | the cups were shattered, Men stood in blood | from the breasts of the ,
Stanza 25Then did speak forth, | the haughty of heart: "Thou soughtest, , | us to see, Sons of one mother | seeking thy dwelling; Thou seest thy hands, | thy feet thou beholdest, , flung | in the fire so hot."
Stanza 26Then roared the king, | of the race of the gods, Bold in his armor, | as roars a bear: "Stone ye the men | that steel will bite not, Sword nor spear, | the sons of ."
spake:
Stanza 27"Ill didst win, brother, | when the bag thou didst open, Oft from that bag | came baleful counsel; Heart hast thou, , | if knowledge thou hadst! A man without wisdom | is lacking in much."
spake:
Stanza 28"His head were now off | if were living, The brother so keen | whom we killed on our road, The warrior noble,-- | 'twas the that drove me The hero to slay | who in fight should be holy.
Stanza 29"In fashion of wolves | it befits us not Amongst ourselves to strive, Like the hounds of the , | that nourished were In greed mid wastes so grim.
Stanza 30"We have greatly fought, | o'er the do we stand By our blades laid low, | like eagles on branches; Great our fame though we die | today or tomorrow; None outlives the night | when the Norris have spoken."
Stanza 31Then beside | the gable sank, And fell | at the back of the house. This is called the old ballad of .