Sigurðarkviða hin skamma

Old Norse

Normalized Old Norse · Guðni Jónsson edition · Source ↗

Stanza 1Ár var, þats Sigurðr sótti Gjúka, Völsungr ungi, er vegit hafði; tók við tryggðum tveggja bræðra, seldusk eiða eljunfræknir.

Stanza 2Mey buðu hánum ok meiðma fjölð, Guðrúnu ungu, Gjúka dóttur; drukku ok dæmðu dægr margt saman Sigurðr ungi ok synir Gjúka.

Stanza 3Unz þeir Brynhildar biðja fóru, svá at þeim Sigurðr reið í sinni Völsungr ungi, ok vega kunni; hann of ætti, ef hann eiga knætti.

Stanza 4Sigurðr inn suðræni lagði sverð nökkvit, mæki málfán, á meðal þeirra; né hann konu kyssa gerði né húnskr konungr hefja sér at armi, mey frumunga fal hann megi Gjúka.

Stanza 5Hon sér at lífi löst né vissi ok at aldrlagi ekki grand, vamm þat er væri eða vera hygði; gengu þess á milli grimmar urðir.

Stanza 6Ein sat hon úti aftan dags, nam hon svá margt um at mælask: «Hafa skal ek Sigurð, — eða þó svelta, — mög frumungan mér á armi.

Stanza 7Orð mæltak nú, iðrumk eftir þess: kván er hans Guðrún, en ek Gunnars; ljótar nornir skópu oss langa þrá.»

Stanza 8Opt gengr hon innan ills of fylld, ísa ok jökla, aftan hvern, er þau Guðrún ganga á beð ok hana Sigurðr sveipr í rifti, konungr inn húnski kván frjá sína.

Stanza 9«Vön geng ek vilja, vers ok beggja, verð ek mik gæla af grimmum hug.»

Stanza 10Nam af þeim heiftum hvetjask at vígi: «Þú skalt, Gunnarr, gerst of láta mínu landi ok mér sjalfri; mun ek una aldri með öðlingi.

Stanza 11Mun ek aftr fara, þars ek áðan vark með nábornum niðjum mínum; þar mun ek sitja ok sofa lífi, nema þú Sigurð svelta látir ok jöfurr öðrum æðri verðir.

Stanza 12Látum son fara feðr í sinni, skal-at ulf ala ungan lengi. Hveim verðr hölða hefnd léttari síðan til sátta, at sonr lifi?»

Stanza 13Hryggr varð Gunnarr ok hnipnaði, sveip sínum hug, sat of allan dag; hann vissi þat vilgi görla, hvat hánum væri vinna sæmst eða hánum væri vinna bezt, alls sik Völsung vissi firrðan ok at Sigurð söknuð mikinn.

Stanza 14Ýmist hann hugði jafnlanga stund: þat var eigi afartítt, at frá konungdóm kvánir gengi. Nam hann sér Högna heita at rúnum, þar átti hann alls fulltrúa:

Stanza 15«Ein er mér Brynhildr öllum betri, of borin Buðla, hon er bragr kvenna; fyrr skal ek mínu fjörvi láta en þeirar meyjar meiðmum týna.

Stanza 16Vildu okkr fylki til fjár véla? Gótt er at ráða Rínar malmi ok unandi auði stýra ok sitjandi sælu njóta.»

Stanza 17Einu því Högni andsvör veitti: «Samir eigi okkr slíkt at vinna, sverði rofna svarna eiða, eiða svarna, unnar tryggðir.

Stanza 18Vitum-a vit á moldu menn in sælli, meðan fjórir vér folki ráðum ok sá inn húnski her-Baldr lifir, né in mætri mægð á foldu, ef vér fimm sonu fæðum lengi, áttumgóða æxla knættim.

Stanza 19Ek veit görla, hvaðan vegir standa: eru Brynhildar brek ofmikil.»

Gunnarr kvað:

Stanza 20«Vit skulum Guthorm gerva at vígi, yngra bróður, ofróðara; hann var fyr útan eiða svarna, eiða svarna, unnar tryggðir.»

Stanza 21Dælt var at eggja óbilgjarnan, stóð til hjarta hjörr Sigurði.

Stanza 22Réð til hefnda hergjarn í sal ok eftir varp óbilgjörnum; fló til Guthorms Grams ramliga kynbirt járn ór konungs hendi.

Stanza 23Hné hans of dolgr til hluta tveggja, hendr ok höfuð hné á annan veg, en fóta hlutr féll aftr í stað.

Stanza 24Sofnuð var Guðrún í sæingu sorgalaus hjá Sigurði, en hon vaknaði vilja firrð, er hon Freys vinar flaut í dreyra.

Stanza 25Svá sló hon svárar sínar hendr, at rammhugaðr reis upp við beð: «Grát-a-ðu, Guðrún, svá grimmliga, brúðr frumunga, þér bræðr lifa.

Stanza 26Á ek til ungan erfinytja, kann-at hann firrask ór fjándgarði; þeir sér hafa svárt ok dátt enn nær numit nýlig ráð.

Stanza 27Ríðr-a þeim síðan, þótt sjau alir, systursonr slíkr at þingi. Ek veit görla, hví gegnir nú: ein veldr Brynhildr öllu bölvi.

Stanza 28Mér unni mær fyr mann hvern, en við Gunnar grand ekki vannk; þyrmða ek sifjum, svörnum eiðum, síðr værak heitinn hans kvánar vinr.»

Stanza 29Kona varp öndu, en konungr fjörvi, svá sló hon svárar sínar hendr, at kváðu við kálkar í vá ok gullu við gæss í túni.

Stanza 30Hló þá Brynhildr Buðla dóttir einu sinni af öllum hug, er hon til hvílu heyra knátti gjallan grát Gjúka dóttur.

Stanza 31Hitt kvað þá Gunnarr gramr haukstalda: «Hlær-a þú af því, heiftgjörn kona, glöð á gólfi, at þér góðs viti. Hví hafnar þú inum hvíta lit, feikna fæðir? Hygg ek, at feig séir.

Stanza 32Þú værir þess verðust kvenna, at fyr augum þér Atla hjöggim, sæir bræðr þínum blóðugt sár, undir dreyrgar knættir yfir binda.»

Brynhildr kvað:

Stanza 33«Frýr-a maðr þér engi, hefir þú fullvegit; lítt sésk Atli ófu þína; hann mun ykkar önd síðari ok æ bera afl it meira.

Stanza 34Segja mun ek þér, Gunnarr, — sjalfr veiztu görla, — hvé er yðr snemma til saka réðuð; varð ek til ung né ofþrungin, fullgædd féi á fleti bróður.

Stanza 35Né ek vilda þat, at mik verr ætti, áðr þér Gjúkungar riðuð at garði, þrír á hestum þjóðkonungar, en þeira för þörfgi væri.

Stanza 36Þeim hétumk þá þjóðkonungi, er með gulli sat á Grana bógum; var-at hann í augu yðr um líkr né á engi hlut at álitum, þó þykkizk ér þjóðkonungar.

Stanza 37Ok mér Atli þat einni sagði, at hvárki lézk höfn of deila, gull né jarðir, nema ek gefask létak, ok engi hlut auðins féar, þá er mér jóðungri eigu seldi ok mér jóðungri aura talði.

Stanza 38Þá var á hvörfun hugr minn um þat, hvárt ek skylda vega eða val fella böll í brynju um bróður sök; þat myndi þá þjóðkunnt vera mörgum manni at munar stríði.

Stanza 39Létum síga sáttmál okkur lék mér meir í mun meiðmar þiggja, bauga rauða burar Sigmundar; né ek annars manns aura vildak.

Stanza 40Unnak einum né ýmissum, bjó-at of hverfan hug men-Skögul; allt mun þat Atli eftir finna, er hann mína spyrr morðför görva,

Stanza 41at þeygi skal þunngeð kona annarrar ver aldri leiða; þá mun á hefndum harma minna.»

Stanza 42Upp reis Gunnarr gramr verðungar, ok um hals konu hendr of lagði; gengu allir ok þó ýmissir af heilum hug hana at letja.

Stanza 43Hratt af halsi hveim þar sér, lét-a mann sik letja langrar göngu.

Stanza 44Nam hann sér Högna hvetja at rúnum: «Seggi vil ek alla í sal ganga þína með mínum, — nú er þörf mikil, — vita, ef meini morðför konu, unz af méli enn mein komi; þá látum því þarfar ráða.»

Stanza 45Einu því Högni andsvör veitti: «Leti-a maðr hana langrar göngu, þars hon aftrborin aldri verði; hon kröng of komsk fyr kné móður, hon æ borin óvilja til, mörgum manni at móðtrega.»

Stanza 46Hvarf sér óhróðugr andspilli frá, þar er mörk menja meiðmum deildi.

Stanza 47Leit hon of alla eigu sína, soltnar þýjar ok salkonur; gullbrynju smó, — var-a gott í hug, — áðr sik miðlaði mækis eggjum.

Stanza 48Hné við bollstri hon á annan veg ok hjörunduð hugði at ráðum:

Stanza 49«Nú skulu ganga, þeir er gull vili ok minni því at mér þiggja; ek gef hverri of hróðit sigli, bók ok blæju, bjartar váðir.»

Stanza 50Þögðu allir, við því orði ok allir senn andsvör veittu: «Ærnar soltnar, munum enn lifa. Verða salkonur sæmð at vinna.»

Stanza 51Unz af hyggjandi hörskrýdd kona, ung at aldri

orð viðr of kvað:

«Vilk-at ek mann trauðan né torbænan um óra sök aldri týna.

Stanza 52Þó mun á beinum brenna yðrum færi eyrir, þá er ér fram komið, neitt Menju góð, mín at vitja.

Stanza 53Sezktu niðr, Gunnarr, mun ek segja þér lífs örvæna ljósa brúði; mun-a yðvart far allt í sundi, þótt ek hafa öndu látit.

Stanza 54Sátt munuð it Guðrún snemr, en þú hyggir; hefir kunn kona við konungi daprar minjar at dauðan ver.

Stanza 55Þar er mær borin, — móðir fæðir, — sú mun hvítari en inn heiði dagr Svanhildr vera, sólar geisla.

Stanza 56Gefa muntu Guðrúnu góðra nökkurum skeyti skæða skatna mengi; mun-at at vilja versæl gefin; hana mun Atli eiga ganga, of borinn Buðla, bróðir minn.

Stanza 57Margs á ek minnask, hvé við mik fóru, þá er mik sára svikna höfðuð, vaðin at vilja vark, meðan ek lifðak.

Stanza 58Muntu Oddrúnu eiga vilja, en þik Atli mun eigi láta; it munuð lúta á laun saman, hon mun þér unna sem ek skyldak, ef okkr góð of sköp gerði verða.

Stanza 59Þik mun Atli illu beita, muntu í öngan ormgarð lagiðr.

Stanza 60Þat mun ok verða þvígit lengra, at Atli mun öndu týna, sælu sinni, ok sona lífi, því at hánum Guðrún grýmir á beð snörpum eggjum af sárum hug.

Stanza 61Sæmri væri Guðrún, systir ykkur, frumver sínum at fylgja dauðum, ef henni gæfi góðra ráða eða ætti hon hug ossum líkan.

Stanza 62Ört mæli ek nú, en hon eigi mun of óra sök aldri týna; hana munu hefja hávar bárur til Jónakrs óðaltorfu.

Stanza 63[Ala mun hún sér jóð, erfivörðu], erfivörðu, Jónakrs sonum; mun hon Svanhildi senda af landi, sína mey ok Sigurðar.

Stanza 64Hana munu bíta Bikka ráð, því at Jörmunrekkr óþarft lifir; þá er öll farin ætt Sigurðar; eru Guðrúnar græti at fleiri.

Stanza 65Biðja mun ek þik bænar einnar, — sú mun í heimi hinzt bæn vera —: Láttu svá breiða borg á velli, at undir oss öllum jafnrúmt séi, þeim er sultu með Sigurði.

Stanza 66Tjaldi þar um þá borg tjöldum ok skjöldum, valarift vel fáð ok Vala mengi; brenni mér inn húnska á hlið aðra.

Stanza 67Brenni inum húnska á hlið aðra mína þjóna menjum göfga: tveir at höfðum ok tveir haukar; þá er öllu skipt til jafnaðar.

Stanza 68Liggi okkar enn í milli malmr hringvariðr, egghvast járn, sem endr lagit, þá er vit bæði beð einn stigum ok hétum þá hjóna nafni.

Stanza 69Hrynja hánum þá á hæl þeygi hlunnblik hallar hringi litkuð, ef hánum fylgir ferð mín heðan; þeygi mun ór för aumlig vera.

Stanza 70Því at hánum fylgja fimm ambáttir, átta þjónar, eðlum góðir, fóstrman mitt ok faðerni, þat er Buðli gaf barni sínu.

Stanza 71Margt sagða ek, munda ek fleira, er mér meir mjötuðr málrúm gæfi; ómum þverr, undir svella, satt eitt sagðak, svá mun ek láta.»

English translation

Henry Adams Bellows · First published 1923 · Source & commentary ↗

Stanza 1Of old did Sigurth | Gjuki seek, The Volsung young, | in battles victor; Well he trusted | the brothers twain, With mighty oaths | among them sworn.

Stanza 2A maid they gave him, | and jewels many, Guthrun the young, | the daughter of Gjuki; They drank and spake | full many a day, Sigurth the young | and Gjuki's sons.

Stanza 3Thereafter went they | Brynhild to woo, And so with them | did Sigurth ride, The Volsung young, | in battle valiant,-- Himself would have had her | if all he had seen.

Stanza 4The southern hero | his naked sword, Fair-flashing, let | between them lie; (Nor would he come | the maid to kiss;) The Hunnish king | in his arms ne'er held The maiden he gave | to Gjuki's sons.

Stanza 5Ill she had known not | in all her life, And nought of the sorrows | of men she knew; Blame she had not, | nor dreamed she should bear it, But cruel the fates | that among them came.

Stanza 6By herself at the end | of day she sat, And in open words | her heart she uttered: "I shall Sigurth have, | the hero young, E'en though within | my arms he die.

Stanza 7"The word I have spoken; | soon shall I rue it, His wife is Guthrun, | and Gunnar's am I; Ill Norns set for me | long desire."

Stanza 8Oft did she go | with grieving heart On the glacier's ice | at even-tide, When Guthrun then | to her bed was gone, And the bedclothes Sigurth | about her laid.

Stanza 9" (Now Gjuki's child | to her lover goes,) And the Hunnish king | with his wife is happy; Joyless I am | and mateless ever, Till cries from my heavy | heart burst forth."

Stanza 10In her wrath to battle | she roused herself: "Gunnar, now | thou needs must lose Lands of mine | and me myself, No joy shall I have | with the hero ever.

Stanza 11"Back shall I fare | where first I dwelt, Among the kin | that come of my race, To wait there, sleeping | my life away, If Sigurth's death | thou shalt not dare, (And best of heroes | thou shalt not be.)

Stanza 12"The son shall fare | with his father hence, And let not long | the wolf-cub live; Lighter to pay | is the vengeance-price After the deed | if the son is dead."

Stanza 13Sad was Gunnar, | and bowed with grief, Deep in thought | the whole day through; Yet from his heart | it was ever hid What deed most fitting | he should find, (Or what thing best | for him should be, Or if he should seek | the Volsung to slay, For with mighty longing | Sigurth he loved.)

Stanza 14Much he pondered | for many an hour; Never before | was the wonder known That a queen should thus | her kingdom leave; In counsel then | did he Hogni call, (For him in truest | trust he held.)

Stanza 15"More than all | to me is Brynhild, Buthli's child, | the best of women; My very life | would I sooner lose Than yield the love | of yonder maid.

Stanza 16"Wilt thou the hero | for wealth betray? 'Twere good to have | the gold of the Rhine, And all the hoard | in peace to hold, And waiting fortune | thus to win."

Stanza 17Few the words | of Hogni were: "Us it beseems not | so to do, To cleave with swords | the oaths we swore, The oaths we swore | and all our vows.

Stanza 18"We know no mightier | men on earth The while we four | o'er the folk hold sway, And while the Hunnish | hero lives, Nor higher kinship | the world doth hold.

Stanza 19"If sons we five | shall soon beget, Great, methinks, | our race shall grow; Well I see | whence lead the ways; Too bitter far | is Brynhild's hate."

Gunnar spake:

Stanza 20"Gotthorm to wrath | we needs must rouse, Our younger brother, | in rashness blind; He entered not | in the oaths we swore, The oaths we swore | and all our vows."

Stanza 21It was easy to rouse | the reckless one. . . . . . . . . . . The sword in the heart | of Sigurth stood.

Stanza 22In vengeance the hero | rose in the hall, And hurled his sword | at the slayer bold; At Gotthorm flew | the glittering steel Of Gram full hard | from the hand of the king.

Stanza 23The foeman cleft | asunder fell, Forward hands | and head did sink, And legs and feet | did backward fall.

Stanza 24Guthrun soft | in her bed had slept, Safe from care | at Sigurth's side; She woke to find | her joy had fled, In the blood of the friend | of Freyr she lay.

Stanza 25So hard she smote | her hands together That the hero rose up, | iron-hearted: "Weep not, Guthrun, | grievous tears, Bride so young, | for thy brothers live.

Stanza 26"Too young, methinks, | is my son as yet, He cannot flee | from the home of his foes; Fearful and deadly | the plan they found, The counsel new | that now they have heeded.

Stanza 27"No son will ride, | though seven thou hast, To the Thing as the son | of their sister rides; Well I see | who the ill has worked, On Brynhild alone | lies the blame for all.

Stanza 28"Above all men | the maiden loved me, Yet false to Gunnar | I ne'er was found; I kept the oaths | and the kinship I swore; Of his queen the lover | none may call me.

Stanza 29In a swoon she sank | when Sigurth died; So hard she smote | her hands together That all the cups | in the cupboard rang, And loud in the courtyard | cried the geese.

Stanza 30Then Brynhild, daughter | of Buthli, laughed, Only once, | with all her heart, When as she lay | full loud she heard The grievous wail | of Gjuki's daughter.

Stanza 31Then Gunnar, monarch | of men, spake forth: "Thou dost not laugh, | thou lover of hate, In gladness there, | or for aught of good; Why has thy face | so white a hue, Mother of ill? | Foredoomed thou art.

Stanza 32"A worthier woman | wouldst thou have been If before thine eyes | we had Atli slain; If thy brother's bleeding | body hadst seen And the bloody wounds | that thou shouldst End."

Brynhild spake:

Stanza 33"None mock thee, Gunnar! | thou hast mightily fought, But thy hatred little | doth Atli heed; Longer than thou, | methinks, shall he live, And greater in might | shall he ever remain.

Stanza 34"To thee I say, | and thyself thou knowest, That all these ills | thou didst early shape; No bonds I knew, | nor sorrow bore, And wealth I had | in my brother's home.

Stanza 35"Never a husband | sought I to have, Before the Gjukungs | fared to our land; Three were the kings | on steeds that came,-- Need of their journey | never there was.

Stanza 36"To the hero great | my troth I gave Who gold-decked sat | on Grani's back; Not like to thine | was the light of his eyes, (Nor like in form | and face are ye,) Though kingly both | ye seemed to be.

Stanza 37"And so to me | did Atli say That share in our wealth | I should not have, Of gold or lands, | if my hand I gave not; (More evil yet, | the wealth I should yield,) The gold that he | in my childhood gave me, (The wealth from him | in my youth I had.)

Stanza 38"Oft in my mind | I pondered much If still I should fight, | and warriors fell, Brave in my byrnie, | my brother defying; That would wide | in the world be known, And sorrow for many | a man would make.

Stanza 39"But the bond at last | I let be made, For more the hoard | I longed to have, The rings that the son | of Sigmund won; No other's treasure | e'er I sought.

Stanza 40"One-alone | of all I loved, Nor changing heart | I ever had; All in the end | shall Atli know, When he hears I have gone | on the death-road hence."

Stanza 41"Never a wife | of fickle will Yet to another | man should yield. . . . . . . . . . . So vengence for all | my ills shall come."

Stanza 42Up rose Gunnar, | the people's ruler, And flung his arms | round her neck so fair; And all who came, | of every kind, Sought to hold her | with all their hearts.

Stanza 43But back she cast | all those who came, Nor from the long road | let them hold her; In counsel then | did he Hogni call: "Of wisdom now | full great is our need.

Stanza 44"Let the warriors here | in the hall come forth, Thine and mine, | for the need is mighty, If haply the queen | from death they may hold, Till her fearful thoughts | with time shall fade."

Stanza 45(Few the words | of Hogni were:) "From the long road now | shall ye hold her not, That born again | she may never be! Foul she came | from her mother forth, And born she was | for wicked deeds, (Sorrow to many | a man to bring.)"

Stanza 46From the speaker gloomily | Gunnar turned, For the jewel-bearer | her gems was dividing; On all her wealth | her eyes were gazing, On the bond-women slain | and the slaughtered slaves.

Stanza 47Her byrnie of gold | she donned, and grim Was her heart ere the point | of her sword had pierced it; On the pillow at last | her head she laid, And, wounded, her plan | she pondered o'er.

Stanza 48"Hither I will | that my women come Who gold are fain | from me to get; Necklaces fashioned | fair to each Shall I give, and cloth, | and garments bright."

Stanza 49Silent were all | as so she spake, And all together | answer made: "Slain are enough; | we seek to live, Not thus thy women | shall honor win."

Stanza 50Long the woman, | linen-decked, pondered,-- --Young she was,-- | and weighed her words: "For my sake now | shall none unwilling Or loath to die | her life lay down.

Stanza 51"But little of gems | to gleam on your limbs Ye then shall find | when forth ye fare To follow me, | or of Menja's wealth. . . . . . . . . . .

Stanza 52"Sit now, Gunnar! | for I shall speak Of thy bride so fair | and so fain to die; Thy ship in harbor | home thou hast not, Although my life | I now have lost.

Stanza 53"Thou shalt Guthrun requite | more quick than thou thinkest, . . . . . . . . . . Though sadly mourns | the maiden wise Who dwells with the king, | o'er her husband dead.

Stanza 54"A maid shall then | the mother bear; Brighter far | than the fairest day Svanhild shall be, | or the beams of the sun.

Stanza 55"Guthrun a noble | husband thou givest, Yet to many a warrior | woe will she bring, Not happily wedded | she holds herself; Her shall Atli | hither seek, (Buthli's son, | and brother of mine.)

Stanza 56"Well I remember | how me ye treated When ye betrayed me | with treacherous wiles; . . . . . . . . . . Lost was my joy | as long as I lived.

Stanza 57"Oddrun as wife | thou fain wouldst win, But Atli this | from thee withholds; Yet in secret tryst | ye twain shall love; She shall hold thee dear, | as I had done If kindly fate | to us had fallen.

Stanza 58"Ill to thee | shall Atli bring, When he casts thee down | in the den of snakes.

Stanza 59"But soon thereafter | Atli too His life, methinks, | as thou shalt lose, (His fortune lose | and the lives of his sons;) Him shall Guthrun, | grim of heart, With the biting blade | in his bed destroy.

Stanza 60"It would better beseem | thy sister fair To follow her husband | first in death, If counsel good | to her were given, Or a heart akin | to mine she had.

Stanza 61"Slowly I speak,-- | but for my sake Her life, methinks, | she shall not lose; She shall wander over | the tossing waves, To where Jonak rules | his father's realm.

Stanza 62"Sons to him | she soon shall bear, Heirs therewith | of Jonak's wealth; But Svanhild far | away is sent, The child she bore | to Sigurth brave.

Stanza 63"Bikki's word | her death shall be, For dreadful the wrath | of Jormunrek; So slain is all | of Sigurth's race, And greater the woe | of Guthrun grows.

Stanza 64"Yet one boon | I beg of thee, The last of boons | in my life it is: Let the pyre be built | so broad in the field That room for us all | will ample be, (For us who slain | with Sigurth are.)

Stanza 65"With shields and carpets | cover the pyre, . . . . . . . . . . Shrouds full fair, | and fallen slaves, And besides the Hunnish | hero burn me.

Stanza 66"Besides the Hunnish | hero there Slaves shall burn, | full bravely decked, Two at his head | and two at his feet, A brace of hounds | and a pair of hawks, For so shall all | be seemly done.

Stanza 67"Let between us | lie once more The steel so keen, | as so it lay When both within | one bed we were, And wedded mates | by men were called.

Stanza 68"The door of the hall | shall strike not the heel Of the hero fair | with flashing rings, If hence my following | goes with him; Not mean our faring | forth shall be.

Stanza 69"Bond-women five | shall follow him, And eight of my thralls, | well-born are they, Children with me, | and mine they were As gifts that Buthli | his daughter gave.

Stanza 70"Much have I told thee, | and more would say If fate more space | for speech had given; My voice grows weak, | my wounds are swelling; Truth I have said, | and so I die."