Saleem drápa inn hersir (Updated 5/24/11)

This poem was written in honor of a very good friend of mine, Saleem ibn Alefan, who is battling cancer.  It is in trolls háttar (trolls verse) which is further explained in the notes at the end.  As usual, you can hear it here.  A translation and notes follow the poem.

Austrímaðr kvómu at svans þróttar

ara-hreiðar með inn-friðstóll 

trollsligr fjánd-flokkr traust-lig dýanði

treysti eyði-mörk af heims-stýr

hreins braut elgvers hringa gol stríðr

hraust-ligr bíðja lýsing-leiðar

fylgjað lind þá fagrla lins sœt -

folkstar-holm umm þinn ríki blómgað.

Ein-þykkr bardag unnglauss borgar 

á-rás fulla-landherr gulla

skem eggþrimu skipað þrályndr

á skáld-kunnr sigri göfug ligir.

sigrir hodd-eld sendir saddi

signað búland koffort fullu

aldr-bót kváðu ask-þoll auðgan

allr mó-hagþorns sinn namn dagligr.

skeggjaðr hersir stöndum

stiklír fyrir hyr-hranna

gunn-drengr spjotar göra

góma fólkið soma

Silki-Sólu sveiging heið-verði

snilldar-bragð með dustrað dagsan.

Œskí-Nirðír ál-grimmr firverða

íss-Hlakks stál-harðr af þín ál-skarpr.

(tand-rauðr) fræðið (targar smíð ok)

tignar-randmeðir margs (brandar);

ást-menn fengu ok átt gang-mikit.

áru embætti margs þú fræmjað.

þín ölbærð er al-kunna hór-vetna

öl-söngva þín há-salar hringt með 

Brik hans geyma brjósti semð-ást 

baug þín salar með at al-kyrr.

Innan róg ok randa bóði

hrafna-hersir ströngust ert þú.

þú ert þóll-brandr bezta kenna

þín born mala-berg þín aldr-bót

skeggjaðr hersir stöndum

stiklír fyrir hyr-hranna

gunn-drengr spjotar göra

góma fólkið soma

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Verse One

Austrímaðr kvómu at svans þróttar

ara-hreiðar með inn-friðstóll 

trollsligr fjánd-flokkr traust-lig dýanði

treysti eyði-mörk af heims-stýr

hreins braut elgvers hringa gol stríðr

hraust-ligr bíðja lýsing-leiðar

fylgjað lind þá fagrla lins sœt -

folkstar-holm umm þinn ríki blómgað.

Prose order:

Austrímaðr kvómu at svans þróttar, ara-hreiðar með inn-friðstóll.  Traust-lig dýanði trollsligr fjánd-flokkr treysti eyði-mörk af heims-stýr. Braut hreins elgvers bíðja lýsing-leiðar fylgjad fagrla þá {með} lind-lins sœt, hraust-ligr gol-hringa stríðr - folk-star-holm umm þinn ríki blómgað.  

Prose translation:

The Eastern man came to the raven´s [svan þróttar  “swan of þróttar“ <= Óðinn >RAVEN] nest with the chair of peace.  Firmly fighting trollish armies [fjánd-flokkr “foes-flock“ > ARMY], he made the wilderness safe for the Crown [heims-stýr “world-ruler“  CROWN]. The broken land [hreins elgvers “pure elksea’ > LAND] begged for guidance.  You with the sweet woman [lind-lins “linden of the linen“ > WOMAN] guided them fairly bold generous lord [hringa gol stríðr “Woe of the gold ring” > GENEROUS LORD].  Ravens’ [folk-star *war-starlings* > RAVENS] home prospered under your rule.  

Verse Two

Ein-þykkr bardag unnglauss borgar 

á-rás fulla-landherr gulla

skem eggþrimu skipað þrályndr

á skáld-kunnr sigri göfug ligir.

sigrir hodd-eld sendir saddi

signað búland koffort fullu

aldr-bót kváðu ask-þoll auðgan

allr mó-hagþorns sinn namn dagligr.

Prose order:

Ein-þykkr unnglauss bardag borgar brályndr skipað fulla-landherr skem eggþrímu á skáld-kunnr göfugöligir sigri.  Hodd-eld sendir sigrir saddi signað búland koffort fullu.  Aldr-bót ask-þoll auðgan mó-hagþorns allr kváðu sinn namn dagligr.

Prose translation:

Determined warrior [bardag “battle-day” +  unnglauss borgar  “Fearless-burgher” > WARRIOR] stubbornly commanded his full army [landherr “land-people” > ARMY] in brief bloody battles [eggþrimu “edge thunder” > BATTLE] to storied [skáld-kunnr “skald-known” > STORIED] glorious victories.  The generous man’s [hodd-eld sendir  “horde-fire dispenser” > gold giver > GENEROUS MAN] victories fully filled the blessed homeland’s coffers.  His fame [aldr-bót  “ancient bettering” > FAME] spread throughout the sylvan [ask-þoll auðgan “ash-tree rich”] realm [mó-hagþorns “hawthorn’s moor” > LAND]- all spoke his name daily.

Stef/Refrain

skeggjaðr hersir stöndum

stiklír fyrir hyr-hranna

gunn-drengr spjotar göra

góma fólkið soma

Prose Order:

grár-skeggjaðr hersir stöndum fyrir stiklír hyr-hranna.  allt-fólkið góma-spjot göra-soma gunn-drengr

Prose Translation:

bearded chieftain stands before the King [stiklír hyr-hranna  “thrower of fire-waves” > GOLD > GENEROUS RULER > KING].  All folk´s tongues [góma-spjotar ”palate spears” > TONGUES] do honor to you, warrior.

Verse Three

Silki-Sólu sveiging heið-verði

snilldar-bragð með dustrað dagsan.

Œskí-Nirðír ál-grimmr firverða

íss-Hlakks stál-harðr af þín ál-skarpr.

(tand-rauðr) fræðið (targar smíð ok)

tignar-randmeðir margs (brandar);

ást-menn fengu ok átt gang-mikit.

áru embætti margs þú fræmjað.

Prose Order:

dustrað víd snilldar-bragð dagsanna sveiging silki-Sólu heið-verði.  Œski-Nirðír drengligr firverða af þín íss-Hlakkr ál-grimmr al-skarpr.  Margs tignar-randmeðir fræði. Margs targar [ok] brandar smíðað.  Margs áru fræmjað embætti.  Margs ást-menn fengu ok átt.

Prose translation:

You fought with total [dagsanna “true as day” > COMPLETE] prowess for the honor of the swaying woman [silki-Sólu “silk-Sól > WOMAN].  Brave men fell to your fiercesome very sharp sword [blóðiss “blood-ice” > SWORD].  Many noble fighters you trained.  Many golden blades and helms you smithed.  Many friends you gained and kept.  Many years you spent in service. 

Verse Four

þín ölbærð er al-kunna hór-vetna

öl-söngva þín há-salar hringt með 

Brik hans geyma brjósti semð-ást 

baug þín salar með at al-kyrr.

Innan róg ok randa bóði

hrafna-hersir ströngust ert þú.

þú ert þóll-brandr bezta kenna

þín born mala-berg þín aldr-bót

Prose order:

þín ölbærð er al-kunna hór-vetna.  þín há-salar hringt með öl-söngva. Brik baugs al-kyrr geyma salar þín með ást-semð at hans brjósti.  At randa róg ok bóði  þú ert hrafna-hersir hrað-ferr.  þú ert brand-þóllr bezta kenna.  þín born mala-berg þín aldr-bót.

Prose Translation:

Your generosity is known everywhere. Your high hall rings with old songs.  Your peaceful wife [Brik baugs “Plank of the Ring” > WOMAN ⁄ WIFE], keeps your house with love in her heart. In the battle [róg-randa “shield strife” > BATTLE] or in the hall, you are the strongest champion that has been in Raven’s heim.  You are the finest man [brand-þóllr “brand-tree” > MAN] I know.  Your children echo your fame [aldr-bót  “ancient bettering” > FAME].  

Notes:

This verse is written in trolls-háttr, “trolls-verse”.  Troll’s verse-form is a type of hrynhendi, which features an eight-syllable line, but is otherwise like drottkvaett, in that there is alliteration and internal rhyme.  In troll’s verse, according to Snorri, there are hluthendur (middle of the line rhymes) in all lines and three ordinary syllables follow each of these rhyme syllables, and the half rhymes and full rhymes and alliteration go as in hrynhenda (flowing rhyme).  In the verse below, the hluthendur are boldfaced.  The three following syllable requirement forces the rhyming syllables to the 3rd and 7th syllables of each line.

Vol. 3. Snorri Sturluson, Háttatal, 63 (ed. Kari Ellen Gade)

Stála kendi støkkvilundum
styrjar valdi rauðu falda,
rekkar stýrðu rétt til jarðar
roðnu barði, austan fjarðar;
oddum rendi eljunstrandir
ýta ferðar hringa skerðir,
hilmir stœrði hvǫssu sverði
heila grundar meginundir.  

The battle-ruler forced the steel-throwing trees [warriors] to put on red caps [gave them head wounds] to the east of the fiord.  Warriors steered straight to land their red-colored prow.  the damager of rings [generous lord] made points run onto the troops of men’s valour-strands [breasts].  The prince increased mighty wounds with keen sword on brains’ grounds [heads].