THE COMPARATIVe VǪLUSPÁ
Stanzas 10-12
Joseph S. Hopkins for Mimisbrunnr.info, August 2022
The present page consists of an entry of Mimisbrunnr.info’s The Comparative Vǫluspá. The Mimisbrunnr.info team designed The Comparative Vǫluspá as a resource to assist in the study of both the poem and its English language translations. You can read about the project’s approach and goals here.
The Comparative Vǫluspá features six public domain English editions of Vǫluspá presented in reverse chronological order, specifically those of Lee M. Hollander (first edition, 1928), Henry Adams Bellows (1923), Olive Bray (1908), Guðbrandur Vigfússon and York Powell (1883), Benjamin Thorpe (1866), and Sharon Turner (1836). We precede these with Gustav Neckel’s 1914 Old Norse edition of the poem, which is also in the public domain in the United States, and which we’ve used as a basis for the project’s stanza order.
Please note that if this is your first encounter with the poem, The Comparative Vǫluspá can serve as an introduction, but you stand to benefit from Carolyne Larrington’s revised edition (2014) as your foundation. Not only do Larrington’s notes reflect contemporary scholarship but her revised edition contains two separate translations of the poem from two notably different manuscripts of the poem. Translators often combine these manuscripts and this can lead to significant confusion for non-specialists.
STANZA 10:
Þar var Mótsognir
x. Neckel’s Old Norse edition, 1914:
Þar var Mótsognir mæstr um orðinn
dverga allra, en Durinn annarr;
þeir manlíkon mǫrg um gørðo,
dvergar, ór iǫrðo, sem Durinn sagði.
Mótsognir rose, mightiest ruler
of the kin of dwarfs, but Durin next;
molded many manlike bodies
the dwarfs under the earth, as Durin bade them.
There was Motsognir the mightiest made
Of all the dwarfs, and Durin next;
Many a likeness of men they made,
The dwarfs in the earth, as Durin said.
Mead-drinker then was made the highest,
but Durin second of all the dwarfs;
and out of the earth these twain-shaped beings
in form like man, as Durin bade.
c. Guðbrandur Vigfússon & York Powell, 1883:
Not included in translation. See Guðbrandur & York Powell 1883: 192.
Then was Môtsognir created greatest
of all the dwarfs, and Durin second;
there in man's likeness they created many
dwarfs from earth, as Durin said.
a. Turner, 1836:
There Motsogner obtained the pre-eminence
Of all the Duerga. Durin, the next.
They made many images of men,
Dwarfs on the earth, as During said.
STANZA 11:
Nýi ok Niði
x. Neckel’s Old Norse edition, 1914:
Nýi ok Niði, Norði ok Suðri,
Austri ok Vestri, Alðiofr, Dvalinn,
Bifurr, Bǫfurr, Bǫmburr, Nóri,
Ánn ok Ánarr, Ái, Miǫðvitnir.
Nýi and Nithi, Northri and Suthri,
Austri and Vestri, Althíof, Dvalin,
Nár and Náïn, Niping, Dáïn,
Bífur, Bófur, Bombur, Nóri,
Án and Ónar, Áï, Miothvitnir.
Nyi and Nithi, Northri and Suthri,
Austri and Vestri, Althjof, Dvalin,
Nar and Nain, Niping, Dain,
Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Nori,
An and Onar, Ai, Mjothvitnir.
d. Bray, 1908:
New Moon, Waning-moon, All-thief, Dallier,
North and South and East and West.
Corpse-like, Death-like, Niping, Daïnn,
Bifur, Bafur, Bombur, Nori,
Ann and Onar, Aï, Mead-wolf.
c. Guðbrandur Vigfússon & York Powell, 1883:
Not included in translation. See Guðbrandur & York Powell 1883: 192.
Nyi and Nidi, Nordri and Sudri,
Austri and Vestri, Althiof, Dvalin
Nâr and Nâin, Niping, Dâin,
Bivör, Bavör, Bömbur, Nori,
An and Anar, Ai, Miödvitnir,
Nor and Nidi; the northern; the southern;
The east; the west; the hidden Althiofi,
Bivor and Bavor; Bumber; Nori,
An, and Anar; Ae; the mead of knowledge.
STANZA 12:
Veigr ok Gandálfr
x. Neckel’s Old Norse edition, 1914:
Veigr ok Gandálfr, Vindálfr, Þráinn,
Þekkr ok Þorrin, Þror, Vitr, ok Litr,
Nár ok Nýráðr – nú hefi ek dverga
– Reginn ok Ráðsviðr – rétt um talða.
Vigg and Gandalf, Vindalf, Thráïn,
Thekk and Thorin, Thrór, Vit, and Lit,
Nýr and Regin, Nýráth and Ráthsvith;
now is reckoned the roster of dwarfs.
Vigg and Gandalf, Vindalf, Thrain,
Thekk and Thorin, Thror, Vit and Lit,
Nyr and Nyrath, — now have I told —
Regin and Rathsvith — the list aright.
d. Bray, 1908:
Vigg and Wand-elf, Wind-elf, Thrainn,
Thekk and Thorin, Thror, Vit, and Lit,
Nyr and Regin, New-counsel, Wise-counsel,—
now have I numbered the dwarfs aright.
c. Guðbrandur Vigfússon & York Powell, 1883:
Not included in translation. See Guðbrandur & York Powell 1883: 192.
Veig and Gandalf, Vindálf, Thrâin
Thekk and Thorin, Thrôr, Vitr, and Litr,
Nûr and Nýrâd, Regin and Râdsvid.
Now of the dwarfs I have rightly told.
Veigur and Gandalfur; Vindalfur; Thraim;
Theckur; Thorinn; Thror; Litur and Vitur;
Nar and Nyradur. Now I have the dwarfs,
The violent and the placid, rightly enumerated.