“The Vala’s Prophecy”:
Benjamin Thorpe’s 1866 Translation
of the Old Norse Poem Vǫluspá

Joseph S. Hopkins for Mimisbrunnr.info, March 29, 2022.

Given its age, readers may be surprised to find how well Benjamin Thorpe’s 1866 translation of the Poetic Edda holds up when compared to modern translations. For more information on Thorpe’s translation of the Poetic Edda, see his translation’s Eddic to English entry here.

Edition & Transcription Comments

The present transcription derives form the following edition:

Thorpe, Benjamin. 1866. Edda Sæmundar hinns Frôða: The Edda of Sæmund the Learned, p. 1-11. London: Trübner & Co. Read online at Archive.org.

Please note that the stanza order found in the below transcription reflects that of Thorpe’s, including the jump from stanza 62 to 64.

TRANSCRIPTION

P. 1

INTRODUCTION

to the Völuspá.

~~~~

As introductory to the Völuspá, the following description of a wandering Vala or prophetess may be thought both desirable and interesting: “We find them present at the birth of children, when they seem to represent the Norns. They acquired their knowledge either by means of seid, during the night, while the others in the house were sleeping, and uttered their oracles in the morning; or they received sudden inspiration during the singing of certain songs appropriated to the purpose, without which the sorcery could not perfectly succeed. These seid-women were common over all the North. When invited by the master of a family, they appeared in a peculiar costume, sometimes with a considerable number of followers, e.g. with fifteen young men and fifteen girls. For their soothsaying they received money, gold rings, and other precious things. Sometimes it was necessary to compel them to prophesy. An old description such a Vala, who went from guild to guild telling fortunes, will give the best idea of these women and their proceedings” —

“Thorbiörg, nicknamed the little Vala, during the winter attended the guilds, at the invitation of those who desired to know their fate, or the quality of the coming year. Everything was prepared in the most sumptuous manner for her reception. There was an

P. 2

elevated seat, on which lay a cushion stuffed with feathers. A man was sent to meet her. She came in the evening dressed in a blue mantle fastened with thongs and set with stones down to the lap; round her neck she had a necklace of glass beads, on her head a hood of black lambskin lined with white catskin in her hand a staff, the head of which was mounted with brass and ornamented with stones; round her body she wore a girdle of agaric (knöske), from which hung a bag containing her conjuring apparatus; on her feet were rough calfskin shoes with long ties and tin buttons, on her hands catskin gloves, white and hairy within. All bade her welcome with a reverent salutation; the master himself conducted her by the hand to her seat. She undertook no prophecy on the first day, but would pass a night there. In the evening of the following day she ascended her elevated seat, caused the women to place themselves round her, and desired them to sing certain songs, which they did in a strong, clear voice. She then prophesied of the coming year, and afterwards, all that would advanced and asked her such questions as they thought proper, to which they received plain answers.” Northern Mythology I. p. 214. Den Ældre Edda I. p. 6.

___

In the following grand and ancient lay, dating most probably front he time of heathenism, are set forth, as the utterances of a Vala, or wandering prophetess, as above described, the story of the creation of the world from chaos, of the origin of the giants, the gods, the dwarfs, and the human race, together with other events relating to the mythology of the North, and ending with the destruction of the gods and the world, and their renewal.

~~~

P. 3

Völuspâ.

___

The Vala’s Prophecy.

For silence I pray all sacred children,
great and small, sons of Heimdall*.
they will that I Valfather's deeds recount,
men's ancient saws, those that I best remember.

The Jötuns I remember early born,
those who me of old have reared.
I nine worlds remember, nine trees,*
the great central tree*, beneath the earth.

There was in times of old, where Ymir dwelt,
nor sand nor sea, nor gelid waves;
earth existed not, nor heaven above,
'twas a chaotic chasm, and grass nowhere,

before Bur's sons raised up heaven's vault,
they who the noble mid-earth shaped.
The sun shone from the south over the structure's rocks:
then was the earth begrown with herbage green.

The sun from the south, the moon's companion,
her right hand cast about the heavenly horses.
The sun knew not

___
1) In the Rigsmâl we are informed how Heimdall, under the name of Rig, became the progenitor of the three orders of mankind.
2) See Index, v. Iviðjur, and Yggdrasill.
3) Miötviðr. See Index.

P. 4

where she* a dwelling had,
the moon knew not what power he possessed,
the stars knew not where they had a station.

Then went the powers all to their judgment-seats,
the all-holy gods, and thereon held council:
to night and to the waning moon gave names;
morn they named, and mid-day,
afternoon and eve, whereby to reckon years.

The Æir met on Ida's plain;
they altar-steads and temples high constructed;
their strength they proved, all things tried,
furnaces established, precious things forged,
formed tongs, and fabricated tools;

at tables played at home; joyous they were;
to them was naught the want of gold,
until there came Thurs-maidens three,
all powerful, from Jötunheim.

Then went all the powers to their judgment-seats,
the all-holy gods, and thereon held council,
who should of the dwarfs the race create,
from the sea-giant's blood and livid bones.

10.

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.

11.

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,

12.

Veig and Gandalf, Vindálf, Thrâin
Thekk and Thorin, Thrôr, Vitr, and Litr,
Nûr and Nýrâd, Regin and Râdsvid.

___
1) In the Germanic tongues, as in the Semitic, the sun is fem., the moon masc.
2) i. e. the earth's.

P. 5

Now of the dwarfs I have rightly told.

13.

Fili, Kili, Fundin, Nali,
Hepti, Vili, Hanar, Svîor,
Billing, Bruni, Bild, Bûri,
Frâr, Hornbori, Fræg and Lôni,
Aurvang, Iari, Eikinskialdi.

14.

Time 'tis of the dwarfs in Dvalin's band,
to the sons of men, to Lofar up to reckon,
those who came forth from the world's rock,
earth's foundation, to Iora's plains.

15.

There were Draupnir, and Dôlgthrasir,
Hâr, Haugspori, Hlævang, Glôi,
Skirvir, Virvir, Skafid, Ai,
Alf and Yngvi, Eikinskialdi,

16.

Fialar and Frosti, Finn and Ginnar
Heri, Höggstari, Hliôdôlf, Môin:
that above shall, while mortals live,
the progeny of Lofar,

accounted be.

***

17.

Until there came three mighty and benevolent
Æsir to the world from their assembly.
They found on earth, nearly powerless,
Ask and Embla, void of destiny.

18.

Spirit they possessed not, sense they had not,
blood nor motive powers, nor goodly colour.
Spirit gave Odin, sense gave Hœnir,
blood gave Lodur, and goodly colour.

19.

I know an ash standing Yggdrasil hight,
a lofty tree, laved with limpid water:
thence come the dews into the dales that fall;
ever stands it green over Urd's fountain.

20.

Thence come maidens, much knowing,
three from the hall, which under that tree stands;
Urd hight the one, the second Verdandi, —

P. 6

on a tablet they graved — *
Skuld the third. Laws they established,
life allotted to the sons of men; destinies pronounced.

21.

Alone she* sat without,
when came that ancient dread
Æsir’s prince;
and in his eye she gazed.

22.

"Of what wouldst thou ask me? Why temptest thou me?
Odin! I know all, where thou thine eye didst
sink in the pure well of Mim.
Mim drinks mead each morn from Valfather's pledge.*
Understand ye yet, or what?

23.

The chief of hosts gave her rings and necklace,
useful discourse, and a divining spirit:
wide and far she saw o'er every world.

24.

She the Valkyriur saw from afar coming,
ready to ride to the gods' people:
Skuld held a shield, Skogul was second,
then Gunn, Hild, Gondul, and Geirskogul.
Now are enumerated Herian's maidens,
the Valkyriur, ready over the earth to ride.

25.

She that war remembers the first on earth,
when Gullveig* they with lances pierced,
and in the high one's* hall her burnt,
thrice burnt, thrice brought her forth,
oft not seldom; yet she still lives.

26.

Heidi they called her, whithersoe'r she came,
the well-foreseeing Vala: wolves she tamed,

___
l.) This line seems introduced for the sake of alliterating with the following one —
skâru â skiði
Skuld ena þriðju:
Urd, Verdandi and Skulld, [sic] are the three Norns, or Fates.

2.) The Vala here speaks of herself in the third person.
3.) His eye; here understood to signify the sun.
4.) A personification of gold. With the introduction of gold was the end of the golden age.
5.) i.e. Odin's: his hall is the world.

P. 7

magic arts she knew, magic arts practised;
ever was she the joy of evil people.

27.

Then went the powers all to their judgment-seats,
the all-holy gods, and thereon held council,
whether the Æsir should avenge the crime,*
or all the gods receive atonement.

28.

Broken was the outer wall of the Æsir's burgh,
The Vanir, foreseeing conflict tramp o'er the plains,
Odin cast [his spear], and mid the people hurled it:
that was the first warfare in the world.

* * *

29.

Then went the powers all to their judgment-seats,
the all-holy gods, and thereon held council:
who had all the air with evil mingled?
or to the Jötun race Od's maid had given?

30.

There alone was Thor with anger swollen.
He seldom sits, when of the like he hears.
Oaths are not held sacred; nor words, nor swearing,
nor binding compacts reciprocally made.

31.

She knows that Heimdall's horn is hidden
under the heaven-bright holy tree.
A river she sees flow, with foamy fall,
from Valfather's pledge. Understand ye yet, or what?*

32.

East sat the crone, in Iârnvidir,*
and there reared up Fenrir's progeny:
of all shall be one especially
the moon's devourer, in a troll's semblance.*

___
1.) Of introducing the use of gold.
2.) This strophe appears unconnected both with the preceding and the following one; at the same time, we ought not perhaps to assume a chasm in the poem whenever we find an abrupt transition, but rather to regard such abruptness as a characteristic of similar compositions.
3.) i.e. Ironwood apparently a proper name.
4.) Managarm. See Index.

P. 8

33.

He is sated with the last breath of dying men;
the gods’ seat he with red gore defiles:
swart is the sunshine then for summers after;
all weather turns to storm. Understand ye yet, or what?

34.

There on a height sat, striking a harp,
the giantess's watch, the joyous Egdir;
by him crowed, in the bird-wood,
the bright red cock, which Fialar hight.

35.

Crowed o'er the Æsir Gullinkambi,
which wakens heroes with the sire of hosts;
but another crows beneath the earth,
a soot-red cock, in the halls of Hel.

36.

I saw of Baldr, the blood-stained god.
Odin’s son, the hidden fate.
There stood grown up, high on the plain,
slender and passing fair, the mistletoe.

37.

From that shrub was made, as to me it seemed,
a deadly, noxious dart. Hödr shot it forth;*
But Frigg bewailed, in Fensalir,
Valhall’s calamity. Understand ye yet, or what?

38.

Bound she saw lying, under Hveralund,*
a monstrous form, to Loki like.
There sits Sigyn, for her consort's sake,
not right glad. Understand ye yet, or what?

39.

Then the Vala knew
the fatal bonds were twisting,
most rigid,
bonds from entrails made.

40.

From the east a river falls,
through venom dales,
with mire and clods,*
Slid is its name.

41.

On the north there stood,
on Nida-fells, a hall of gold,
for Sindri's race;

___
1.) After his line some Mss. insert Strophe 11. of the Vegtamskvida, where it seems more properly to belong.
2.) The hot spring's grove.
3.) Or, according to another reading, swords, which is the one admitted in the texts of the original.

P. 9

and another stood in Ôkôlnir,
the Jötuns beer-hall which Brimir* hight.

42.

She saw a hall standing, far from the sun,
in Nâströnd; its doors are northward turned
venom-drops fall in through its apertures:
entwined is that hall with serpent's backs.

43.

She there saw wading the sluggish streams
bloodthirsty men and perjurers,
and him who the ear beguiles
of another's wife. There Nidhögg sucks
the corpses of the dead; the wolf tears men.
Understand ye yet, or what?

44.

Further forward I see,
much can I say of Ragnarök
and the gods' conflict.

45.

Brothers shall light, and slay each other;
cousins shall kinship violate.
The earth resounds, the giantesses flee;
no man will another spare.

46.

Hard is it in the world, great whoredom,
an axe age, a sword age, shields shall be cloven,
a wind age, a wolf age, ere the world sinks.

47.

Mim's sons dance, but the central tree takes fire,*
at the resounding Giallar-horn. Loud blows Heimdall,
his horn is raised; Odin speaks with Mim's head.

48.

Trembles Yggdrasil's ash yet standing;
groans that aged tree, and the jötun* is loosed.
Loud bays Garm before the Gnupa-cave,
his bonds he rends asunder; and the wolf runs.

___
1.) Rask understands Brimir to be the name of the giant (jötun) to whom, the drinking hall belonged, and not the name of the hall itself: in which case who must be substituted for which. In Snorri's Edda, it is evidently understood as the name of the hall. See p. 75. edit. Rask.
2.) See Str. 2.
3.) Loki.

P. 10

49.

Hrym steers from the east, the waters rise,
the mundane snake is coiled in jötun-rage.
The worm beats the water, and the eagle screams:
the pale of beak tears carcases; Naglfar is loosed,

50.

That ship fares from the east:
come will Muspell's people o'er the sea,
and Loki steers. The monster's kin goes
all with the wolf; with them the brother is
of Byleist on their course.

51.

Surt from the south comes
with nickering flame; shines from his sword
the Val-god's sun.
The stony hills are dashed together,
the giantesses totter;
men tread the path of Hel,
and heaven is cloven.

52.

How is it with the Æsir? How with the Alfar?
All Jötunheim resounds; the Æsir are in council.
The dwarfs groan before their stony doors,
the sages of the rocky walls. Understand ye yet, or what?

53.

Then arises Hlin's second grief,
when Odin goes with the wolf to fight,
and the bright slayer of Beli with Surt.
Then will Frigg's beloved fall.

54.

Then comes the great victor-sire's son,
Vidar, to fight with the deadly beast.
He with his hands will make his sword pierce
to the heart of the giant's son:*
then avenges he his father.

55.

Then comes the mighty son of Hlôdyn:
(Odin's son goes with the monster to fight);
Midgârd's Veor in his rage will slay the worm.
Nine feet will go Fiörgyn's son,
bowed by the serpent, who feared no foe.
All men will their homes forsake.

56.

The sun darkens, earth in ocean sinks,
fall from heaven the bright stars,
fire's breath assails the all-nourishing tree,

___
1.) Loki.

P. 11

towering fire plays against heaven itself.

57.

She sees arise, a second time,
earth from ocean, beauteously green,
waterfalls descending; the eagle flying over,
which in the fell captures fish.

58.

The Æsir meet on Ida’s plain,
and of the mighty earth-encircler speak,
and there to memory call their mighty deeds,
and the supreme god’s* ancient lore.

59.

There shall again the wondrous
golden tables in the grass be found,
which in days of old had possessed
the ruler of the gods, and Fiölnir's race.

60.

Unsown shall the fields bring forth,
all evil be amended; Baldr shall come;
Hodr and Baldr, the heavenly gods,
Hropt's glorious dwellings shall inhabit.
Understand ye yet, or what?

61.

Then can Hoenir choose his lot,*
and the two brother's sons inhabit
the spacious Vindheim.
Understand ye yet, or what?

62.

She a hall sees standing than the sun brighter,
with gold bedecked, in Gimill:
there shall the righteous people dwell,
and for evermore happiness enjoy.

64.

Then comes the mighty one
to the great judgment, the powerful from above,
who rules o'er all. He shall dooms pronounce,
and strifes allay, holy peace establish,
which shall ever be.