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Völuspá (Prophecy of the Volva, Prophecy of
the Seeress) is the first and best known poem of the
Poetic Edda. It tells the story of the creation of the world and its
coming end related by a völva or seeress addressing Odin. It is one
of the most important primary sources for the study of Norse
mythology. The poem is preserved whole in the Codex Regius and
Hauksbók manuscripts while parts of it are quoted in the Prose Edda.
This is Benjamin Thorpe's English
translation.
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. The sun from the south, the moon´s
companion, her right hand cast about the heavenly
horses. The sun knew not where she a dwelling had, the moon
knew not what power he possessed, the stars knew not where
they had a station.
6. Then went the power all to their
judge-ment 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.
7. The Æsir 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;
8. 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.
9. Then went all the powers to their
judgement-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 Mötsognir created greatest of
all the dwarfs, and Durin second; there in man’s
likeness they created many dwarfs from the earth, as Durin
said.
11. Nýi and Nidi, Nordri and Sudri, Asutri
and Vestri, Althiöf, Dvalin Nár and Náin, Niping,
Dáin, Bivör, Bavör, Bömbur, Nori, An and Anar, Ai,
Miödvitnir,
12. Veig and Gandálf, Vindálf,
Thráin, Thekk and Thorin, Thror, Vitr, and Litr, Núr and
Nýrád, Regin and Rádsvid. Now of the dwarfs I have rightly
told.
13. Fili, Kili, Fundin, Nali, Hepti,
Vili, Hanar, Svior, Billing, Bruni, Bild, Búri, Frár,
Hornbori, Fræg and Lóni, 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
Dólgthrasir, Hár, Haugspori, Hlævang, Glói, Skirvir,
Virvir, Skafid, Ai, Alf and Yngvi, Eikinskialdi,
16. Fjalar and Frosti, Finn and
Ginnar, Heri, Höggstari, Hliódolf, Móin: 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 Hoenir, 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 fallæ 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, - 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 eyes she
gazed.
22. “Of what wouldst thou ask 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
sheild, Skögul was second, then Gunn, Hild, Göndul, and
Geirskögul. 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 brough her
forth, oft not seldom; yet she still lives.
26. Heidi they called her, whithersoe´r she
came, the well-forseeing Vala: wolves she tamed, magic arts
she knew, magic arts practised; ever was she the joy of
evil people.
27. Then went the powers all to their
judgement-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, forseeing conflict tramp oér 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
judgement-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 Iárnvidir,
Fenrir´s progeny: of all shall be one especially the
moon’s devourer, in a troll’s semblance.
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; and another
stood in Okolnir, the Jötuns beer-hall which Brimir
hight.
42. She saw a hall standing, far from the
sun, in Náströnd; 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 fight, 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, sheilds will 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 Gjallar-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.
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 flickering
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 peirce to the heart of the giant’s
son: then avenges he his father.
55. Then comes the mighty son of
Hlódyn: (Odin’s son goes with the monster to
fight); Midgárd´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, 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 Fjölnir´s
race.
60. Unsown shall the fields bring
forth, all evil be amended; Baldr shall come; Hödr 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
judgement, the powerful from above, who rules o’er all. He
shall dooms pronounce, and strifes allay, holy peace
establish, which shall ever be.
**********************
65. There comes the dark dragon flying from
beneath, the glistening serpent, from Nida-fells. On his
wings bears Nidhögg, flying oér the plain, a corpse. Now
she will descend.
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