Alvíssmál
English translation by Henry Adams Bellows 1923
Alvis spake:
1. “Now shall the bride | my benches adorn,
And homeward haste forthwith;
Eager for wedlock | to all shall I seem,
Nor at home shall they rob me of rest.”
Thor spake:
2. “What, pray, art thou? | Why so pale round the nose?
By the dead hast thou lain of late?
To a giant like | dost thou look, methinks;
Thou wast not born for the bride.”
Alvis spake:
3. “Alvis am I, | and under the earth
My home ‘neath the rocks I have;
With the wagon-guider | a word do I seek,
Let the gods their bond not break.”
Thor spake:
4. “Break it shall I, | for over the bride
Her father has foremost right;
At home was I not | when the promise thou hadst,
And I give her alone of the gods.”
Alvis spake:
5. “What hero claims | such right to hold
O’er the bride that shines so bright?
Not many will know thee, | thou wandering man!
Who was bought with rings to bear thee?”
Thor spake:
6. “Vingthor, the wanderer | wide, am I,
And I am Sithgrani’s son;
Against my will | shalt thou get the maid,
And win the marriage word.”
Alvis spake:
7. “Thy good-will now | shall I quickly get,
And win the marriage word;
I long to have, | and I would not lack,
This snow-white maid for mine.”
Thor spake:
8. “The love of the maid | I may not keep thee
From winning, thou guest so wise,
If of every world | thou canst tell me all
That now I wish to know.
9. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all,
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
What call they the earth, | that lies before all,
In each and every world?”
Alvis spake:
10. “Earth to men, Field | to the gods it is,
The Ways is it called by the Wanes;
Ever Green by the giants, | The Grower’ by elves,
The Moist by the holy ones high.”
Thor spake:
11. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all,
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
What call they the heaven, | beheld of the high one,
In each and every world?”
Alvis spake:
12. “Heaven men call it, | The Height the gods,
The Wanes The Weaver of Winds;
Giants The Up-World, | elves The Fair-Roof,
The dwarfs The Dripping Hall.”
Thor spake:
13. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all,
Dwarf, of the doom of men.:
What call they the moon, | that men behold,
In each and every world?”
Alvis spake:
14. “Moon with men, Flame | the gods among,
The Wheel in the house of hell;
The Goer the giants, | The Gleamer the dwarfs,
The elves The Teller of Time.”
Thor spake:
15. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all,
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
What call they the sun, | that all men see,
In each and every world?”
Alvis spake:
16. “Men call it Sun, | gods Orb of the Sun,
The Deceiver of Dvalin the dwarfs;
The giants The Ever-Bright, | elves Fair Wheel,
All-Glowing the sons of the gods.”
Thor spake:
17. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all,
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
What call they the clouds, | that keep the rains,
In each and every world?”
Alvis spake:
18. “Clouds men name them, | Rain-Hope gods call them,
The Wanes call them Kites of the Wind;
Water-Hope giants, | Weather-Might elves,
The Helmet of Secrets in hell.”
Thor spake:
19. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all,
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
What call they the wind, | that widest fares,
In each and every world?”
Alvis spake:
20. “Wind do men call it, | the gods The Waverer,
The Neigher the holy ones high;
The Wailer the giants, | Roaring Wender the elves,
In hell The Blustering Blast.”
Thor spake:
21. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
What call they the calm, | that quiet lies,
In each and every world?”
Alvis spake:
22. ” Calm men call it, | The Quiet the gods,
The Wanes The Hush of the Winds;
The Sultry the giants, | elves Day’s Stillness,
The dwarfs The Shelter of Day.
Thor spake:
23. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all,
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
What call they the sea, | whereon men sail,
In each and every world?”
Alvis spake:
24. ” Sea men call it, | gods The Smooth-Lying,
The Wave is it called by the Wanes;
Eel-Home the giants, | Drink-Stuff the elves,
For the dwarfs its name is The Deep.
Thor spake:
25. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all,
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
What call they the fire, | that flames for men,
In each of all the worlds?”
Alvis spake:
26. ” Fire men call it, | and Flame the gods,
By the Wanes is it Wildfire called;
The Biter by giants, | The Burner by dwarfs,
The Swift in the house of hell.”
Thor spake:
27. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all,
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
What call they the wood, | that grows for mankind,
In each and every world?”
Alvis spake:
28. “Men call it The Wood, | gods The Mane of the Field,
Seaweed of Hills in hell;
Flame-Food the giants, | Fair-Limbed the elves,
The Wand is it called by the Wanes.”
Thor spake:
29. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all,
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
What call they the night, | the daughter of Nor,
In each and every world?”
Alvis spake:
30. “Night men call it, | Darkness gods name it,
The Hood the holy ones high;
The giants The Lightless, | the elves Sleep’s joy”
The dwarfs The Weaver of Dreams.”
Thor spake:
31. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all,
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
What call they the seed, | that is sown by men,
In each and every world?”
Alvis spake:
32. “Men call it Grain, | and Corn the gods,
Growth in the world of the Wanes;
The Eaten by giants, | Drink-Stuff by elves,
In hell ‘The Slender Stem.’
Thor spake:
33. “Answer me, Alvis! | thou knowest all,
Dwarf, of the doom of men:
What call they the ale, | that is quaffed of men,
In each and every world?”
Alvis spake:
34. “Ale among men, | Beer the gods among,
In the world of the Wanes The Foaming;
Bright Draught with giants, | Mead with dwellers in hell,
The Feast-Draught with Suttung’s sons.”
Thor spake:
35. “In a single breast | I never have seen
More wealth of wisdom old;
But with treacherous wiles | must I now betray thee:
The day has caught thee, dwarf!
(Now the sun shines here in the hall.)”