"Senn váru æsir

allir á þingi

ok ásynjur

allar á máli,

ok um þat réðu

ríkir tívar,

hví væri Baldri

ballir draumar."

"Once were the gods

together met,

And the goddesses came

and council held,

And the far-famed ones

the truth would find,

Why baleful dreams

to Baldr had come."

"Upp reis Óðinn,

alda gautr,

ok hann á Sleipni

söðul of lagði;

reið hann niðr þaðan

niflheljar til;

mætti hann hvelpi,

þeim er ór helju kom."

"Then Othin rose,

the enchanter old,

And the saddle he laid

on Sleipnir's back;

Thence rode he down

to Niflhel deep,

And the hound he met

that came from hell."

"Sá var blóðugr

um brjóst framan

ok galdrs föður

gól of lengi;

fram reið Óðinn,

foldvegr dunði;

hann kom at hávu

Heljar ranni."

"Bloody he was

on his breast before,

At the father of magic

he howled from afar;

Forward rode Othin,

the earth resounded

Till the house so high

of Hel he reached."

"Þá reið Óðinn

fyrir austan dyrr,

þar er hann vissi

völu leiði;

nam hann vittugri

valgaldr kveða,

unz nauðig reis,

nás orð of kvað:"

"Then Othin rode

to the eastern door,

There, he knew well,

was the wise-woman's grave;

Magic he spoke

and mighty charms,

Till spell-bound she rose,

and in death she spoke:"

"Hvat er manna þat

mér ókunnra,

er mér hefir aukit

erfitt sinni?

Var ek snivin snævi

ok slegin regni

ok drifin döggu,

dauð var ek lengi."

"What is the man,

to me unknown,

That has made me travel

the troublous road?

I was snowed on with snow,

and smitten with rain,

And drenched with dew;

long was I dead."

Óðinn kvað:

"Vegtamr ek heiti,

sonr em ek Valtams;

segðu mér ór helju,

ek mun ór heimi:

Hveim eru bekkir

baugum sánir,

flet fagrlig

flóuð gulli?"

Othin spake:

"Vegtam my name,

I am Valtam's son;

Speak thou of hell,

for of heaven I know:

For whom are the benches

bright with rings,

And the platforms gay

bedecked with gold?"

Völva kvað:

"Hér stendr Baldri

of brugginn mjöðr,

skírar veigar,

liggr skjöldr yfir,

en ásmegir

í ofvæni;

nauðug sagðak,

nú mun ek þegja."

The Wise-Woman spake:

"Here for Baldr

the mead is brewed,

The shining drink,

and a shield lies o'er it;

But their hope is gone

from the mighty gods.

Unwilling I spake,

and now would be still."

Óðinn kvað:

"Þegj-at-tu, völva,

þik vil ek fregna,

unz alkunna,

vil ek enn vita:

Hverr mun Baldri

at bana verða

ok Óðins son

aldri ræna?"

Othin spake:

"Wise-woman, cease not!

I seek from thee

All to know

that I fain would ask:

Who shall the bane

of Baldr become,

And steal the life

from Othin's son?"

Völva kvað:

"Höðr berr hávan

hróðrbaðm þinig,

hann mun Baldri

at bana verða

ok Óðins son

aldri ræna;

nauðug sagðak,

nú mun ek þegja."

The Wise-Woman spake:

"Hoth thither bears

the far-famed branch,

He shall the bane

of Baldr become,

And steal the life

from Othin's son.

Unwilling I spake,

and now would be still."

Óðinn kvað:

"Þegj-at-tu, völva,

þik vil ek fregna,

unz alkunna,

vil ek enn vita:

Hverr mun heift Heði

hefnt of vinna

eða Baldrs bana

á bál vega?"

Othin spake:

"Wise-woman, cease not!

I seek from thee

All to know

that I fain would ask:

Who shall vengeance win

for the evil work,

Or bring to the flames

the slayer of Baldr?"

Völva kvað:

"Rindr berr Vála

í vestrsölum,

sá mun Óðins sonr

einnættr vega:

hönd of þvær

né höfuð kembir,

áðr á bál of berr

Baldrs andskota;

nauðug sagðak,

nú mun ek þegja."

The Wise-Woman spake:

"Rind bears Vali

in Vestrsalir,

And one night old

fights Othin's son;

His hands he shall wash not,

his hair he shall comb not,

Till the slayer of Baldr

he brings to the flames.

Unwilling I spake,

and now would be still."

Óðinn kvað:

"Þegj-at-tu, völva,

þik vil ek fregna,

unz alkunna,

vil ek enn vita:

Hverjar ro þær meyjar,

er at muni gráta

ok á himin verpa

halsa skautum?"

Othin spake:

"Wise-woman, cease not!

I seek from thee

All to know

that I fain would ask:

What maidens are they

who then shall weep,

And toss to the sky

the yards of the sails?"

Völva kvað:

"Ert-at-tu Vegtamr,

sem ek hugða,

heldr ertu Óðinn,

aldinn gautr."

Óðinn kvað:

"Ert-at-tu völva

né vís kona,

heldr ertu þriggja

þursa móðir."

The Wise-Woman spake:

"Vegtam thou art not,

as erstwhile I thought;

Othin thou art,

the enchanter old."

Othin spake:

"No wise-woman art thou,

nor wisdom hast;

Of giants three

the mother art thou."

Völva kvað:

"Heim ríð þú, Óðinn,

ok ver hróðigr,

svá komir manna

meir aftr á vit,

er lauss Loki

líðr ór böndum

ok ragna rök

rjúfendr koma."

The Wise-Woman spake:

"Home ride, Othin,

be ever proud; For no one of men

shall seek me more Till Loki wanders

loose from his bonds, And to the last strife

the destroyers come."