Heilung - Norupo (English translation)

Heilung – Norupo

English translation

Old Norse, Proto-Norse

Original lyrics

Norupo

Fé vældr frænda róge;

fóðesk ulfr í skóge.

Úr er af illu jarne;

opt løypr ræinn á hjarne.

Þurs vældr kvinna kvillu;

kátr værðr fár af illu.

Óss er flæstra færða

för; en skalpr er sværða.

Ræið kvæða rossom væsta;

Reginn sló sværðet bæzta.

Kaun er barna bölvan;

böl gørver mánn fölvan.

Hagall er kaldastr korna;

Kristr skóp hæimenn forna.

Nauðr gerer næppa koste;

nøktan kælr í froste.

Unja, runo, segun

Fahi, gali, raginakundo

Ís köllum brú bræiða;

blindan þarf at læiða.

Ár er gumna góðe;

get ek at örr var Fróðe.

Sól er landa ljóme;

lúti ek helgum dóme.

Týr er æinendr ása;

opt værðr smiðr at blása.

Unja, runo, segun

Fahi, gali, raginakundo

Bjarkan er lavgrønstr líma;

Loki bar flærðar tíma.

Maðr er moldar auki;

mikil er græip á hauki.

Lögr er, er fællr ór fjalle

foss; en gull ero nosser.

Ýr er vetrgrønstr víða;

vant er, er brennr, at svíða.

Unja:
KJ166 Fibula A, a brooch from Bezenye, Hungary, 510–590

Krause (1966:300) tentatively read as unja; the a is uncertain. Krause supposed unja to be miswritten for wunja n/asf. j'-stem, "Wonne" = ‘joy'.

Source: p.134, Looijenga, J. H. (1997). Runes around the North Sea and on the Continent AD 150-700; texts & contexts. s.n.
segun:
KJ166 Fibula B, a brooch from Bezenye, Hungary, 510–590

segun = OHG segun, nsm. a- stem, ‘bless', which points to Christian influence (Düwel 1982:40).

Source: p.134, Looijenga, J. H. (1997). Runes around the North Sea and on the Continent AD 150-700; texts & contexts. s.n.
runo:
Vg 63 Noleby Runestone, aka Fyrunga Runestone. https://app.raa.se/open/runor/inscription?id=baecb01e-774c-4e80-92c2-68b4165244ca
Fahi / raginakundo:
Vg 63 Noleby Runestone, aka Fyrunga Runestone. Source

Submitted by

MagnusThePagan on 2019-04-03

Contributors:

Icey,

florazina,

Floppylou

Submitter's comments:

The lyrics are based on the Norwegian Rune Poem. If you know what say Kai Uwe Faust in his part, don't dude to message me.

English

Translation#1#2 #3

Norupo

Wealth is cause of strife among kin;

the wolf is born in the forest.1

Dross comes from iron of bad quality;

a reindeer runs often onto frozen snow.2

A giant is a source of torment for women;

few rejoice of adversities.3

Through an estuary pass most journeys;

but the sheath belongs to swords.4

It is said that the ride is the worst thing for horses;

Reginn forged the best of swords.5

An ulcer dooms children;

bale makes men go pale.6 7

Hail is the coldest of grains;

Christ shaped the ancient world.8

Need leaves few alternatives;

a naked man freezes in the cold.9

Joy, rune, blessing

I paint, sing, divine10

"Ice" is called the wide bridge;

the blind need a guide.11

Abundance makes the wellness of men;

I believe Fróði was generous.12

The sun is the light of the earth;

I kneel before the divine decree.13

Týr is a one-handed ǫ́ss;

the smith must blow often.14

Joy, rune, blessing

I paint, sing, divine

Birch has the greenest leaves in the frond;

Loki was fortunate in his deceit.15

Man is born of the soil;

strong is the hawk's grip.16

A waterfall is water falling off a mountain;

but ornaments are golden.17

Yew is the greenest tree during winter;

you expect it to crackle when it burns.18

1. ᚠ (f), the rune could also mean "cattle".
2. ᚢ (u).
3. ᚦ (þ), can also mean "troll".
4. ᚬ (ą).
5. ᚱ (r).
6. That is: causes death.
7. ᚴ (k).
8. ᚼ (h).
9. ᚾ (n).
10. This part of the text might have made some sense had they not messed it up entirely by mixing up at random bits from three different inscriptions, forcing them into a word order that doesn't make any sense anymore. The words "unja" and "segun" both come from inscriptions on a fibula from Bezenye. This inscription would normally look like "Joy to Godahild, with Arsiboda's blessing" (Looijenga 1997, 134). The words "joy" and "blessing" were instead pulled out of their context and another word, taken from another inscription, was randomly placed in-between. The words "runo", "fahi" and "raginakudo" come from rune stone Vg 63, where the inscription starts by "Runo fahi raginakundo": "I paint a divine rune". Here again, the three words were separated from each other, making them lose their meaning. I couldn't track down an inscription using the word "gali", but I think it can likely be linked to the verb "gala", used to indicate the act of singing or screaming magical chants (galdr); a use quite common among Germanic populations. I'd go as far as saying it's a third singular subjunctive person we're looking at.
11. ᛁ (i).
12. ᛅ (a).
13. ᛋ (s).
14. ᛏ (t).
15. ᛒ (b).
16. ᛘ (m).
17. ᛚ (l)
18. ᛦ (ʀ).