Translations from the Rune Primer
These verses are shown in the Rune Primer, with translator's notes, alongside the original text.
OERP |
ONRP |
OIRP |
Elder Futhark |
| Feoh: Money is a comfort to humans all; but each one should deal it out abundantly, if he wants before the Lord to chance judgement. | Fe: Money causes kinsmen's quarrel; the wolf is reared in the forest. | Fe: Money is kinsmens' quarrel/ and flood-tide's token/ and necromancy's road. | |
| Ur: Aurochs is single-minded and over-horned, a very dangerous animal - fights with horns - a notorious moor-treader; that is an intrepid being! | Ur: slag is from bad iron; oft lopes the reindeer over frozen snow. | Ur: drizzle is the clouds' tears/ and the harvest's ruin/ and the herder's hate. | |
| Thorn: Thorn is extremely sharp, for any warrior to grab it, evil; excessively fierce to any man who amongst them rests. | Thurs: giants cause women's sickness; few are made cheerful by adversity. | Thurs: giant is womens' illness/ and a cliff-dweller/ and Vardhrun's husband. | |
| Os: Deity/Mouth is the origin of every language, Wisdom's support and counsellors' consolation and to any warrior gladness and confidence. | Oss: estuary is the way for most on journeys; and the scabbard is the sword's. | Ass: god (Ódhinn) is progenitor/ and Ásgardh's chief/ and Valhall's leader. | |
| Rad: Riding is, in the hall, for every man easy, and very hard for him who sits upon a powerful horse over miles of road. | Reidh: riding they say is for horses worst; Reginn hammered out the best sword. | Reidh: riding is sitting joyful/ and a speedy trip/ and the horse's toil. | |
| Cen: Lamp is to the living all, known by its flame, pale and bright; it burns most often where the noble folk within relax. | Kaun: sore is the disfiguring of children; adversity renders a person pale. | Kaun: sore is childrens' illness/ and a battle journey/ and putrescence's house. | |
| Gyfu: Gift for men is adornment and complement, support and dignity; and for all the dispossessed forgiveness and sustenance, who would otherwise have nothing. | | ||
| Wynn: Joy is had by one who knows few troubles, sores or sorrow, and has for himself reputation and happiness, and also a fine secure home. | |
| Haegl: Hail is the whitest of seeds; it spins out of heaven's air, rolling with the wind's blows; it is turned into water thereafter. | Hagall: hail is the coldest of seeds; Christ shaped the world (the heavens) in fore times. | Hagall: hail is cold seed/ and a sleet shower/ and snake's illness. | |
| Nyd: Need is tight in the breast; but it often happens for humans' children to help and to save each, if they listen to it early. | Naudh: need renders little choice; the naked will freeze in the frost. | Naudh: need is a bondswoman's yearning/ and a difficult circumstance/ and, drudging work. | |
| Is: Ice is over-cold, extremely slippery; it glistens glass-clear, most like gems; it is a floor wrought by frost, fair to look upon. | Iss: ice is called a bridge broad; the blind need to be led. | Iss: ice is a river's bark/ and a wave's thatch/ and doomed men's downfall. | |
| Ger: Year/Harvest is men's hope, when God, holy heaven's king, lets the earth give shining fruit to the warriors and the poor. | Ar: harvest is men's bounty; I guess that generous was Fródhi. | Ar: harvest is men's bounty/ and a good summer/ and a full-grown field. | |
| Eoh: Yew is on the outside an unsmooth tree, hard in the earth holding fast, fire's keeper, by roots buttressed, a joy on the estate. | Yr: yew is the winter-greenest wood; and is found wanting, when it burns, to ignite. | Yr: yew is a bent bow/ and fragile iron/ and arrow's Farbauti. | |
| Peorth: Peorth is ever play and laughter to the proud (missing), where warriors sit in the beer-hall merrily together. | | ||
| Eolhx: Elk-sedge is native most often in the fen, it grows in water; it wounds grimly, burning with blood any warrior who, in any way, grabs at it. | | ||
| Sigel: Sun/sail for seamen is ever cause for hope, when they ferry it over the fishes' bath, until the sea-stallion brings them to land. | Sol: the sun is the land's light; I bow to holy judgement. | Sol: sun is the clouds' shield / and a shining ray/ and ice's old enemy. | |
| Tir is a particular token; it holds trust well with noble folk; it is ever on a journey over nights' mists; it never deceives. | Tyr is a one-handed god; oft will a smith be blowing. | Tyr is a one-handed god/ and wolf's leftovers/ and the temple's chief. | |
| Beorc: Birch is lacking fruit; it bears even so sprouts without seed; its boughs beautiful, high on top, fairly decorated; grown with leaves, close to the sky. | Bjarkan: birch is leaf-greenest of limbs; Loki bore treachery's fortune. | Bjarkan: birch is a leaf covered limb/ and a slender tree/ and a spritely wood. | |
| Eh: Horse is, before warriors, the joy of noble folk, a horse hoof-proud, when the warriors around it, wealthy on steeds, exchange speech; and it is, to the wanderer, ever a benefit. | | ||
| Monn: Man is, in his mirth, to his kinfolk dear; yet shall each disappoint the other, accordingly the Lord wills, by his law, that the poor flesh be entrusted to the earth. | Madhr: man is mould's increase; great is the grip of the hawk. | Madhr: man is man's pleasure/ and mould's increase/ and a ship's embellisher. | |
| Lagu: Sea is by folk thought wide indeed, if they should dare to go in a ship unsteady, and the waves terribly frighten them, and the sea-stallion heed not its bridle. | Logr: water is, when falling out of a mountain, a cascade; and costly ornaments are of gold. | Logr: sea is a welling water/ and a wide kettle/ and a fish's field. | |
| Ing: Ing was first with the East-Danes seen they say, until he later east over the sea departed; wagon followed after; thus warriors named that hero. | | ||
| Daeg: Day is the Lord's herald, dear to men, the great Judge's light, merriment and hope to the fortunate and the poor, enjoyed by all. | | ||
| Ethel: Homestead is over-dear to each man, if he may there justice and courtesies enjoy in a mansion in frequent prosperity. | |
