...
Runes of war now thee,
if great thou wilt be,
cut them on hilt of hardened sword,
some on the brand's back,
some on its shining side,
twice the name Tiw therein.
Sea runes good at need,
learnt for ships saving,
for the good health of the swimming horse;
on the stern cut them,
cut them on the rudder blade,
and set flame the shaven oar,
how so big the sea hills,
how so big the blue beneath,
hail from the main and then
comest thou home.
Word runes learn ye well
if thou wilt that no man,
pay back grief for the grief gavest,
wind thou these, cast thou these
all about you,
At the Thing where folk throng,
until the doom fairing.
Of ale runes know the wisdom
if thou wilt another man's wife
should not betray thine heart that trusteth;
cut them on mead horn,
on the back of each hand
and nicked upon the nail.
Help runes shalt thou gather
if skill thou woulds't gain
to loosen chold from low-lainmother;
cut they be in hands hollow,
wrapped the joints round about,
call for the good foils gainsome help.
Learn the bough rune's wisdom
if leechlore thou lovest
and wilt wot about wounds searching,
on the bank they be scored,
on the buds of trees
whose boughs look eastward ever.
Thought runes shalt thou deal with,
if thou wilt be of all men,
fairest souled, right and wise
those creded, those first cut,
those took first to heart.
On the shield were they scored
that stands before the Shining God,
on early-Waking's oar,
on All Knowing's hoof,
on the wheel which runneth under
Regnir's chariot,
on Slepnir's jaw teeth,
on the sleigh traces,
on the rough bear's paw,
on Bragi's tounge,
on the wolf's claw,
on the eagle's bill,
on bloody wings,
and bridge's end,
on loosing palms
and pity's path.
On glass, on gold
and goodly silver,
in wine and wort
and the seat of the witch wife,
on Gungir's point
and Grani's bosom,
on the Norn's snail
and the neb of the night owl.
All these so cut
were shaven and shared
and mingled with hold mead
and sent upon wide ways enow,
some abide with elves,
some abide with the Aesir
or with wise vanir
or some still hold the
sons of mankind.
These be the book runes
and the runes of good help,
and all the ale runes
and the runes of much might
To whom so they may avail
unbewildered, unspoilt.
They are wholesome to hear,
thine thou with these then,
when thou has heard their lore,
till the Gods end thy life days.
if great thou wilt be,
cut them on hilt of hardened sword,
some on the brand's back,
some on its shining side,
twice the name Tiw therein.
Sea runes good at need,
learnt for ships saving,
for the good health of the swimming horse;
on the stern cut them,
cut them on the rudder blade,
and set flame the shaven oar,
how so big the sea hills,
how so big the blue beneath,
hail from the main and then
comest thou home.
Word runes learn ye well
if thou wilt that no man,
pay back grief for the grief gavest,
wind thou these, cast thou these
all about you,
At the Thing where folk throng,
until the doom fairing.
Of ale runes know the wisdom
if thou wilt another man's wife
should not betray thine heart that trusteth;
cut them on mead horn,
on the back of each hand
and nicked upon the nail.
Help runes shalt thou gather
if skill thou woulds't gain
to loosen chold from low-lainmother;
cut they be in hands hollow,
wrapped the joints round about,
call for the good foils gainsome help.
Learn the bough rune's wisdom
if leechlore thou lovest
and wilt wot about wounds searching,
on the bank they be scored,
on the buds of trees
whose boughs look eastward ever.
Thought runes shalt thou deal with,
if thou wilt be of all men,
fairest souled, right and wise
those creded, those first cut,
those took first to heart.
On the shield were they scored
that stands before the Shining God,
on early-Waking's oar,
on All Knowing's hoof,
on the wheel which runneth under
Regnir's chariot,
on Slepnir's jaw teeth,
on the sleigh traces,
on the rough bear's paw,
on Bragi's tounge,
on the wolf's claw,
on the eagle's bill,
on bloody wings,
and bridge's end,
on loosing palms
and pity's path.
On glass, on gold
and goodly silver,
in wine and wort
and the seat of the witch wife,
on Gungir's point
and Grani's bosom,
on the Norn's snail
and the neb of the night owl.
All these so cut
were shaven and shared
and mingled with hold mead
and sent upon wide ways enow,
some abide with elves,
some abide with the Aesir
or with wise vanir
or some still hold the
sons of mankind.
These be the book runes
and the runes of good help,
and all the ale runes
and the runes of much might
To whom so they may avail
unbewildered, unspoilt.
They are wholesome to hear,
thine thou with these then,
when thou has heard their lore,
till the Gods end thy life days.