Editing Poetic Edda (section)

==English translations==
The ''Elder'' or ''Poetic Edda'' has been translated numerous times, the earliest printed edition being that by {{harvnb|Cottle|1797}}, though some short sections had been translated as early as the 1670s. Some early translators relied on a [[Latin]] translation of the ''Edda'', including [[Amos Simon Cottle|Cottle]].<ref name="eng1"/>

Opinions differ on the best way to translate the text, on the use or rejection of archaic language, and the rendering of terms lacking a clear English analogue. Still, Cottle's 1797 translation is now considered very inaccurate.<ref name="eng1">{{citation| first = Carolyne | last = Larrington | url =  http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/ONMN%20copyright%20restr.pdf  | year  =2007| work = Old Norse Made New| editor-first = David| editor-last = Clark| editor-first2= Carl| editor-last2= Phelpstead | publisher = Viking Society for Northern Research | title =Translating the Poetic Edda into English | pages = 21–42 }}</ref>

A comparison of the second and third verses (lines 5–12) of the ''[[Völuspá|Vǫluspá]]'' is given below:

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
|<poem>
Ek man jǫtna
ár of borna,
þás forðum mik
fœdda hǫfðu;
níu mank hęima,
níu ívíði,
mjǫtvið mæran
fyr mold neðan.

Ár vas alda
þars Ymir byggði,
vasa sandr né sær,
né svalar unnir; 
jǫrð fansk æva
né upphiminn; 
gap vas ginnunga,
ęn gras hvęrgi.
</poem>
{{harv|Finnur|1932}} (unchanged orthography)
|<poem>
The Jötuns I remember
early born,
those who me of old
have reared.
I nine worlds remember,
nine trees,
the great central tree,
beneath the earth.

There was in times of old,
where Ymir dwelt,
nor sand nor sea,
nor gelid waves; 
earth existed not,
nor heaven above,
'twas a chaotic chasm,
and grass nowhere,
</poem>
{{harv|Thorpe|1866}}
|-
|<poem>
I remember the Giants born of yore,
who bred me up long ago.
I remember nine Worlds, nine Sibyls,
a glorious Judge beneath the earth.

In the beginning, when naught was,
there was neither sand nor sea nor the cold waves,
nor was earth to be seen nor heaven above.
There was a Yawning Chasm [chaos], but grass nowhere,
</poem>
{{harv|Vigfússon|Powell|1883}} †
|<poem>
I remember of yore &nbsp; were born the Jötuns,
they who aforetime &nbsp; fostered me :
nine worlds I remember, &nbsp; nine in the Tree,
the glorious Fate Tree &nbsp; that springs 'neath the Earth.

'Twas the earliest of times &nbsp; when Ymir lived; 
then was sand nor sea &nbsp; nor cooling wave,
nor was Earth found ever, &nbsp; nor Heaven on high,
there was Yawning of Deeps &nbsp; and nowhere grass :
</poem>
{{harv|Bray|1908}}
|-
|<poem>
I remember yet &nbsp; the giants of yore,
Who gave me bread &nbsp; in the days gone by;
Nine worlds I knew, &nbsp;  the nine in the tree
With mighty roots &nbsp;  beaneath the mold.

Of old was the age &nbsp; when Ymir lived; 
Sea nor cool waves &nbsp; nor sand there were; 
Earth had not been, &nbsp; nor heaven above,
But a yawning gap, &nbsp; and grass nowhere.
</poem>
{{harv|Bellows|1923}}
|<poem>
I call to mind the kin of etins
which long ago did give me life.
Nine worlds I know, the nine abodes
of the glorious world-tree the ground beneath.

In earliest times did Ymir live:
was nor sea nor land nor salty waves,
neither earth was there nor upper heaven,
but a gaping nothing, and green things nowhere.
</poem>
{{harv|Hollander|1962}}
|-
|<poem>
I tell of Giants from times forgotten.
Those who fed me in former days:
Nine worlds I can reckon, nine roots of the Tree.
The wonderful Ash, way under the ground

When Ymir lived long ago
Was no sand or sea, no surging waves.
Nowhere was there earth nor heaven above.
But a grinning gap and grass nowhere.
</poem>
{{harv|Auden|Taylor|1969}}
|<poem>
I remember giants &nbsp; of ages past,
those who called me &nbsp; one of their kin;
I know how nine roots &nbsp; form nine worlds
under the earth &nbsp; where the Ash Tree rises.

Nothing was there &nbsp; when time began,
neither sands nor seas &nbsp; nor cooling waves,
Earth was not yet, &nbsp; nor the high heavens,
but a gaping emptiness &nbsp; nowhere green.
</poem>
{{harv|Terry|1990}} 
|-
|<poem>
I, born of giants, remember very early
those who nurtured me then;
I remember nine worlds, I remember nine giant women,
the mighty Measuring-Tree below the earth.

Young were the years when Ymir made his settlement,
there was no sand nor sea nor cool waves;
earth was nowhere nor the sky above,
chaos yawned, grass was there nowhere.
</poem>
{{harv|Larrington|1996}}
|<poem>
I remember giants
born early in time,
who long ago
had reared me
Nine worlds I remember,
nine wood-ogresses,
glorious tree of good measure,
under the ground.

It was early in the ages 
when Ymir made his dwelling:
There was not sand nor sea
nor chill waves.
Earth was not to be found
nor above it heaven:
a gulf was there of gaping voids
and grass nowhere,
</poem>
{{harv|Dronke|1997}}
|-
|<poem>
I recall those giants, born early on,
who long ago brought me up;
nine worlds I recall, nine wood-dwelling witches,
the famed tree of fate down under the earth.

It was early in ages when Ymir made his home,
there was neither sand nor sea, nor cooling waves;
no earth to be found, nor heaven above:
a gulf beguiling, nor grass anywhere.
</poem>
{{harv|Orchard|2011}}
|<poem>
I remember being reared by Jotuns,
in days long gone. If I look back, I recall
nine worlds, nine wood-witches,
that renowned tree of fate below the Earth

Ymir struck camp when time began.
No land, sand or sea folding on itself,
no sky, earth or grass swaying atop its girth,
only the cavern of chaos's gaping gulf.
</poem>
{{harv|Dodds|2014}}
|-
|<poem>
I remember giants born early in time
those nurtured me long ago;
I remember nine worlds, I remember nine giant women,
the mighty Measuring-Tree below the earth.

Early in time Ymir made his settlement,
there was no sand nor sea nor cool waves;
earth was nowhere nor the sky above,
a void of yawning chaos, grass was there nowhere
</poem>
{{harv|Larrington|2014}}
|<poem>
I remember the giants
born so long ago;
in those ancient days
they raised me.
I remember nine worlds,
nine giantesses,
and the seed
from which Yggdrasil sprang.

It was at the very beginning,
it was Ymir's time,
there was no sand, no sea,
no cooling waves,
no earth,
no sky,
no grass,
just Ginnungagap.
</poem>
{{harv|Crawford|2015}}
|-
|colspan=2|† The prose translation lacks line breaks, inserted here to match those in the Norse verse given in the same work.
|}