1. Othin: "Counsel me, Frigg, for I long to fare, And Vafthruthnir fain would find; fit wisdom old with the giant wise Myself would I seek to match."

2. Frigg: "Heerfather here at home would I keep, Where the gods together dwell; Amid all the giants an equal in might To Vafthruthnir know I none."

3. Othin: "Much have I fared, much have I found. Much have I got from the gods; And fain would I know how Vafthruthnir now Lives in his lofty hall."

4. Frigg: "Safe mayst thou go, safe come again, And safe be the way thou wendest! Father of men, let thy mind be keen When speech with the giant thou seekest."

5. The wisdom then of the giant wise

6. Forth did he fare to try; He found the hall of the father of Im, And in forthwith went Ygg.

7. Othin: "Vafthruthnir, hail! to thy hall am I come, For thyself I fain would see; And first would I ask if wise thou art, Or, giant, all wisdom hast won."

8. Vafthruthnir: "Who is the man that speaks to me, Here in my lofty hall? Forth from our dwelling thou never shalt fare, Unless wiser than I thou art."

9. Othin: "Gagnrath they call me, and thirsty I come From a journey hard to thy hall; Welcome I look for, for long have I fared, And gentle greeting, giant."

10. Vafthruthnir: "Why standest thou there on the floor whilst thou speakest? A seat shalt thou have in my hall;

11. Then soon shall we know whose knowledge is more, The guest's or the sage's gray."

12. Othin: "If a poor man reaches the home of the rich, Let him wisely speak or be still; For to him who speaks with the hard of heart Will chattering ever work ill."

13. Vafthruthnir: "Speak forth now, Gagnrath, if there from the floor Thou wouldst thy wisdom make known: What name has the steed that each morn anew The day for mankind doth draw?"

14. Othin: "Skinfaxi is he, the steed who for men The glittering day doth draw; The best of horses to heroes he seems, And brightly his mane doth burn."

15. Vafthruthnir: "Speak forth now, Gagnrath, if there from the floor

16. Thou wouldst thy wisdom make known: What name has the steed that from East anew Brings night for the noble gods?"

17. Othin: "Hrimfaxi name they the steed that anew Brings night for the noble gods; Each morning foam from his bit there falls, And thence come the dews in the dales."

18. Vafthruthnir: "Speak forth now, Gagnrath, if there from the floor Thou wouldst thy wisdom make known: What name has the river that 'twixt the realms Of the gods and the giants goes?"

19. Othin spoke:

20. "Ifing is the river that 'twixt the realms Of the gods and the giants goes; For all time ever open it flows, No ice on the river there is."

21. Vafthruthnir: "Speak forth now, Gagnrath, if there from the floor

22. Thou wouldst thy wisdom make known: What name has the field where in fight shall meet Surt and the gracious gods?"

23. Othin: "Vigrith is the field where in fight shall meet Surt and the gracious gods; A hundred miles each way does it measure. And so are its boundaries set."

24. Vafthruthnir: "Wise art thou, guest! To my bench shalt thou go, In our seats let us speak together; Here in the hall our heads, O guest, Shall we wager our wisdom upon."

25. Othin: "First answer me well, if thy wisdom avails, And thou knowest it, Vafthruthnir, now: In earliest time whence came the earth, Or the sky, thou giant sage?"

40 more verses…