Alvíssmál
Translations
in English
Old Norse Poetry
I
Overview of Alvíssmál
Alvíssmál (“The Lay of All-Wise”) is a poem that tells of the god Thor and his encounter with the dwarf Alvís, who seeks to claim Thor’s daughter as his bride. Unwilling to allow the match, Thor challenges Alvís to prove his wisdom before the marriage can proceed.
The poem is structured as a dialogue of questions and answers, in which Thor asks Alvís to name various things, as they are called by different beings, including gods, giants, and dwarves. As the exchange continues through the night, Thor delays the dwarf until sunrise, when Alvís is turned to stone.
Alvíssmál is part of the Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse poems preserved primarily in the Icelandic manuscript known as the Codex Regius.
Themes of Alvíssmál
- Wisdom contest and knowledge as power
- Deception and cunning over brute force
- Language, naming, and cosmological knowledge
- Consequences of overconfidence
II
Read Alvíssmál in English
Alvíssmál has been translated into English many times, with each version reflecting different priorities. Some aim for close, literal accuracy, while others focus more on poetic style and readability.
No single translation captures every aspect of the original, and each brings its own perspective and emphasis. Reading more than one version can therefore provide a broader understanding of the poem.
Alvíssmál -
Modern English Translation (in the works.)
— a clear and accessible modern rendering.
Alvíssmál - The Lay of Alvis
English Translation (1928) by Lee M. Hollander
— scholarly translation balancing accuracy and poetic form.
Alvissmol - The Ballad of Alvis
English Translation (1923) by Henry Adams Bellows
— one of the most widely read modern editions.
Alvíssmál - The Lay of Alvis
English Translation (1908) by Olive Bray.
— a classic early 20th-century translation with literary style.
Alvíssmál - The Lay of the Dwarf Alvîs
English Translation (1866) by Benjamin Thorpe.
— one of the earliest English translations of the Poetic Edda.
Keep Exploring
Other Old Norse Poems
Explore other poems from the Poetic Edda and the wider Old Norse corpus.
