by Jón lærði Guðmundsson
In 1612, Jón Guðmundsson inn lærði — Jón the Learned — composed these twenty-nine stanzas to drive evil spirits from the Snæfjöll district of Iceland. The poem is an exorcism in verse: thirteen sections of escalating banishment, each in a different sub-form — incantation, troll-verse (tröllaslagur), string (strengur), refrain (stefið), speech-verse (málaversin), and final binding (síðasta viðja) — hammering the spirits down through earth and into the abyss.
Jón the Learned (1574–1658) was one of the most remarkable figures of early modern Iceland: a self-taught polymath, herbalist, and writer who stood trial for sorcery in 1631 and spent much of his life in exile. His works range from natural history to magical verse. The Snjáfjallavísur belong to the Icelandic tradition of banning-verses (bannorð), in which the poet wields language itself as a weapon against the unclean. The "later verses" (hinar síðari) distinguish this poem from an earlier, now-lost composition for the same district.
The Icelandic text was edited by Jón Þorkelsson and is preserved on Icelandic Wikisource. This is the first known English translation.
I.
1.
Go down, foul one,
devil's limb and hag;
the earth shall hide you,
and the bolt sift you through mire;
you shall howl in miseries
and downward grope,
wretched, bare wraith;
may ill fortune brew you madness.
2.
I bind you fast,
brother of stone-hurling,
lie-father of sins,
beaten into misery's rush;
lie fast in fetters
for four thousand leagues;
there shall bitterness crash
in the hottest curse-rage.
3.
I turn to you with binding,
wretched devil's spirit,
with bitter brand
banishing you;
Gleipnir of ruin,
crushing through;
may these pronouncements stand
unshakeable.
II. Tröllaslagur
4.
May the trunk sweep away,
the torso intolerable, into hollows,
beaten, pain-wounded,
be ground, be melted, be overturned;
dark may the devil's carcass sink
into that battle's dim tumult;
yoked, extinguished, malice-wreck,
beside the spirits, those fiends,
in bonds;
nail him so down
near the cleft,
damaged, ravaged,
crumpled, wrenched —
every limb and joint shamed
before the words' striking down
and the utterances' cutting edge.
III. Strengur
5.
Sharp shall the shot be forged
for you, ruin's foul one,
to nail you and curse you
for the suffering forced upon others;
now shall you creep away from here,
and the wound shall smart,
shaken in a storm of scorn,
into the wide roar of Hel.
6.
I bid you surely yield,
you wretched devil's ditch-thing;
I shall soften the speech to this:
may the malice-hedge swell around you;
you need not, wretch, go scrounging,
pauper of the realm of woe,
enemy's imitator —
poisoned shame shall screech.
7.
Foul devil's trunk,
go to the hollows of torment;
anguished, ever-intolerable,
the wretched coal of Hel;
may the cowardly foul ones flee
for four thousand miles,
Satan's ruin-hags
crawl away with howling.
IV. Stefið
8.
Through mighty tumult-rain
go the arrow, the pain-rod unstraight;
may the dark blade crush you, grind you,
pulverize, conceal, sever from you;
the brace of shaming, roar-fierce,
may it smoke, sweep, and blow away;
into the depths the wretch shall run,
be swallowed, shamed, and cast down;
you shall swiftly tumble,
ruin's captain,
down into torment's abyss, most wretched line;
then shall the fiends perceive
how the bolts thunder down.
V.
9.
Devil, to you bitterly I ban
the farm and the houses of men,
the grounds' extent
and the stoning of the stones,
all things,
the elements,
the shooting tricks of the harms
and of the terrors.
10.
May it now burst asunder,
the cursed devil's wonder;
sink, Hel's hound,
most contemptible sort;
burn often as tinder,
the troll-man's treachery's grove;
mighty is the hand of glory;
may it weary you, thunder of stubbornness.
11.
Pain-wounded, be maimed,
furious, creep away from here,
cursed one, be shamed,
be wearied of your tricks,
cowardly fiend, be driven,
tribulation spread upon you,
the path to the deep be cleared,
and the black depths be conjured.
VI. Stefið
12.
Wounded, moved, treachery-hard,
messenger unclean into the outlands,
empowered through earth-channels;
form foul, tender
and doom-prone,
may the cursed grey-hound flee the farm;
I ban explicitly every way,
tricks laid and wave-craft —
the crashing, the sweeping, let it end;
most fiendish foul one,
may arrows fly at you;
for your harshness you shall be tormented
in Hell's rest;
bitter words' failure
break you, cruelty's hag.
VII. Málaversin
13.
Now comes spite,
a hard storm of torment,
over devils a crafted work
that numbs them for all time;
may it cover the spirits of ruin,
the hardest Hel-night spreading wide.
14.
Ruined, shame's limb,
the demons' laden thunder;
may dizziness come upon the wicked;
retreat from here, frost of harshness;
war-devil cursed,
stone-hurling brother,
tumble down into boiling frenzy.
VIII.
15.
Struggle-hard, one strong serpent —
may a swift-flying arrow sting you;
go down, unclean fiend,
the rot-creeper, shameful rod,
the curse-cave's bellower,
bound in Hell,
very pain-steadfast,
beaten down, bitter,
and as a cliff-fast stone.
16.
Home I direct the fiends,
those hellish spirits,
through the lands' surface
into the boiling sea;
for them a withy shall be prepared
and worst brew mixed;
fast in the fetter of bonds
shall the flying serpent stand.
17.
May the binding-serpent gape,
may God's son cut you away,
may the cunning messenger be led,
you glued upon the rack;
I sweep you away with wrath,
tear asunder and maim;
puffed up be you with cowardice —
may it both wound and compel you.
18.
Hellish one, recoil;
from here away leap,
dark trial-devil,
so may the counsel-weeper dwindle;
Satan's limb, may it sink,
the ship of treachery's spite;
may the fiend wander away
and the falsehood be extinguished.
IX. Stefið
19.
Hot bolts I let fly
through Satan's thane with might;
may the bale burn, run
into the cunning, the adorned, the importunate;
the snarling grimace, flee swiftly,
cowardly fiend, pain's spirit stoned;
through ages may fury ever hold
in fire's circuit for the journey —
the villain of torment,
seized by the cold,
the crawler in torment's prison stood,
that ruin of all fiends,
the devil in death's pyre,
for the red blood of Christ.
X. Málaversin
20.
Glued, clamped, balled,
drowning spirit unadorned;
may hot slag pile upon you,
hard be shaken and pummeled;
may it hold for ages
in those Hel's war-fetters —
may he be broken and battered.
21.
I ban-sing that curse
out from every corner;
let those devils drift away
whose weighty tricks pretend to strike;
hard shot-arrows suit them then,
if they ever wish to come here again.
22.
Let them burst now before the Trinity
and be thrust down from the clay,
these two stubborn devils;
there let no more be added,
from there let none come in their stead;
may the people never see from them
misery, form, or unclean mire.
XI. Síðasta viðja
23.
Flight-wounded fiend,
go crawling,
wretched, wailing,
from our land's country;
may trouble wind around him
in withy and iron-band
of burning pyre
with growing curses.
24.
May the trickster messenger be flung,
torn from the land's ring;
I bind you so in a heap —
you bear no case at any assembly;
may piercing arrows sting you
for all great tricks and sorcery;
loud I ring above you
and keen metal clang.
25.
Now be fastened in fetters,
that worst deceiver,
most pain-great devil,
by glory and word-reading,
clamped down and thrown,
set still in place;
peace be restored best,
and away the unwelcome one.
XII.
26.
In fetter-rags move and net
the rotten, the sly, the prepared,
devil's waffler, ghost-fool,
from the company with sickness in dread;
the opening gapes into the deep —
through life may it suit and smother;
the hot bolts for the root of harm,
may it crash them, fell them, and boil them;
may the maw of terror hold them
and the walking-withies of pain;
still be bound those messengers
for everlasting time,
for the gentle prayers of men
and the poetic form of the one who crafts.
XIII. Versin
27.
Now if any messenger
or shameful unclean spirit
begins tricks or torments
around the settled people's corners,
I prepare for them sharpened arrows
by the pure blood of Jesus;
may it be for such treacherous words
as one poison-arrow
and an unhealable wound.
28.
Walking-devils, away — prepare,
from the settlement of Snæfjöll turn;
hard may the Hel-serpent be pressed,
the vow be steadfastly trusted;
upon the holy blood of Jesus I lay
that the counsel and power of unclean spirits
be destroyed, diminished, and undone.
29.
May those ban-bolts shatter small
which the tricksters forge ceaselessly,
the devils day as night;
may they scatter in every direction
before the blessed, bloodied side of Jesus;
may they all be thoroughly wounded, overcome;
our highest Emanuel
destroys all their might.
Amen.
Colophon
Snjáfjallavísur hinar síðari ("The Later Snow-Mountain Verses") is a banishing poem composed in 1612 by Jón Guðmundsson inn lærði (1574–1658) to drive evil spirits — gangárar, the walking dead — from the Snæfjöll district of Iceland. The poem belongs to a tradition of Icelandic magical verse in which the poet commands, curses, and binds the unclean through escalating verbal force, ending with a Christological seal. It is structured in thirteen named sections employing different sub-forms: tröllaslagur (troll-verse), strengur (string), stefið (refrain), málaversin (speech-verse), and síðasta viðja (last binding).
Jón the Learned was tried for sorcery in 1631 and spent decades in exile. He was a natural historian, herbalist, and poet whose surviving works illuminate the intersection of Christianity and pre-Christian magical practice in early modern Iceland.
Translated from the Icelandic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. First known English translation. The Icelandic text was edited by Jón Þorkelsson and is preserved on Icelandic Wikisource (page ID 1794).
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: Snjáfjallavísur hinar síðari
Icelandic source text from Wikisource (is.wikisource.org, page ID 1794), edited by Jón Þorkelsson. By Jón lærði Guðmundsson (1574–1658), composed 1612. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
I.
1.
Far niður, fýla,
fjandans limur og grýla;
skal þig jörð skýla,
en skeytin aursíla;
þú skalt eymdir ýla
og ofan eptir stíla,
vesall, snauður víla;
þig villi óheilla brýla.
2.
Bind eg þig til basta,
bróðir steinkasta,
lygifaðir lasta,
laminn í eymd hasta;
ligg þú í fjötri fasta
um fjögur þúsund rasta;
þar skal bistur brasta
í bölmóð heitasta.
3.
Sný eg að þér bandi,
snauður djöfuls andi,
biturlegum brandi
þig bannfærandi;
gleipnir grandi
gegnmyrjandi;
þau atkvæðin standi
óbifandi.
II. Tröllaslagur
4.
Búkur strjúki burt vakur,
bolur óþolur, í holur,
marður, barður, meinsærður
meltist, smeltist, fráveltist;
dökkur sökkvi djöfuls skrokkur
í dimmu stimmu þá rimmu;
okaður, slokið illskuhrak
hjá öndum, þeim fjöndum,
í böndum;
nísti hann svo niður
nálægur kliður,
skemmdur, hrifinn,
skrykktur, hnykktur
skammar limur og liður
fyrir orðanna hniður
og ummælanna sniður.
III. Strengur
5.
Skarpt skal skot smíða
þér, skemmdin ófríða,
nísta þig og níða
fyrir nauðmagnan stríða;
skaltu nú héðan skríða,
en skeinan ber svíða
skakinn með háð hríða
í heljar gný víða.
6.
Eg býð þér víst víkja,
þú vesall djöfull díkja,
mun eg til málið mýkja,
þér meinhagyrðin ýkja;
þú þarft ei snauður sníkja,
snápurinn rauna ríkja,
óvins eptirlíkja,
eitruð skammar skríkja.
7.
Fúli fjandans bolur
fari í vítis holur;
angrist æ óþolur
hinn aumi heljar kolur;
þær flæmist argar fýlur
um fjögur þúsund mílur,
skrattans skemmdar grýlur
skreiðist frá með ýlur.
IV. Stefið
8.
Gegnum megna gauðragn
gangi fleinn, meinteinn óbeinn;
þig myrji, smyrji mækir blár,
mylji, hylji, frá skilji;
remma skammar rómgrimm
rjúki, strjúki, svo fjúki;
í grunnið renni greyið senn,
gleypist, sneypist og steypist;
skaltu skjótt hrynja,
skemmdar forynja,
ofan í vítis afgrunnið, hin armasta linja;
munu þá skauðin skynja,
hve skeytin á dynja.
V.
9.
Djöfull þér bistur eg banna
bæinn og hús manna,
gegnrak grundanna
og grýting steinanna,
allra hlutanna,
elementanna,
skotbrögð skaðanna
og skelfinganna.
10.
Bresti nú í sundur
bölvuð djöfuls undur,
sökkvist heljar hundur;
hinn háðuglegasti kundur;
brenni títt sem tundur
tramanns lymsku lundur;
kröptugur mærðar mundur;
þig mæði, þrjózku þundur.
11.
Meinsærður meiðist,
móður héðan skreiðist,
bölvanlegur bleyðist,
á brögðunum leiðist,
ragur fjandi reiðist,
raun þig á breiðist,
gatan í djúpið greiðist
og grunnið svart seiðist.
VI. Stefið
12.
Særður, færður, svikharður
sendiár óklár í útkrár
magnaður gegnum moldgögn;
mynd slæm, viðkvæm og
voðanæm,
býinn flýi bölgrey,
banna eg nefnilega neinn veg,
brögð lögð og bylslægð,
braukið, slaukið sé lokið;
fjandalegust fýla,
fljúgi á þig píla;
þú skalt fyrir þinn harka hrekk í
helvíti hvíla;
biturleg orða bíla
þig brytji, grimmdar grýla.
VII. Málaversin
13.
Nú kemur níð,
nauða hörð hríð,
yfir djöflum diktað smíð
þá deyfi um æfitíð,
skemmdar andana hylji
hin harðasta helnótin flugvíð.
14.
Skemmdur skammar limur,
skrattanna þrunginn þrymur,
verði á vondum svimur,
víktu frá harka hrymur;
stríðdjöfull bölvaður,
steinkasta bróðir,
steypist ofan í vellanda vimur.
VIII.
15.
Stritharður strangormur einn
þig stingi flugnæmur fleinn;
far niður fjandi óhreinn,
fúaskrípið, níðlegur teinn,
bölskræfan beljandi,
bundin í helvíti,
mjög meinfastur,
niðurbarinn, bystur
og sem bjargfastur steinn.
16.
Heim stefni eg fjanda,
þeim helvízka anda,
gegnum láð landa
í löginn vellanda;
þeim skal viðju vanda
og versta brugg blanda;
fastur í fjötri banda
skal flugormurinn standa.
17.
Bandagormurinn gleiði,
þig guðs son burt sneiði,
lymskur árinn leiði,
þig límdan á breiði;
ryð eg þig burt með reiði,
ríf sundur og meiði;
belgdur sért með bleyði,
þig bæði særi og neyði.
18.
Helvízkur hrökkvi,
héðan á burt stökkvi
raunadjöfull dökkvi,
svo dvíni ráðklökkvi;
satans limurinn sökkvi,
svikanna níðs nökkvi,
fjandur burt flökkvi,
en falsið útslökkvi.
IX. Stefið
19.
Skeyti heitu eg skotið læt
skrattans þegn í gegn með megn;
brenni, renni bölið inn
í breytinn, skreytinn, áleitinn;
ryttan gretta rými skjótt,
ragur fjandi, meins andi grýtandi;
um aldir haldist æ belldur
í eisu kreisu fyrir reisu
níðingurinn nauða,
nam við kauða,
skriðinn í vítis skringi steit,
sá skemmd er allra skauða,
djöfull í báli dauða
fyrir dreyrann Kristí rauða.
X. Málaversin
20.
Límdur, klemmdur, knúður,
köfunar andi óprúður,
hlaðist á heitur hrúður,
hart sé skakinn og dúður,
haldist það um aldir,
í þeim heljar herfjötrum
hann verði laminn og lúður.
21.
Bannsyng eg bölvan þá
í burt úr hverri krá,
djöflar þeir drífi frá,
sem drjúg brögðin látast slá;
harðir skotfleinar hæfi þá,
ef hingað vilja nokkurn tíma gá.
22.
Springi nú fyrir þrenningina þeir
og þrýstist niður úr leir,
þrádjöflar þessir tveir,
þar á ei auki meir,
þaðan af enginn í þeirra stað komi;
þjóðin aldrei af þeim sjái
örmul, mynd eða óhreinan seyr.
XI. Síðasta viðja
23.
Flugsærður fjandi
fari skríðandi,
vesall, veinandi
úr voru láðs landi;
vefjist að honum vandi
í viðju og járnbandi
af báli brennandi
með bölum vaxandi.
24.
Slótta árinn slyngi
slitni af láðs hringi,
eg bind þig svo í bingi,
þú bærir á öngvu þingi,
þig stikkfleinar stingi
fyrir stórbrögð öll og kynngi,
hátt eg yfir þér hringi
og hvellum málm klingi.
25.
Nú sé fjötri festur
falsarinn sá verstur,
djöfull meinmestur,
fyrir mærð og orðlestur,
klemmdur niður og klesstur,
kyrr í stað setztur;
friðurinn bætist beztur,
en burtu ógestur.
XII.
26.
Fjötra tötrum færi og nót
fúnum, lúnum, tilbúnum,
djöfla vafli, draugfífi,
frá dróttu með sóttu í óttu,
opið gloprist í djúp,
um æfi þá hæfi og kæfi
skeytin heit fyrir skaða rót,
þeim skelli, þá felli og velli,
þeim haldi gin gríðar
og gangviðjur stríðar,
enn séu bundnir árar þeir
til æfinlegrar tíðar
fyrir manna bænir blíðar
og bragar mynd þess, sem smíðar.
XIII. Versin
27.
Nú ef nokkur ár
eða níðlegur andi óklár
byrjar brögð eða rjár
um byggðarmanna krár,
bý eg þeim til brýnda fleina
fyrir blóðið Jesú hreina,
verði það slíkum slóttugum orðum
svo sem ein eiturpíla og
ógræðandi sár.
28.
Gangdjöflar burt búist
frá byggð Snjáfjalla snúist,
hart að helormur þrúgist,
heit staðfastleg trúist,
við heilagt blóð Jesú legg eg,
að það ráð og ríki óhreinna anda
eyðist, rýrist og rúist.
29.
Þau bannskeytin brotni í smátt,
sem brögðóttir smíða þrátt
djöflarnir dag sem nátt,
þeir dreifist í hverri átt
fyrir blóðuga Jesú sæla síðu,
séu þeir allir alsærðir, yfirstignir;
vor æðstur Emanúel
eyðileggur allan þeirra mátt.
Amen.
Source Colophon
Icelandic text from Wikisource (is.wikisource.org, page ID 1794). Edited by Jón Þorkelsson. By Jón lærði Guðmundsson (1574–1658), composed 1612 against the gangárar (walking spirits) of the Snæfjöll district, Iceland.
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