Bawcutt and Riddy emend ‘thus’ to ‘us’ and translate ‘so that we might justly be forgiven (for praising the hospitality).’ But the emendation doesn’t seem necessary if we read ‘baith’ as the object of excuse.

There seem to be two lines missing at this point in the stanza.

This is a difficult line. Herrtage says simply ‘I do not understand this line.’ Walsh translates as: ‘to keep my compact unless I put you to the test beforehand.’ This translation does, however, ignore the word ‘now.’ I suspect the line is corrupt and that the original reading was something like: ‘Bot gif I fand the forward [or the alternate form ‘forrad’] now to keip my cunnand’ (which would give an acceptable meaning of: ‘if I didn’t find you more ready now to keep my compact’).

Lekpreuik’s text reads Bo for Bot.

There is a line missing between these two lines. Speed suggests that the missing line had the sense of ‘He didn’t have as splendid an appearance.’

Bawcutt and Riddy emend ‘thame’ to ‘thane’ and translate ‘to live thenceforward’; but ‘leif thame’ (meaning ‘live together’) seems more appropriate to the context.