Skarpi,

Maybe you can help me with what I've been told is an Icelandic song. It was collected in about 1947 from John Stickle of Unst, Shetland, who said it was a rowing song. I sang it at a couple of conferences recently. One Icelander said it was in Icelandic, and translated it on the spot. The other lecturer was less specific.
I have two questions. First, how would you translate the lyric? Second, in your opinion does 'poppa' in the last verse refer to a child's father who is singing him the song, or is it an appeal to Poppa, God?
Here is my phonetic version of the song, as taught to me 40 years ago by the collector Pat Shuldam-Shaw.

Starka varna vesta lee
Oh bediah, oh bediah
Starka varna vesta lee
Oh bediah, mun yeh

Stolla stoyta stonga rehr
Oh, what's says du, dah bunchka ber (I know that the first half of this line is in Shetland English, meaning 'What say you?'
Oh, what's says du, dah bunchka ber
Littera meyvee drenyee

Senna poppa waara
Oh bediah, oh bediah
Senna poppa waara
Oh bediah, mun yeh

Best regards, hope you can help, Ewan McVicar