The gods explain that the earth is round and encircled by the deep sea, that the giants received the coastal land, and that the gods built Midgard from Ymir's eyelashes as a protection for the dwelling of mankind.
Jörðin er kringlótt á ytri brún, ok þar um útan liggr hinn djúpi sjór. Ok meðan þess lands er á bakkanum gáfu þeir Jötunheimar til bygðar jötunum.
The earth is round along its outer rim, and around it on the outside lies the deep sea. Along the shore of that land they gave Jotunheim for the habitation of the giants.
En á innanverðri jörðu gerðu þeir borg um heim til verndar gegn ófrið jötna, ok til þeirar borgar höfðu þeir brár Ymis ok kölluðu þá borg Miðgarð.
On the inner part of the earth they built a stronghold around the world as a defence against the hostility of the giants, and for that stronghold they used Ymir's eyelashes and called the stronghold Midgard.
Eddic quotations
Sól varp sunnan, sinni mána, hendi inni hægri um himinjódyr; sól þat né vissi hvar hon sali átti, stjörnur þat né vissu hvar þær staðar áttu.
The sun cast her light from the south, the moon's companion, her right hand cast about the heaven's rim; the sun did not know where her halls would stand, the stars did not know where their stations would be.