1. várkunn (to feel woe, to feel compassion for)
2. kenna í brjósti um (to feel in the breast about/for, to feel compassion for)
3. aumka sik (to feel compassion for)
4. miskunn (to overlook, pardon, forgive, show mercy and grace)
5. eir (peace, clemency, mercy ; also please note that this is cognate with Anglo-Saxon ár, "honor", indicating the precise qualities for which one earned honor.)
Five different ways of expressing the notion of mercy, compassion, or clemency. Five. One of them is actually a heathen word for "honor", and also happens to be the name of the Goddess of Healing. Several words for the same concept in a language often indicates the importance of the concept.
Just sayin'.