The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson
for bad counsels have oft been received from another's breast.
10. A better burthen no man bears on the way than much good sense;
that is thought better than riches in a strange place; such is the
recourse of the indigent.
11. A worse provision on the way he cannot carry than too much
beer-bibbing; so good is not, as it is said, beer for the sons of men.
12. A worse provision no man can take from table than too much
beer-bibbing: for the more he drinks the less control he has of his
own mind.
13. Oblivion's heron 'tis called that over potations hovers; he
steals the minds of men. With this bird's pinions I was fettered in
Gunnlods dwelling.
14. Drunk I was, I was over-drunk, at that cunning Fialar's. It's
the best drunkenness, when every one after it regains his reason.
15. Taciturn and prudent, and in war daring, should a king's
children be; joyous and liberal every one should be until his hour of
death.
16. A cowardly man thinks he will ever live, if warfare he avoids;
but old age will give him no peace, though spears may spare him.
17. A fool gapes when to a house he comes, to himself mutters or is
silent; but all at once, if he gets drink, then is the man's mind
displayed.
18. He alone knows who wanders wide, and has much experienced, by
what disposition each man is ruled, who common sense possesses.
19. Let a man hold the cup, yet of the mead drink moderately, speak
sensibly or be silent. As of a fault no man will admonish thee, if
thou goest betimes to sleep.
20. A greedy man, if he be not moderate, eats to his mortal sorrow.
Oftentimes his belly draws laughter on a silly man, who among the
prudent comes.
21. Cattle know when to go home, and then from grazing cease; but a
foolish man never knows his stomach's measure.
22. A miserable man, and ill-conditioned, sneers at every thing: one
thing he knows not, which he ought to know, that he is not free from
faults.
23. A foolish man is all night awake, pondering over everything; he
then grows tired; and when morning comes, all is lament as before.
24. A foolish man thinks all who on him smile to be his friends; he
feels it not, although they speak ill of him, when he sits among the
clever.
25. A foolish man thinks all who speak him fair to be his friends;
but he will find, if into court he comes, that he has few advocates.
26. A foolish man thinks he knows everything if placed in unexpected
difficulty; but he knows not what to answer, if to the test he is put.
27. A foolish man, who among people comes, had best be silent; for
no one knows that he knows nothing, unless he talks too much. He who
previously knew nothing will still know nothing, talk he ever so much.
28. He thinks himself wise, who can ask questions and converse also;
conceal his ignorance no one can, because it circulates among men.
29. He utters too many futile words who is never silent; a garrulous
tongue, if it be not checked, sings often to its own harm.
30. For a gazing-stock no man shall have another, although he come a
stranger to his house. Many a one thinks himself wise, if he is not
questioned, and can sit in a dry habit.
31. Clever thinks himself the guest who jeers a guest, if he takes
to flight. Knows it not certainly he who prates at meat, whether he
babbles among foes.
32. Many men are mutually well-disposed, yet at table will torment
each other. That strife will ever be; guest will guest irritate.
33. Early meals a man should often take, unless to a friend's house
he goes; else he will sit and mope, will seem half-famished, and can
of few things inquire.
34. Long is and indirect the way to a bad friend's, though by the
road he dwell; but to a good friend's the paths lie direct, though he
be far away.
35. A guest should depart, not always stay in one place. The welcome
becomes unwelcome, if he too long continues in another's house.
36. One's own house is best, small though it be; at home is every
one his own master. Though he but two goats possess, and a
straw-thatched cot, even that is better than begging.
37. One's own house is best, small though it be, at home is every
one his own master. Bleeding at heart is he, who has to ask for food
at every meal-tide.
38. Leaving in the field his arms, let no man go a foot's length
forward; for it is hard to know when on the way a man may need his
weapon.
39. I have never found a man so bountiful, or so hospitable that he
refused a present; or of his property so liberal that he scorned a
recompense.
40. Of the property which he has gained no man should suffer need;
for the hated oft is spared what for the dear was destined. Much goes
worse than is expected.
41. With arms and vestments friends should each other gladden, those
which are in themselves most sightly. Givers and requiters are longest
friends, if all [else] goes well.[16]
42. To his friend a man should be a friend, and gifts with gifts
requite. Laughter with laughter men should receive, but leasing with
lying.
43. To his friend a man should be a friend; to him and to his
friend; but of his foe no man shall the friend's friend be.
44. Know, if thou hast a friend whom thou fully trustest, and from
whom thou woulds't good derive, thou shouldst blend thy mind with his,
and gifts exchange, and often go to see him.
45. If thou hast another, whom thou little trustest, yet wouldst
good from him derive, thou shouldst speak him fair, but think
craftily, and leasing pay with lying.
46. But of him yet further, whom thou little trustest, and thou
suspectest his affection; before him thou shouldst laugh, and contrary
to thy thoughts speak: requital should the gift resemble.
47. I was once young, I was journeying alone, and lost my way; rich
I thought myself, when I met another. Man is the joy of man.
48. Liberal and brave men live best, they seldom cherish sorrow; but
a base-minded man dreads everything; the niggardly is uneasy even at
gifts.
49. My garments in a field I gave away to two wooden men: heroes
they seemed to be, when they got cloaks: exposed to insult is a naked
man.
50. A tree withers that on a hill-top stands; protects it neither
bark nor leaves: such is the man whom no one favours: why should he
live long?
51. Hotter than fire love for five days burns between false
friends; but is quenched when the sixth day comes, and-friendship is
all impaired.
52. Something great is not [always] to be given, praise is often for
a trifle bought. With half a loaf and a tilted vessel I got myself a
comrade.
53. Little are the sand-grains, little the wits, little the minds of
[some] men; for all men are not wise alike: men are everywhere by
halves.
54. Moderately wise should each one be, but never over-wise: of
those men the lives are fairest, who know much well.
55. Moderately wise should each one be, but never over-wise; for a
wise man's heart is seldom glad, if he is all-wise who owns it.
56. Moderately wise should each one be, but never over-wise. His
destiny let know no man beforehand; his mind will be freest from'
care.
57. Brand burns from brand until it is burnt out; fire is from fire
quickened. Man to' man becomes known by speech, but a fool by his
bashful silence.
58. He should early rise, who another's property or wife desires to
have. Seldom a sluggish wolf gets prey, or a sleeping man victory.
59. Early should rise he who has few workers, and go his work to see
to; greatly is he retarded who sleeps the morn away. Wealth half
depends on energy.
60. Of dry planks and roof-shingles a man knows the measure; of the
fire-wood that may suffice, both measure and time.
61. Washed and refected let a man ride to the Thing,[17] although
his garments be not too good; of his shoes and breeches let no one be
ashamed, nor of his horse, although he have not a good one.
62. Inquire and impart should every man of sense, who will be
accounted sage. Let one only know, a second may not; if three, all the
world knows.
63. Gasps and gapes, when to the sea he comes, the eagle over old
ocean; so is a man, who among many comes, and has few advocates.
64. His power should every sagacious man use with discretion; for he
will find, when among the bold he comes, that no one alone is
doughtiest.
65. Circumspect and reserved every man should be, and wary in
trusting friends. Of the words that a man says to another he often
pays the penalty.
66. Much too early I came to many places, but too late to others:
the beer was drunk, or not ready: the disliked seldom hits the moment.
67. Here and there I should have been invited, if I a meal had
needed; or two hams had hung, at that true friend's, where of one I
had eaten.
68. Fire is best among the sons of men, and the sight of the sun, if
his health a man can have, with a life free from vice.
69. No man lacks everything, although his health be bad: one in his
sons is happy, one in his kin, one in abundant wealth, one in his good
works.
70. It is better to live, even to live miserably; a living man can
always get a cow. I saw fire consume the rich man's property, and
death stood without his door.
71. The halt can ride on horseback, the one-handed drive cattle; the
deaf fight and be useful: to be blind is better than to be burnt[18]
no one gets good from a corpse.
72. A son is better, even if born late, after his father's
departure. Gravestones seldom stand by the way-side unless raised by a
kinsman to a kinsman.
73. Two are adversaries: the tongue is the bane of the head: under
every cloak I expect a hand. * * *
74. At night is joyful he who is sure of travelling entertainment.
[A ship's yards are short.][19] Variable is an autumn night. Many are
the weather's changes in five days, but more in a month.
75. He [only] knows not who knows nothing, that many a one apes
another. One man is rich, another poor: let him not be thought
blameworthy.
76. Cattle die, kindred die, we ourselves also die; but the fair
fame never dies of him who has earned it.
77. Cattle die, kindred die, we ourselves also die; but I know one
thing that never dies,--judgment on each one dead.
78. Full storehouses I saw at Dives' sons': now bear they the
beggar's staff. Such are riches; as is the twinkling of an eye: of
friends they are most fickle.
79. A foolish man, if he acquires wealth or woman's love, pride
grows within him, but wisdom never: he goes on more and more arrogant.
80. Then 'tis made manifest, if of runes thou questionest him, those
to the high ones known, which the great powers invented, and the
great talker[20] painted, that he had best hold silence.
81. At eve the day is to be praised, a woman after she is burnt, a
sword after it is proved, a maid after she is married, ice after it
has passed away, beer after it is drunk.
82. In the wind one should hew wood, in a breeze row out to sea, in
the dark talk with a lass: many are the eyes of day. In a ship voyages
are to be made, but a shield is for protection, a sword for striking,
but a damsel for a kiss.
83. By the fire one should drink beer, on the ice slide; buy a horse
that is lean, a sword that is rusty; feed a horse at home, but a dog
at the farm.
84. In a maiden's words no one should place faith, nor in what a
woman says; for on a turning wheel have their hearts been formed, and
guile in their breasts been laid;
85. In a creaking bow, a burning flame, a yawning wolf, a chattering
crow, a grunting swine, a rootless tree, a waxing wave, a boiling
kettle,
86. A flying dart, a falling billow, a one night's ice, a coiled
serpent, a woman's bed-talk, or a broken sword, a bear's play, or a
royal child,
87. A sick calf, a self-willed thrall, a flattering prophetess, a
corpse newly slain, [a serene sky, a laughing lord, a barking dog, and