Nordic Saga. Havamal

[JanAndersLarsson]

This is the beginning of the poem Havamal ! There are 164 verses altogether. Enjoy it !

1. At every door-way,

ere one enters,

one should spy round,

one should pry round

for uncertain is the witting

that there be no foeman sitting,

within, before one on the floor

2. Hail, ye Givers! a guest is come;

say! where shall he sit within?

Much pressed is he who fain on the hearth

would seek for warmth and weal.

3. He hath need of fire, who now is come,

numbed with cold to the knee;

food and clothing the wanderer craves

who has fared o'er the rimy fell.

4. He craves for water, who comes for refreshment,

drying and friendly bidding,

marks of good will, fair fame if 'tis won,

and welcome once and again.

5. He hath need of his wits who wanders wide,

aught simple will serve at home;

but a gazing-stock is the fool who sits

mid the wise, and nothing knows.

6. Let no man glory in the greatness of his mind,

but rather keep watch o'er his wits.

Cautious and silent let him enter a dwelling;

to the heedful comes seldom harm,

for none can find a more faithful friend

than the wealth of mother wit.

7. Let the wary stranger who seeks refreshment

keep silent with sharpened hearing;

with his ears let him listen, and look with his eyes;

thus each wise man spies out the way.

8. Happy is he who wins for himself

fair fame and kindly words;

but uneasy is that which a man doth own

while it lies in another's breast.

9. Happy is he who hath in himself

praise and wisdom in life;

for oft doth a man ill counsel get

when 'tis born in another's breast.

10. A better burden can no man bear

on the way than his mother wit;

'tis the refuge of the poor, and richer it seems

than wealth in a world untried.

11. A better burden can no man bear

on the way than his mother wit:

and no worse provision can he carry with him

than too deep a draught of ale.

12. Less good than they say for the sons of men

is the drinking oft of ale:

for the more they drink, the less can they think

and keep a watch o'er their wits.

13. A bird of Unmindfulness flutters o'er ale feasts,

wiling away men's wits:

with the feathers of that fowl I was fettered once

in the garths of Gunnlos below.

14. Drunk was I then, I was over drunk

in that crafty Jötun's court.

But best is an ale feast when man is able

to call back his wits at once.

15. Silent and thoughtful and bold in strife

the prince's bairn should be.

Joyous and generous let each man show him

until he shall suffer death.

16. A coward believes he will ever live

if he keep him safe from strife:

but old age leaves him not long in peace

though spears may spare his life.

17.<A name=17> A fool will gape when he goes to a friend,

and mumble only, or mope;

but pass him the ale cup and all in a moment

the mind of that man is shown. 18.http://' target="_blank"> He knows alone who has wandered wide,

and far has fared on the way,

what manner of mind a man doth own

who is wise of head and heart.