Hávamál

[Hávamál: A Study Guide]

Hávamál: Sayings of the High One Translated by Carolyne Larrington A Comparative Study
In September 2014, Carolyne Larrington, a Tutor and Fellow in medieval English at St. John's College, Oxford, released a revised edition of her popular Poetic Edda, first published in 1996. This second edition is a substantial revision from the original. A side-by-side comparison of the two versions will prove useful for those interested in a more accurate translation of this important eddic poem. While the two translations are largely similar, their differences on particular points are significant.
[Hávamál: A Study Guide]
Codex Regius: Guðni Jónsson edition	1996 Original Translation	2014 Revision
1. Gáttir allar, áðr gangi fram, um skoðask skyli, um skyggnast skyli, því at óvíst er at vita, hvar óvinir sitja á fleti fyrir.	1. All the entrances, before you walk forward, you should look at, you should spy out; for you can’t know for certain where enemies are sitting ahead in the hall.	1. All the doorways, before one enters, should be looked around, should be spied out; it can’t be known for certain where enemies are sitting in the hall ahead.
2. Gefendr heilir! Gestr er inn kominn, hvar skal sitja sjá? Mjök er bráðr, sá er á bröndum skal síns of freista frama.	2. Blessed be the givers! A guest has come in, where is he going to sit? He’s in great haste, the one who by the hearth is going to be tested out.	2. ‘Blessed be the givers!’ A guest has come in, where is he going to sit? He’s in great haste, the one who by the log-stack is going to try his luck.
3. Elds er þörf, þeims inn er kominn ok á kné kalinn; matar ok váða er manni þörf, þeim er hefr um fjall farit.	3. Fire is needful for someone who’s come in and who’s chilled to the knee; food and clothing are necessary for the man who’s journeyed over the mountains.	3. Fire is needful for someone who’s come in and who’s chilled to the knee; food and clothing are necessary for the man who’s journeyed over the mountains.
4. Vatns er þörf, þeim er til verðar kemr, þerru ok þjóðlaðar, góðs of æðis, ef sér geta mætti, orðs ok endrþögu.	4. Water is needful for someone who comes to a meal, a towel and a warm welcome, a friendly disposition, if he can get it, for good words and silence in return.	4. Water is needful for someone who comes to a meal, a towel and a warm welcome, a disposition, if he can get it, speech and silence in return.
5. Vits er þörf, þeim er víða ratar; dælt er heima hvat; at augabragði verðr, sá er ekki kann ok með snotrum sitr.	5. Wits are needful for someone who travels widely, anything will do at home; he becomes a laughing-stock, the man who knows nothing and sits among the wise.	5. Wits are needful for someone who wanders widely, anything will pass at home; he becomes a laughing-stock, the man who knows nothing and sits among the wise.
6. At hyggjandi sinni skyli-t maðr hræsinn vera, heldr gætinn at geði; þá er horskr ok þögull kemr heimisgarða til, sjaldan verðr víti vörum, því at óbrigðra vin fær maðr aldregi en mannvit mikit.	6. About his intelligence no man should be boastful, rather cautious of mind; when a wise and silent man comes to a homestead seldom does shame befall the wary; for no more trustworthy a friend can any man get than a store of common wisdom.	6. About his intelligence no man should be boastful, rather cautious of mind; when a wise and silent man comes to a homestead blame seldom befalls the wary; for no more dependable friend can a man ever get than a store of common sense.
7. Inn vari gestr, er til verðar kemr, þunnu hljóði þegir, eyrum hlýðir, en augum skoðar; svá nýsisk fróðra hverr fyrir.	7. The careful guest, who comes to a meal, keeps silent with hearing finely attuned; He listens with his ears, and looks about with his eyes; so every wise man informs himself.	7. The careful guest, who comes to a meal, keeps silent, with hearing finely attuned; he listens with his ears, and looks about with his eyes; so every wise man spies out what’s ahead.
8. Hinn er sæll, er sér of getr lof ok líknstafi; ódælla er við þat, er maðr eiga skal annars brjóstum í.	8. This man is fortunate, who can get for himself praise and good will; very difficult it is when a man lays claim to what’s in another’s heart.	8. He’s lucky, the man who can get himself praise and good will; very difficult it is when a man lays claim to what’s in another’s breast.
9. Sá er sæll, er sjalfr of á lof ok vit, meðan lifir; því at ill ráð hefr maðr oft þegit annars brjóstum ór.	9. That man is fortunate, who, in himself Keeps his reputation and his wits while he lives; For men have often received bad advice From another’s heart.	9. He’s lucky, the man who keeps in himself praise and wit while he lives; for bad advice men have often received from another’s breast.
10. Byrði betri berr-at maðr brautu at en sé mannvit mikit; auði betra þykkir þat í ókunnum stað; slíkt er válaðs vera.	10. No better burden can a man carry on the road than a store of common sense; better than riches it will seem in an unfamiliar place, such is the resort of the wretched.	10. No better burden can a man bear on the road than a store of common sense; better than riches it will seem in an unfamiliar place, such is the resort of the wretched.
11. Byrði betri berr-at maðr brautu at en sé mannvit mikit; vegnest verra vegr-a hann velli at en sé ofdrykkja öls.	11. No better burden can a man carry on the road than a store of common sense; a worse journeying-provision he couldn’t carry over the land than to be drunk on ale.	11. No better burden can a man bears on the road than a store of common sense; no worse journeying-provision could he carry over the plain than over-much drinking of ale.
12. Er-a svá gótt sem gótt kveða öl alda sona, því at færa veit, er fleira drekkr síns til geðs gumi.	12. It isn’t good as it’s said to be, ale, for the sons of men; for the more he drinks, the less he knows about the nature of men.	12. It isn’t good as it’s said to be, ale, for the sons of men; for the more a man drinks, the less he knows about his own mind.
13. Óminnishegri heitir sá er yfir ölðrum þrumir, hann stelr geði guma; þess fugls fjöðrum ek fjötraðr vark í garði Gunnlaðar.	13. The heron of forgetfulness hovers over the ale-drinking; He steals men’s wits; With the feathers of this bird I was fettered in the court of Gunnlod.*	13. The forgetfulness-heron it’s called, Who hovers over ale-drinking; He steals a man’s mind; With this bird’s feathers I was fettered in the court of Gunnlod.*
	*Gunnlod: this alludes to the story of the winning of the mead of poetry, told in full in Snorri, Edda, pp. 61-4. The mead originally belonged to two dwarfs, Fialar and Gialar, and was stolen by the giants. Odin worked for a year as a thrall for the brother of Suttung, the giant who had the mead. When the year was up he went to Suttung (here confusingly called Fialar) to claim his reward of mead. By seducing Gunnlod, Suttung's daughter, he gained her help and escaped with the mead back to Asgard. The story is told in fuller detail in vv. 104-10 below.	*Gunnlod: this alludes to the story of the winning of the mead of poetry, told in full in Snorri, Edda, pp. 61-4. The mead originally belonged to two dwarfs, Fialar and Gialar, and was stolen by the giants. Odin worked for a year as a thrall for the brother of Suttung, the giant who had the mead. When the year was up he went to Suttung (here confusingly called Fialar in v. 14) to claim his reward of mead. By seducing Gunnlod, Suttung's daughter, he gained her help and escaped with the mead back to Asgard. The story is told in fuller detail in vv. 104-10 below.
14. Ölr ek varð, varð ofrölvi at ins fróða Fjalars; því er ölðr bazt, at aftr of heimtir hverr sitt geð gumi.	14. Drunk I was, I was more than drunk at wise Fialar’s;* that’s the best about ale-drinking that afterwards every man gets his mind back again.	14. Drunk I was, I was more than drunk at wise Fialar’s; that’s the best sort of ale-drinking when afterwards every man gets his mind back again.
	*Fialar: here a mistake for Suttung, the owner of the mead.
15. Þagalt ok hugalt skyli þjóðans barn ok vígdjarft vera; glaðr ok reifr skyli gumna hverr, unz sinn bíðr bana.	15. Silent and thoughtful a prince’s son should be and bold in fighting; cheerful and merry every man should be until he waits for death.	15. Silent and thoughtful a prince’s son should be and bold in fighting; cheerful and merry every man should be until he comes to death.
16. Ósnjallr maðr hyggsk munu ey lifa, ef hann við víg varask; en elli gefr hánum engi frið, þótt hánum geirar gefi.	16. The foolish man thinks he will live forever, if he keeps away from fighting; but old age won’t grant him a truce even if the spears do.	16. The cowardly man thinks he’ll live forever, if he keeps away from fighting; but old age won’t grant him a truce even if spears spare him.
17. Kópir afglapi er til kynnis kemr, þylsk hann um eða þrumir; allt er senn, ef hann sylg of getr, uppi er þá geð guma.	17. The fool gapes when he comes on a visit, He mutters to himself or keeps silent; But it’s all up with him if he gets a swig of drink; The man’s mind is exposed.	17. The fool stares when he comes on a visit, He mutters to himself or hovers about; But it’s all up with him if he gets a swig of drink; The man’s mind is exposed.
18. Sá einn veit er víða ratar ok hefr fjölð of farit, hverju geði stýrir gumna hverr, sá er vitandi er vits.	18. Only a man who travels widely and has journeyed a great deal knows what sort of mind each man controls; he who’s sharp in his wits.	18. Only a man who wanders widely and who has journeyed a great deal knows what sort of mind each man controls; He who’s sharp in his wits.
19. Haldi-t maðr á keri, drekki þó at hófi mjöð, mæli þarft eða þegi, ókynnis þess vár þik engi maðr, at þú gangir snemma at sofa.	19. A man shouldn’t hold onto the cup but drink mead in moderation, it’s necessary to speak or be silent; no man will blame you for impoliteness if you go early to bed.	19. Let no man hold onto the cup, but drink mead in moderation, Let him say what’s necessary or be silent; no man will scold you because you go off early to bed.
20. Gráðugr halr, nema geðs viti, etr sér aldrtrega; oft fær hlægis, er með horskum kemr, manni heimskum magi.	20. The greedy man, unless he guards against this tendency, will eat himself into lifelong trouble; often he’s laughed at when he comes among the wise, the man who is foolish about his stomach.	20. The greedy man, unless he guards against this tendency, will eat himself into lifelong trouble; often when he comes among the wise, the foolish man’s stomach is laughed at.
21. Hjarðir þat vitu, nær þær heim skulu, ok ganga þá af grasi; en ósviðr maðr kann ævagi síns of mál maga.	21. Cattle know when they ought to go home, and then they leave the pasture; but the foolish man never knows the measure of his own stomach.	21. Cattle know when they ought to go home, and then they leave the pasture; but the foolish man never figures the measure of his own stomach.
22. Vesall maðr ok illa skapi hlær at hvívetna; hittki hann veit, er hann vita þyrfti, at hann er-a vamma vanr.	22. He's a wretched man, of an evil disposition, the one who makes fun of everything; he doesn't know the one thing he ought to know: that he himself is not devoid of faults.	22. He's a wretched man, of evil disposition, the one who makes fun of everything; he doesn't know the one thing he ought to know: that he is not devoid of faults.
23. Ósviðr maðr vakir um allar nætr ok hyggr at hvívetna; þá er móðr, er at morgni kemr, allt er víl sem var.	23. The foolish man lies awake all night and worries about things; he's tired out when the morning comes and everything's just as bad as it was.	23. The stupid man lies awake all night and worries about everything; he's tired out when the morning comes and all’s just as bad as it was.
24. Ósnotr maðr hyggr sér alla vera viðhlæjendr vini; hittki hann fiðr, þótt þeir um hann fár lesi, ef hann með snotrum sitr.	24. The foolish man thinks that everyone is his friend who laughs with him; he doesn't notice even if they say cruel things about him when he sits among the wise.	24. The foolish man thinks that everyone is his friend who laughs with him; he doesn't notice though they say nasty things about him when he sits among the wise.
25. Ósnotr maðr hyggr sér alla vera viðhlæjendr vini; þá þat finnr, e r at þingi kemr, at hann á formælendr fáa.	25. The foolish man thinks that everyone is his friend who laughs with him; but then he finds when he comes to the Assembly* that he has few to speak on his behalf.	25. The foolish man thinks that everyone is his friend who laughs with him; but then he finds when he comes to the Assembly* that he has few to speak on his behalf.
	* Assembly: in both mainland Scandinavia and Iceland people would regularly meet at regional assemblies (Things) to resolve law cases.
26. Ósnotr maðr þykkisk allt vita, ef hann á sér í vá veru; hittki hann veit, hvat hann skal við kveða, ef hans freista firar.	26. The foolish man thinks he knows everything if he takes refuge in a corner; he doesn't know what he can say in return if people ask him questions.	26. The foolish man thinks he knows everything if he cowers in a corner; he doesn't know what he can say in return if people ask him questions.
27. Ósnotr maðr, er með aldir kemr, þat er bazt, at hann þegi; engi þat veit, at hann ekki kann, nema hann mæli til margt; veit-a maðr, hinn er vettki veit, þótt hann mæli til margt.	27. The foolish man in company does best if he stays silent; no one will know that he knows nothing, unless he talks too much; but the man who knows nothing does not know when he is talking too much.	27. The foolish man in company does best if he stays silent; no one will know that he knows nothing, unless he talks too much; but the man who knows nothing does not know even if he is talking too much.
28. Fróðr sá þykkisk, er fregna kann ok segja it sama; eyvitu leyna megu ýta synir, því er gengr um guma.	28. Wise that man seems who knows how to question and how to answer as well; the sons of men cannot keep secret what's already going around.	28. Wise he esteems himself who knows how to question and how to answer as well; the sons of men cannot keep secret what's going around about folk.
29. Ærna mælir, sá er æva þegir, staðlausu stafi; hraðmælt tunga, nema haldendr eigi, oft sér ógótt of gelr.	29. Quite enough senseless words are spoken by the man never silent; a quick tongue, unless its owner keeps watch on it, often talks itself into trouble.	29. Quite enough baseless blather comes from the man who is never silent; a quick tongue, unless it’s held in check, often talks itself into trouble.
30. At augabragði skal-a maðr annan hafa, þótt til kynnis komi; margr þá fróðr þykkisk, ef hann freginn er-at ok nái hann þurrfjallr þruma.	30. Into a laughing-stock no man should make another, though he comes on a visit; many a man seems wise if he isn't asked questions and he manages to lurk unscathed.	30. Into a laughing-stock no man should make another, though he comes to visit the household; many a man seems wise if he isn't asked questions and he manages to lurk unscathed.
31. Fróðr þykkisk, sá er flótta tekr, gestr at gest hæðinn; veit-a görla, sá er of verði glissir, þótt hann með grömum glami.	31. Wise that man who retreats when one guest is insulting another; the man who mocks others at a feast doesn't really know whether he's shooting off his mouth amid enemies.	31. Wise that man seems who retreats when one guest is insulting another; the man who mocks at a feast doesn't know for sure whether he shoots off his mouth amid enemies.
32. Gumnar margir erusk gagnhollir, en at virði vrekask; aldar róg þat mun æ vera, órir gestr við gest.	32. Many men are devoted to one another and yet they fight at feasts; amongst men there will always be strife, guest quarrelling with guest.	32. Many men are devoted to one another and yet they fight at feasts; amongst men there will always be strife, guest quarrelling with guest.
33. Árliga verðar skyli maðr oft fáa, nema til kynnis komi: str ok snópir, lætr sem solginn sé ok kann fregna at fáu.	33. An early meal a man should usually eat, unless he is going on a visit; he sits and guzzles, acts as if he's starving and doesn't make any conversation.	33. An early meal a man should usually eat, unless he is visiting friends; he sits and gazes around hungrily, acts as if he's starving and doesn't make conversation.