Editor’s note: Over 1,000 years old, the Hávamál (“Sayings of the High One”) is a series of Old Norse poems from the Viking age. Stanzas 1-80 include a collection of proverbs and wisdom sayings that are attributed to the god Odin. The maxims deal with the rules of being a guest and showing hospitality — behaviors that for the Vikings were more than a matter of etiquette, but of honor. They also concern general counsels for how a man should conduct himself and live worthily.

1. All door-ways,

before going forward,

should be looked to;

for difficult it is to know

where foes may sit

within a dwelling.

2. Givers, hail!

A guest is come in:

where shall he sit?

In much haste is he,

who on the ways has

to try his luck.

3. Fire is needful

to him who is come in,

and whose knees are frozen;

food and rainment

a man requires,

wheo’er the fell has travelled.

4. Water to him is needful

who for refection comes,

a towel and hospitable invitation,

a good reception;

if he can get it,

discourse and answer.

5. Wit is needful

to him who travels far:

at home all is easy.

A laughing-stock is he

who nothing knows,

and with the instructed sits.

6. Of his understanding

no one should be proud,

but rather in conduct cautious.

When the prudent and taciturn

come to a dwelling,

harm seldom befalls the cautious;

for a firmer friend

no man ever gets

than great sagacity.

7. A wary guest

who to refection comes,

keeps a cautious silence,

with his hears listens,

and with his eyes observes:

so explores every prudent man.

8. He is happy,

who for himself obtains

fame and kind words:

less sure is that

which a man must have

in another’s breast.

9. He is happy,

who in himself possesses

fame and wit while living;

for bad counsels

have oft been received

from another’s breast.

10. A better burden

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 Gunnlöds dwelling.

14. Drunk I was,

I was over-drunk,

at that cunning Fjalar’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 the hour of his 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;

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.

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 has 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 life

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,

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 eagles 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 the 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 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:

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 enjoyment.

(A ship’s yards are short.)

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, –

judgement 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 a 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 painted,

that he had best hold silence.

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