Stanza 165

Original Old Norse:	Auden & Taylor:	Bellows:	Bray:
Nú era Háva mál kveðin Háva höllu í allþörf ýta sonum óþörf jötna sonum heill sá er kvað heill sá er kann njóti sá er nam heilir þeirs hlýddu	The Wise One has spoken words in the hall, Needful for men to know, Unneedful for trolls to know: Hail to the speaker, Hail to the knower, Joy to him who has understood, Delight to those who have listened.	----	164. Now the sayings of the High One are uttered in the hall for the weal of men, for the woe of Jötuns, Hail, thou who hast spoken! Hail, thou that knowest! Hail, ye that have hearkened! Use, thou who hast learned!
Chisholm:	Hollander:	Terry:	Thorpe:
164. Now are Har’s sayings said, in Har’s hall needful for the sons of men unneeded by ettins’ sons. Hail the one who speaks them, hail the one who knows them useful to he who gets them hail they who heed them.	Now are Har's sayings spoken in Har's hall, of help to the sons of men, of harm to the sons of etins; hail to whoever spoke them, hail to whoever knows them! Gain they who grasp them, happy they who heed them!	The sayings of the High One heard in his hall are helpful to sons of men, harmful to giants. Hail to the speaker, hail the one he taught! They're lucky who have the lore, happy if they heed it!	166. Now are sung the High-one’s songs, in the High-one’s hall, to the sons of men all-useful, but useless to the Jötun’s sons. Hail to him who has sung them! Hail to him who knows them! May he profit who has learnt them! Hail to hose who have listened to them!
This is our final verse of the Havamal. I hope you have enjoyed reading through them with me each day, and have gleaned a little bit of information for yourself on your journey.

Stanzas 163 - 164

Original Old Norse:	Auden & Taylor:	Bellows:	Bray:
Þat kann ek it átjánda er ek æva kennik mey né manns konu alt er betra er einn um kann þat fylgir ljóða lokum nema þeiri einni er mik armi verr eða mín systir sé	To learn to sing them, Loddfafnir, Will take you a long time, Though helpful they are if you understand them, Useful if you use them, Needful if you need them.	164. Long these songs | thou shalt, Loddfafnir, Seek in vain to sing; Yet good it were | if thou mightest get them, Well, if thou wouldst them learn, Help, if thou hadst them.	162. These songs, Stray-Singer, which man's son knows not, long shalt thou lack in life, though thy weal if thou win'st them, thy boon if thou obey'st them thy good if haply thou gain'st them.
Chisholm:	Hollander:	Terry:	Thorpe:
-	In this lore wilt thou, Loddfafnir, be unversed forever and say: thy weal were it, if this wisdom thine-- 'tis helpful, if heeded, 'tis needful, if known.	But all this lore you, Loddfafnir, will long be lacking -- though it would help you to have it, do you good to get it, be needed if you knew it.	-
This stanza is almost certainly an interpolation, and seems to have been introduced after the list of charms and the Loddfafnismol (stanzas 111-138) were combined in a single poem, for there is no other apparent excuse for the reference to Loddfafnir at this point. The words "if thou mightest get them" are a conjectural emendation.
Original Old Norse:	Auden & Taylor:	Bellows:	Bray:
Nú era Háva mál kveðin Háva höllu í allþörf ýta sonum óþörf jötna sonum heill sá er kvað heill sá er kann njóti sá er nam heilir þeirs hlýddu	I know an eighteenth that I never tell To maiden or wife of man, A secret I hide from all Except the love who lies in my arms, Or else my own sister.	165. An eighteenth I know, | that ne'er will I tell To maiden or wife of man,-- The best is what none | but one's self doth know, So comes the end of the songs,-- Save only to her | in whose arms I lie, Or who else my sister is.	163. An eighteenth I know: which I ne'er shall tell to maiden or wife of man save alone to my sister, or haply to her who folds me fast in her arms; most safe are secrets known to but one- the songs are sung to an end.
Chisholm:	Hollander:	Terry:	Thorpe:
163. I know an eighteenth that none know, neither maid, nor man’s wife. It is always better kept secret, except to the one who lies in my arms, or my sister.	That eighteenth I know which to none I will tell, neither maid nor man's wife-- 'tis best warded I but one know it: this speak I last of my spells-- but only to her in whose arms I lie, or else to my sister also.	I know an eighteenth which I never tell a maiden or any man's wife -- the best of charms if you can chant it; this is the last of my lay -- unless to a lady who lies in my arms, or I'll sing it to my sister.	165. For the eighteenth I know that which I never teach to maid or wife of man, (all is better what one only knows. This is the closing of the songs) save her alone who clasps me in her arms, or is my sister.
Some translators insert Stanza 163 before 164, some do not. I've combined them both here to keep in line with the groupings.

Stanza 162

Original Old Norse:	Auden & Taylor:	Bellows:	Bray:
Þat kann ek it sjautjánda at mik mun seint firrask it manunga man ljóða þessa mun þú Loddfáfnir lengi vanr vera þó sé þér góð ef þú getr nýt ef þú nemr þörf ef þú þiggr	I know a seventeenth: if I sing it, the young Girl will be slow to forsake me.	163. A seventeenth I know, | so that seldom shall go A maiden young from me;	161. A seventeenth I know: so that e'en the shy maiden is slow to shun my love.
Chisholm:	Hollander:	Terry:	Thorpe:
I know a Seventeenth to keep her from shirking me for any other man. Mind this Loddfafnir, long will you lack it, but it will get you good, once you learn it, it will be useful to you when you understand it, and needful if known.	That seventeenth I know, (if the slender maid's love I have, and hold her to me: this I sing to her) that she hardly will leave me for other man's love.	I know a seventeenth, and with that spell no maiden will forsake me.	164. For the seventeenth I know, that that young maiden will reluctantly avoid me. These songs, Loddfafnir! thou wilt long have lacked; yet it may be good if thou understandest them, profitable if thou learnest them.
Some editors have combined these two lines with stanza 164. Others have assumed that the gap follows the first half-line, making "so that-from me" the end of the stanza.

Stanza 161

Original Old Norse:	Auden & Taylor:	Bellows:	Bray:
Þat kann ek it sextánda ef ek vil ins svinna mans hafa geð alt ok gaman hugi ek hverfi hvítarmri konu ok sný ek hennar öllum sefa	I know a sixteenth: if I see a girl With whom it would please me to play, I can turn her thoughts, can touch the heart Of any white armed woman.	162. A sixteenth I know, | if I seek delight To win from a maiden wise; The mind I turn | of the white-armed maid, And thus change all her thoughts.	160. A sixteenth I know: when all sweetness and love I would win from some artful wench, her heart I turn, and the whole mind change of that fair-armed lady I love.
Chisholm:	Hollander:	Terry:	Thorpe:
I know a sixteenth. If I want the heart and pleasure of a winsome lass, I turn the mind of the white-armed lady to me, and wend to bed with her.	That sixteenth I know, if I seek me some maid, to work my will with her: the white-armed woman's heart I bewitch, and toward me I turn her thoughts.	I know a sixteenth: if I say that spell any girl soon grants my desires; I win the heart of the white-armed maiden, turn her thoughts where I will.	163. For the sixteenth I know, if a modest maiden’s favour and affection I desire to possess, the soul I change of the white-armed damsel, and wholly turn her mind.
We, uh, are gonna just cruise on by this one..

Stanza 160

Original Old Norse:	Auden & Taylor:	Bellows:	Bray:
Þat kann ek it fimmtánda er gól Þjóðreyrir dvergr fyr Dellings durum afl gól hann ásum en álfum frama hyggju Hroptatý	I know a fifteenth, that first Thjodrerir Sang before Delling's doors, Giving power to gods, prowess to elves, Fore-sight to Hroptatyr Odhinn,	161. A fifteenth I know, | that before the doors Of Delling sang Thjothrörir the dwarf; Might he sang for the gods, | and glory for elves, And wisdom for Hroptatyr wise.	159. A fifteenth I know, which Folk-stirrer sang, the dwarf, at the gates of Dawn; he sang strength to the gods, and skill to the elves, and wisdom to Odin who utters.
Chisholm:	Hollander:	Terry:	Thorpe:
I know a fifteenth, which Thiodrorir the dwarf sang before Delling’s door. He sang might to the Aesir, power to the elves, and understanding to Odin.	That know I fifteenth which Thjothrærir sang, the dwarf, before Delling's door: gave to Æsir strength, to alfs victory by his song, and insight to Othin.	I know a fifteenth that the dwarf Thjodrorir chanted at Delling's door: power to the Æsir, triumph to the elves, understanding to Odin.	162. For the fifteenth I know what the dwarf Thiodreyrir sang before Delling’s doors. Strength he sang to the Æsir, and to the Alfar prosperity, wisdom to Hroptatýr.
This stanza, according to Müllenhoff, was the original conclusion of the poem, the phrase "a fifteenth" being inserted only after stanzas 162-165 had crept in. Delling: a seldom mentioned god who married Not (Night). Their son was Dag (Day). Thjothrörir: not mentioned elsewhere. Hroptatyr: Othin.

Stanza 159

Original Old Norse:	Auden & Taylor:	Bellows:	Bray:
Þat kann ek it fjórtánda ef ek skal fyrða liði telja tíva fyrir ása ok álfa ek kann allra skil fár kann ósnotr svá	I know a fourteenth, that few know: If I tell a troop of warriors About the high ones, elves and gods, I can name them one by one. (Few can the nit-wit name.)	A fourteenth I know, | if fain I would name To men the mighty gods; All know I well | of the gods and elves, Few be the fools know this.	158. A fourteenth I know: if I needs must number the Powers to the people of men, I know all the nature of gods and of elves which none can know untaught.
Chisholm:	Hollander:	Terry:	Thorpe:
I know a fourteenth: If I talk of the gods before the folk, I can speak of Ases and elves. Few of the unlearned know these things.	That fourteenth I know, if to folk I shall sing and say of the Gods: Æsir and alfs know I altogether-- of unlearned few have that lore.	I know a fourteenth, as men will find when I tell them tales of the gods: I know all about the elves and the Æsir -- few fools can say as much.	161. For the fourteenth I know, if in the society of men I have to enumerate the gods, Æsir and Alfar, I know the distinctions of all. This few unskilled can do.
Our lore and history is an important thing to know. We have all seen the “bro-satru” out there, who insist they are going to Valhalla because they've watched the Marvel movies..

Stanza 158

Original Old Norse:	Auden & Taylor:	Bellows:	Bray:
Þat kann ek it þrettánda ef ek skal þegn ungan verpa vatni á munat hann falla þótt hann í fólk komi hnígra sá halr fyr hjörum	I know a thirteenth if I throw a cup Of water over a warrior, He shall not fall in the fiercest battle, Nor sink beneath the sword,	A thirteenth I know, | if a thane full young With water I sprinkle well; He shall not fall, | though he fares mid the host, Nor sink beneath the swords.	157. A thirteenth I know: if the new-born son of a warrior I sprinkle with water, that youth will not fail when he fares to war, never slain shall he bow before sword.
Chisholm:	Hollander:	Terry:	Thorpe:
I know a thirteenth: If I sprinkle a young thane with water, he will not fall, though he goes to battle. He will not be cut down by swords.	That thirteenth I know if a thane's son I shall wet with holy water: never will he fall, though the fray be hot, nor sink down, wounded by sword.	I know a thirteenth: if I pour water over a youth, he will not fall in any fight, swords will not slay him.	160. For the thirteenth I know, if on a young man I sprinkle water, he shall not fall, though he into battle come: that man shall not sink before swords.
The sprinkling of a child with water was an established custom long before Christianity brought its conception of baptism.