Stanza 23

Original Old Norse:

Ósviðr maðr

vakir um allar nætr

ok hyggr at hvívetna

þá er móðr

er at morni kømr

alt er vil sem var

Auden & Taylor:

Foolish is he who frets at night, 

And lies awake to worry' 

A weary man when morning comes, 

He finds all as bad as before,

Bellows:

The witless man | is awake all night,

Thinking of many things;

Care-worn he is | when the morning comes,

And his woe is just as it was.

Bray:

The unwise man is awake all night, 

and ponders everything over; 

when morning comes he is weary in mind, 

and all is a burden as ever.

Chisholm:

The stupid man lies awake all night

and thinks about everything

and is tired in the morning

though all is as it was.

Hollander:

The unwise man waketh all night,

thinking of this and that-

tosses, sleepless, and is tired at morn:

nor lighter for that is load.

Terry:

A stupid man stays awake all night

pondering his problems;

he's worn out when morning comes

and whatever was, still is.

Thorpe:

A foolish man

is all night awake,

pondering over everything;

he than grows tired;

and when morning comes,

all is lament as before.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF STANZA 23

I think this stanza is probably one of the most brilliant in the whole collection of wisdom we call the Havamal.  But, I may think that because I use this stanza so much.

The fool stays awake all night worrying about his problems, and in the morning he's tired...and his problems have not changed at all.

At the most basic level, this could be taken as advice about getting some good sleep, and not allowing your problems to keep you awake.  Because, the stanza is true...losing sleep worrying is not going to make your problems go away.

Looking a little deeper though, the stanza is talking about how problems actually get solved.  Problems are only solved by facing them and doing something about them.  Fretting, worrying, and wringing your hands does absolutely nothing.

I think any problem can be faced and you can do something about every problem.  You maybe can't completely solve every problem, but there is at least something you can do about any situation.

Example:  A friend betrays you.  Now, you may not be able to make the betrayal go away...or salvage the friendship.  So some may say you can't really solve that problem.  But, when you decide that you don't want to be friends with someone that betrayed you...and take action on that decision in order to protect yourself and your family, you are doing something.

Now, that's just my perspective.  I don't like the idea that there is anything in this world you can't face and do something about if you choose to do so.

At least once a week I remind myself of this stanza...and at least once with each of my children, I've had to give them the advice in this stanza.  It is incredibly practical advice.