Stanza 49

Original Old Norse:

Váðir mínar

gaf ek velli at

tveim trémönnum

rekkar þat þóttusk

er þeir ript höfðu

neiss er nøkkviðr halr

Auden & Taylor:

Two wooden stakes stood on the plain,

on them I hung my clothes:

Draped in linen, they looked well born,

But, naked, I was a nobody

Bellows:

My garments once | in a field I gave

To a pair of carven poles;

Heroes they seemed | when clothes they had,

But the naked man is nought.

Bray:

My garments once I gave in the field

to two land-marks made as men; 

heroes they seemed when once they were clothed; 

'tis the naked who suffer shame!

Chisholm:

I gave my clothes to two tree-men

in the field.

Men they seemed with clothes.

Shameful the naked hero.

Hollander:

In the fields as i fared, (for fun) I hung

my weeds on two wooden men;

they werre reckoned folks when the rags they wore:

naked, a man is naught.

Terry:

When I saw two scarecrows in a field

I covered them with my clothes;

they looked like warriors when they were dressed --

who hails a naked hero?

Thorpe:

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.

On one level this is a discussion of scarecrows. Not just actual scarecrows in fields but the scarecrow function itself - Give someone the cloak of the frithgard (modern terms give them a temporary deputy's badge) and they will be fierce enough to do their job. From the directly physical of a scarecrow in the field to the metaphorical effect that uniforms or costumes have.

This is also about the us-vs-them mental set-up of wearing a uniform. "The blue religion" among the police is a popular topic in detective novels. The camaraderie among soldiers wearing the same uniform is very real. Heck, there's even camaraderie among uniformed folks wearing different uniforms. Ranging from the Army-Navy football game to seeing soldiers on the other side of a conflict differently yet somehow better than the local civilians at times.

On another level this is about levels and types of anonymity and what that does to boldness. UseNet, e-mail and web boards are a perfect example of this. Let someone hide behind a cool sounding alias and all too often they become braggerts and bullshitters. They have their cloak of anonymity so they are bold. Such folks see posting their real name as a grave breech of ettiquette. It's a bizarre feature to me as someone who's used his real name on-line since forever.

On the other hand often folks don't understand the rules of privacy either. A person-to-person e-mail message is every bit as private as if you'd printed it on paper and used a first class stamp. A post on UseNet or some web board is more public than you could acheive by taping a printout to the door of city hall. But mailing lists, those are in between without clear rules to the same degree. How cloaked and how exposed is a mailing list hosted by Google or whoever? I've never been sure of that.

Stanza 48

Original Old Norse:

Mildir frœknir

menn bazt lifa

sjaldan sút ala

en ósnjallr maðr

uggir hotvetna

sýtir æ gløggr við gjöfum

Auden & Taylor:

The generous and bold have the best lives, 

Are seldom beset by cares, 

But the base man sees bogies everywhere

And the miser pines for presents.

Bellows:

The lives of the brave | and noble are best,

Sorrows they seldom feed;

But the coward fear | of all things feels,

And not gladly the niggard gives.

Bray:

Most blest is he who lives free and bold

and nurses never a grief,

for the fearful man is dismayed by aught,

and the mean one mourns over giving.

Chisholm:

He who gives gladly lives the best life,

and seldom has sorrow.

But the unwise suspect all

and always pine for gifts.

Hollander:

He who giveth gladly a goodly life leadeth,

and seldom hath he sorrow;

but the churlish wight is chary of all,

and grudgingly parts with his gifts.

Terry:

Men brave and generous live the best lives,

seldom will they sorrow;

then there are fools, afraid of everything,

who grumble instead of giving.

Thorpe:

Liberal and brave men live best,

they seldom cherish sorrow;

but a base-minded man

dreads everything;

the niggardly is uneasy even at gifts.

A parallel message is that generousity is equated with heroism and miserliness is equated with cowardice.

Actions and materiel are interchangible on some level.Fighting in battle is an act of giving just as making an item with your own hands and gifting the item is giving just as gifting money is giving. Makes me wonder about the case of buying your way out of military service, a loophole of sorts.

The latter part:
"en ósnjallr maðr
uggir hvotvetna,
sýtir æ glöggr við gjöfum."

The miser doesn´t become happy at all when someone brings him a gift. He will be expected to give something back, now or later, and the very thought of that is unbearable to him. I have met a few misers in my life, and strangely enough they are all bachelors - in a comical accordance with this stanza.

Stanza 47

Original Old Norse:

Ungr var ek forðum

fór ek einn saman

þá varð ek villr vega

auðigr þóttumk

er ek annan fann

maðr er manns gaman

Auden & Taylor:

Young and alone on a long road,

Once I lost my way:

Rich I felt when I found a another;

Man rejoices in man.

Bellows:

Young was I once, | and wandered alone,

And nought of the road I knew;

Rich did I feel | when a comrade I found,

For man is man's delight.

Bray:

Young was I once, I walked alone, 

and bewildered seemed in the way; 

then I found me another and rich I thought me, 

for man is the joy of man.

Chisholm:

When I was young, I once traveled alone

and lost my way.

I thought myself rich when I found another,

man rejoices in man.

Hollander:

Young was i once and went along,

and wandering lost my way;

when a friend i found i felt me rich:

man is cheered by man.

Terry:

Always as a young man I traveled alone,

and I would lose my way;

I felt I was rich if I made a friend --

no man by himself is happy.

Thorpe:

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.

Here through stanza 52 it discusses the relationship among relationships, material wealth, attitude.

Humans are social creatures. More than just the necessity of mutual support in a hostile climate, humans take joy in the company of other humans everywhere. Families, clans, crowds. Villages, towns, cities, nations.

This stanza supports a stance that Asatru is a social activity not for the solo pracitioner, though it's fairly isolated so as such it's a relatively weak support.

Asatru on the Internet has allowed heathens to find one another across the world. I was once young, and I got an account on the Internet. I was journeying alone surfing UseNet (okay, I've been on-line a lot longer than the web or mailing lists have existed), and lost my way. Rich I thought myself, when I met another. I was on the old alt.pagan because that's the closest I could find and someone used the word "Asatru". Hmmm, others like me existed! Man is the joy of man.

Stanza 46

Original Old Norse:

Þat er enn of þann

er þú illa trúir

ok þér er grunr at hans geði

hlæja skaltu við þeim

ok um hug mæla

glík skulu gjöld gjöfum

Auden & Taylor:

Even with one you ill-trust 

And doubt what he means to do, 

False words with fair smiles 

May get you the gift you desire.

Bellows:

So is it with him | whom thou hardly wilt trust,

And whose mind thou mayst not know;

Laugh with him mayst thou, | but speak not thy mind,

Like gifts to his shalt thou give.

Bray:

Yet further of him whom thou trusted ill,

and whose mind thou dost misdoubt; 

thou shalt laugh with him but withhold thy thought, 

for gift with like gift should be paid.

Chisholm:

If you do not trust a man,

and he speaks his mind with you

laugh with him, but speak not your mind

and deal fitting rewards for his gifts.

Hollander:

And eke this heed: if ill thou trust one,

and hollow-hearted his speeck;

thou shalt laugh with him and lure him on,

and let him have tit for tat.

Terry:

Here's more advice about the man

whose intentions you don't trust:

laugh when he does, let your words dissemble,

give back gift for gift.

Thorpe:

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.

The second of two consequative stanzas on folks who might some day end up friends or who might end up disappearing into your personal history as acquaintances.

There are two different types of laughter among friends. One is laughing together with your friend. The other is laughing at the same time as your acquintance. Is sharing a matter of internal perspective or a matter of outside actions? Sometimes it is hard to judge when one gradually fades into the other.

With an old friend you've been exchanging gifts for so long neither
pays much heed to a balance in the business sense. One springs
for a prime rib dinner, the other brings over a pizza the next week
because it hasn't been a profitable year and there isn't the money.
In the end it's the time spend together and the laughter shared that is remembered not the balance.

It doesn't work that way with a new acquaintance. A gift looks to a gift. It's much more business balanced. Friends can just be themselves, business colleagues do mirroring and active listening.

What I get from this stanza is the notion that you should pretend to be friendly to those you suspect. The "Keep your enemies closer" bit. Interesting that it does seem to focus on mistrust of intentions rather than outright knowledge that the other is an enemy. By pretending to friendliness, if it turns out they're not an enemy, you can actually get along with them.

Stanza 45

Original Old Norse:

Ef þú át annan

þanns þú illa trúir

vildu af honum þó gótt geta

fagrt skalt við þann mæla

en flátt hyggja

ok gjalda lausung við lygi

Auden & Taylor:

If you deal with another you don't trust 

But wish for his good-will, 

Be fair in speech but false in thought 

And give him lie for lie.

Bellows:

If another thou hast | whom thou hardly wilt trust,

Yet good from him wouldst get,

Thou shalt speak him fair, | but falsely think,

And fraud with falsehood requite.

Bray:

But hast thou one whom thou trustest ill 

yet from whom thou cravest good?

Thou shalt speak him fair, but falsely think,

and leasing pay for a lie.

Chisholm:

If you know another and trust him not

and you want to get good from him

speak fair to him while thinking falsely

and give him lies for lies.

Hollander:

If another there be whom ill thou trusteth,

yet would'st get from him gain;

speak fair to him though false thou meanest,

and pay him lesing for lies

Terry:

If there's a man that you mistrust

and you want him to treat you well,

let your words be fair but false to your thought,

pay back lying with lies.

Thorpe:

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.

After 4 consequative stanzas about reenforcing the value of friendship, now there are two stanzas on dealing with folks not trusted. As far as I can tell this means business associates, acquaintances and so on. Friendship is a sliding scale so this might include "fair weather friends" or "office friends" who you don't keep contact with after moving or changing jobs.

Speaking fairly is a way to build towards a trusted friendship. Notice that if both parties speak fairly and only *think* suspiciously eventually the suspicious thought gets old and worn and the casual relationship slowly drifts towards friendship.

The expression "speak him fair" is a fun one. It isn't speaking to his face only. It's also speaking about him to others. Don't backstab your officemates or neighbors even if you don't trust them. That sets a higher standard. and one way to build mutual trust is to have a chance to back-mouth someone, deline to do so, and have it get back to them that you stood by their good name. It's a way to gradually build trust through taking the moral high road.

Note that the "leasing pay with lying" part appears here as well as for trusted friends. I've already covered that this can't mean the same thing in the different circumstances so it must be for contrast, ease of memorization, and ease of oral recitation.

But what is truth and lying anyways? There are two sides to every story. Everyone has their own viewpoint of what happens. Is my perspective a lie just because I saw the events differently than you did?

And so this advice can be taken on many levels.

The literal level is once you know someone is not being truthfull with you don't feel the need to stay truthfull with him. It's a big step to know someone is lying and not just mistaken or biased, though. Idiots blither not lie. Lunatics babble not lie. Honest folks flub stuff not lie. None of these should be viewed as having established a pattern, but the story of the boy who cried wolf applies. Once you know there's an established pattern feel free to return it but not until. Once you know someone is an idiot blither to them. Once you know someone is a lunatic don't work at being rational with them. Once you know someone is a chonic liar don't bother with the truth with them.

Stanza 44

Original Old Norse:

Veiztu ef þú vin átt

þanns þú vel trúir

ok vill þú af honum gótt geta

geði skalt við þann

blanda ok gjöfum skipta

fara at finna opt

Auden & Taylor:

If you find a friend you fully trust 

And wish for his good-will, 

exchange thoughts, 

exchange gifts, 

Go often to his house.

Bellows:

 If a friend thou hast | whom thou fully wilt trust,

And good from him wouldst get,

Thy thoughts with his mingle, | and gifts shalt thou make,

And fare to find him oft.

Bray:

Hast thou a friend whom thou trustest well, 

from whom thou cravest good? 

Share thy mind with him, gifts exchange with him, 

fare to find him oft.

Chisholm:

If you know that you have a friend and that he is true,

and that you will get good from him,

share your mind with him, exchange gifts,

and visit him often.

Hollander:

If friend thou hast whom faithful thou deemest,

and wishest to win him for thee;

open thy heart to him nor withhold thy gifts,

and fare to find him often.

Terry:

If you have a friend you feel you can trust

and you want him to treat you well,

open your mind to him, give him gifts,

and go to see him often.

Thorpe:

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.

When I was in grade school, I lost a very dear friend to a train accident. We were 'country folk', and one of the best swimming holes was beneath a train bridge. We would run out on the bridge, and jump into the river. One day, he wasn't fast enough, and the train won. His funeral was about a week later, and the thing was PACKED. The school gave all the kids who wanted to attend the day off. I had to sit and watch as all of these "friends" sat around the little country church, chit chatting and having fun, because they were out of school. They were not his friends, they simply used it as an excuse to ditch for the day.

If you have a friend, a true friend, whom you care for, BE the friend in return. In today's society of social media, and the mad race to collect likes and friend requests, how many of those do you actually know? How many are actually friends?

Stanza 43

Original Old Norse:

Vin sínum

skal maðr vinr vera

þeim ok þess vinr

en óvinar síns

skyli engi maðr

vinar vinr vera

Auden & Taylor:

A man should be loyal through life to friends,

To them and to friends of theirs, 

But never shall a man make offer 

Of friendship to his foes.

Bellows:

To his friend a man | a friend shall prove,

To him and the friend of his friend;

But never a man | shall friendship make

With one of his foeman's friends.

Bray:

To his friend a man should bear him as friend,

to him and a friend of his;

but let him beware that he be not the friend 

of one who is friend to his foe.

Chisholm:

A man shall always be a friend

to friends and to the friend of a friend

but never a friend

to a friend’s enemies.

Hollander:

With his friend a man should be friends ever,

and with him the friend of his friend;

but foeman's friend befriend thou never,

(and keep thee aloof from his kin)

Terry:

A man should be faithful to a friend

and to the friends of a friend;

it is unwise to offer friendship

to a foe's friend.

Thorpe:

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.

We continue on with the subject of friendship today. We need to be picky on who we call friend. The strength of clan relationships is the bedrock of the family sagas. To be an enemy to one person is to be the enemy of their family and close friends as well. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" is an ancient proverb which suggests that two opposing parties can or should work together against a common enemy. The earliest known expression of this concept is found in a Sanskrit treatise on statecraft, the Arthashastra, which dates to around the 4th century BC, while the first recorded use of the current English version came in 1884.

Stanza 42

Original Old Norse:

Vin sínum

skal maðr vinr vera

ok gjalda gjöf við gjöf

hlátr við hlátri

skyli hölðar taka

en lausung við lygi

Auden & Taylor:

A man should be loyal through life to friends,

And return gift for gift, 

Laugh when they laugh, 

but with lies repay

A false foe who lies.

Bellows:

 To his friend a man | a friend shall prove,

And gifts with gifts requite;

But men shall mocking | with mockery answer,

And fraud with falsehood meet.

Bray:

To his friend a man should bear him as friend,

and gift for gift bestow,

laughter for laughter let him exchange,

but leasing pay for a lie

Chisholm:

A man shall ever be a friend to his friends

and give gift for gift,

laughter for laughter,

but give lies for lies.

Hollander:

With his friend a man should be friends ever,

and pay back gift for gift;

laughter afor laughter he learn to give,

and eke lesing for lies.

Terry:

A man should keep faith with his friends always,

returning gift for gift;

laughter should be the reward of laughter,

lying of lies.

Thorpe:

To his friend 

a man should be a friend,

and gifts with gifts requite.

Laughter with laughter

men should receive,

but leasing with lying.

Stranger Things is a very popular, awesome show on Netflix. If you haven't seen it, I recommend you do. One of the  main characters, Eleven, has a very specific saying, "friends don't lie". This stanza goes right along with it. Friends don't lie. Friends give gifts, recieve gifts, laugh with you, cry with you, stand beside you through thick and thin. We all know who our true friends are. This stanza has two main parts, in my mind: 1) be a friend. Give, laugh, love, share, be TRUE. 2) those who do NOT do these things.. they are not your friends.

Stanza 41

Original Old Norse:

Vápnum ok váðum

skulu vinir gleðjask

þat er á sjalfum sýnst

viðr gefendr ok endrgefendr

erusk vinir lengst,

ef þat bíðr at verða vel

Auden & Taylor:

With presents friends should please each other,

With a shield or a costly coat:

Mutual giving makes for friendship

So long as life goes well,

Bellows:

Friends shall gladden each other | with arms and garments,

As each for himself can see;

Gift-givers' friendships | are longest found,

If fair their fates may be.

Bray:

With raiment and arms shall friends gladden each other,

so has one proved oneself;

for friends last longest, if fate be fair

who give and give again.

Chisholm:

Friends should share joy in weapons

and clothes that are evident to one another.

Those who share gifts stay the fastest friends,

when things go well.

Hollander:

With presents friends should please each other,

With a shield or a costly coat:

Mutual giving makes for friendship

So long as life goes well,

Terry:

Give your friends gifts -- they're as glad as you are

to wear new clothes and weapons;

frequent giving makes friendships last,

if the exchange is equal.

Thorpe:

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.

In this stanza, we look at the value of giving gifts. Oft times, giving is done in an effort to please the reciever, please the giver, or out of percieved requirement. How often have you given a gift simply because it was expected of you? Birthdays, Valentine's, Grandparents Day.. Many of these are gift giving times where we do so out of obligation, not neccesarily ou of the desire to give. There are other times, however, when we WANT to give gifts. To me, this stanza is discussing those times. Give to your friends. Give freely. Enjoy their joy at recieving the gifts. But be careful.. some will take and take and take, without giving back. We all have that friend which uses our good will without recipricating it. Be wary of those..

Stanza 40

Original Old Norse:

Féar síns

er fengit hefir

skylit maðr þörf þola

opt sparir leiðum

þats hefir ljúfum hugat

mart gengr verr en varir

Auden & Taylor:

Once he has won wealth enough, 

A man should not crave for more:

What he saves for friends, foes may take;

Hopes are often liars.

Bellows: 

If wealth a man | has won for himself,

Let him never suffer in need;

Oft he saves for a foe | what he plans for a friend,

For much goes worse than we wish.

Bray:

Let no man stint him and suffer need 

of the wealth he has won in life; 

oft is saved for a foe what was meant for a friend, 

and much goes worse than one weens.

Chisholm:

One should not have too much need of the goods

he has gotten. Often one squanders

on enemies what was intended for loved ones.

Many affairs go awry.

Hollander:

Of his worldly goods which he gotten hath

let a man not stint overmuch;

oft is lavished on foe what for friend was saved,

for matters go often amiss.

Terry:

A man should spend his hard-earned money

on whatever he may want;

saving for dear ones may serve the detested:

things often don't work out our way.

Thorpe:

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.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF STANZA 40

While the previous stanza, stanza 39, states that no man is so rich that he refuses a gift, or so liberal with his wealth that he does not seek to be repaid, this stanza goes directly to how one's wealth should be used.

Looking at lines 1 and 2, we see some pretty strong differences of meaning between Auden & Taylor's translations, and all of the others.  Auden & Taylor interpret lines 1 and 2 as meaning that once a man has earned enough wealth, he should not crave for more.  This suggests that there is a reasonable limit to wealth, and that wanting more than that is wrong.  This is the only translation that goes in that direction, giving us good reason to question Auden & Taylor's interpretation of the meaning of these lines.

Stanza 39

Original Old Norse:

Fanka ek mildan mann

eða svá matar góðan

at værit þiggja þegit

eða síns féar

svá gjöflan

at leið sé laun ef þiggr

Auden & Taylor:

No man is so generous he will jib at accepting 

A gift in return for a gift, 

No man so rich that it really gives him 

Pain to be repaid.

Bellows:

None so free with gifts | or food have I found

That gladly he took not a gift,

Nor one who so widely | scattered his wealth

That of recompense hatred he had.

Note:  The key-word in line 3 is missing in the manuscript, but editors have agreed in inserting a word meaning "generous."

Bray:

I found none so noble or free with his food,

who was not gladdened with a gift, 

nor one who gave of his gifts such store 

but he loved reward, could he win it.

Chisholm:

I never found a generous man

who was so free with his food,

that he would turn it down, or so generous

as to loath a gift were it given.

Hollander:

So freehanded never found i a man

but would gladly take what is given;

not of his goods so ungrudging ever,

to forego what is given him.

Terry:

I've never met a man so generous

you couldn't give him a gift,

nor one so pleased to part with his property

he didn't care what cash came in.

Thorpe:

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.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF STANZA 39

Sometimes, the various translations parallel each other closely, and other times the various translations are structured quite differently.  We have the latter situation with this Stanza.  Despite sounding quite different, the translations all seem to be getting to the same point, though.

There has never been a man so generous, or bountiful, or rich that he would not accept a gift.  Or any man so liberal or free with his own property, that he would not accept repayment, or rewards, or gifts.  That seems to be the meaning of this stanza on its face.  Implied in this simple meaning, is the idea that having and acquiring wealth is not inherently bad.  Wanting and accepting gifts freely given to you by others is human nature.  Wanting to be paid for your goods or services is equally natural.  This last thought is especially evident in lines 3 and 4 of the Auden & Taylor, Bellows, Terry, and Thorpe translations.  The next stanza, stanza 40, puts the acquisition of wealth in a clearer context.

But, there is something more to this stanza.  Terry's translation, which always tends towards the overly simplistic, completely misses the actual meaning of the stanza.  Several of the other translations would also lead one away from the deeper meaning here.

So, let's look at Auden & Taylor's translation, which gives us a more complex meaning for the stanza:

No man is so generous he will jib at accepting 

A gift in return for a gift, 

No man so rich that it really gives him 

Pain to be repaid.

First, looking at lines 1 and 2 is important to understand that In Heathenry, a gift is more than just a gift.  A gift is a way of showing friendship or a willingness to build friendships.  A gift is part of a reciprocal exchange, which we often refer to as a "gift for a gift."  Gifts are not purely an act of kindness or generosity.  Gifts connect us to others.  Gifts create bonds of friendship and cooperation.  Gifts bring honor to both the giver and the receiver of the gift.  So, no matter how rich, or generous, our bountiful a man is - he will always accept "a gift in return for a gift."

A gift creates gift-debt for the receiver.  Understand, the gift given in return to pay this gift-debt is not always wealth or a material object.  Sometimes the gift-debt is paid with advice, time, loyalty, friendship, or some other intangible.  Understanding this, friends gift each other to show their respect and connection with one another.  No matter how rich a person is or how small the gift, the intrinsic deeper meaning of that gift is so much more important than whatever value or wealth is involved.  Often, the gift given to pay the gift-debt, creates a gift-debt in return.  And so the cycle of gifting continues.

Stanzas 41, 42, and 44 will get into much more detail about the concept of a "gift for a gift."

Lines 3 and 4 have a lot to do with respect, and continue our theme of a "gift for a gift."  When you gift something to someone, you expect to eventually be gifted in return.  When you loan something to someone, you expect to eventually be repaid.  If you sell something to someone, you expect to eventually be paid for the sale.  Now, the mainstream culture teaches us that we should give gifts with no expectation of reciprocity.  But, this is contrary to human nature and contrary to the ways of our Ancestors.

Stanza 38

Original Old Norse

Vápnum sínum

skala maðr velli á

feti ganga framar

því at óvist er at vita

nær verðr á vegum úti

geirs um þörf guma

Auden & Taylor:

A wayfarer should not walk unarmed, 

But have his weapons to hand:

He knows not when he may need a spear,

Or what menace meet on the road.

Bellows:

Away from his arms | in the open field

A man should fare not a foot;

For never he knows | when the need for a spear

Shall arise on the distant road.

Bray:

Let a man never stir on his road a step

without his weapons of war; 

for unsure is the knowing when need shall arise 

of a spear on the way without.

Chisholm:

A man should not step one foot

forth in the field without weapons.

One cannot know, when on the road,

when he will need his spear.

Hollander:

From his weapons away no one should ever

stir one step on the field;

for no one knows when need might have

on a sudden a man of his sword.

Terry:

Don't leave your weapons lying about

behind your back in a field;

you never know when you may need

all of a sudden your spear.

Thorpe:

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.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF STANZA 38

The literal meaning of this stanza is fairly straight-forward.  It warns against being without your weapons, because you never know when you might need them.  The world is a dangerous and unpredictable place.  One should come to understand this and accept this.  One should be prepared to defend one's self and those we love.

In our modern world, the wisdom of this stanza can inform us in different ways.  In some states, conceal/carry is the law of the land, and there are circumstances that might require one to be armed and ready.  There are also ways you can be physically prepared for the physical dangers of the world.  Staying in shape.  Learning to fight and defend one's self physically.  Also important, is being aware of your surroundings, and as much as possible, not putting yourself in situations where you are needlessly in danger.

A less literal meaning for this stanza can come from realizing that no matter how wise, cautious, and aware you are, there are non-physical threats you simply cannot foresee.  We can be blindsided financially, legally, emotionally, and in a hundred other ways.  Someone we thought to be our friend turns out to be less than a friend.  A job we count on for our livelihood can evaporate without warning.  We can get cross-wise with bureaucracy or the government unexpectly.  We can encounter unexpected but necessary expenses that threaten our homes and financial security. 

While these threats cannot be fought with weapons, they are no less dangerous to the well-being of our familes and way of life.  We should prepare and be ready for any threat.  We should react quickly and effectively when these threats come upon us, and we should not be found "unarmed" against them when they do.

It can also be said that this stanza is about self-reliance.  Do you have the tools at hand to reach your goals and accomplish what you need to accomplish, especially at those times when you are away from the safety and security of your home. 

Stanza 37

Original Old Norse:

Bú er betra

þótt lítit sé

halr er heima hverr

blóðugt er hjarta

þeims biðja skal

sér í mál hvert matar

Auden & Taylor:

A small hut of one's own is better, 

A man is his master at home:

His heart bleeds in the beggar who must 

Ask at each meal for meat.

Bellows:

Better a house, | though a hut it be,

A man is master at home;

His heart is bleeding | who needs must beg

When food he fain would have.

Bellow's Note:  Lines I and 2 are abbreviated in the manuscript, but are doubtless identical with the first two lines of stanza 36.

Bray:

One's own house is best, though small it may be,

each man is master at home; 

with a bleeding heart will he beg, who must, 

his meat at every meal.

Chisholm:

One’s own home is best, though it is small.

To each, home is hall.

His heart will bleed

who has to ask for each meal’s meat.

Hollander:

One's home is best thought a hut it be:

there a man is master and lord;

his heart doth bleed who has to beg

the meat for his every meal.

Terry:

Though it be little, better to live

in a house you hold as your own;

a man's heart breaks if he has to beg

for everything he eats.

Thorpe:

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.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF STANZA 37

Stanza 36 and 37 touch on similar themes and share the same first two lines.

Lines 1 and 2 express the idea that it is good to have your own house, regardless of how small or humble it may be.  The reason given in the majority of the translations, is because when you have a home, you are the master there.  Chisholm goes a little bit different direction by saying that "home is hall."  This seems like just a somewhat more subtle way of getting at the "master of the home" idea, because if your home is your hall...then you are the Lord of the Hall.  Terry steers away from the concept of you being the master at home, and simply says it is good to have a home to "hold as your own."  My favorite translation of the first two lines is Thorpe's.

One’s own house is best, small though it be;
at home is every one his own master.

Describing being one's "own master" at your "own house," gets right to the heart of the wisdom presented in this stanza.  At your work, or in public, or as a guest at another's house you are not fully free.  Even more so if you don't have a place of your own to live, or if you live in the home of another.  But, in your own home...whether it's a little hut or a big mansion...you are the master of your domain.  You are your own master.

Lines 3 and 4 get right to the point of how painful it is for someone to have to beg for their food or any other necessity in life.  Everyone but Terry translates the consequences of begging, as having your heart bleed.  Terry puts it in more modern terms, and describes it has the heart breaking.

To maintain one's honor and to stand on your own two feet, a man or woman must earn their way.  To maintain one's pride, one must be able to provide for one's family.  The loss of independence and pride when one must beg for what one needs strikes at the very core of a person.

In everyone's life, there are times when you need a little help from family or friends, or other sources.  Bad things happen, and a measure of one's Gefrain and Luck, is how many people step up and help you during these times.  But, these are temporary circumstances, and an honorable man or woman works hard, struggles, and fights their way back from these troubles.  They return a gift for a gift, and return the favors they were done.  And in the end, remaining self-sufficient and standing on your own two feet brings pride and worth to one's life.

Stanza 36

Original Old Norse:

Bú er betra

þótt lítit sé

halr er heima hverr

þótt tvær geitr

eigi ok taugreptan sal

þat er þó betra an bœn

Auden & Taylor:

A small hut of one's own is better, 

A man is his master at home:

A couple of goats and a corded roof

Still are better than begging. 

Bellows:

36. Better a house, | though a hut it be,

A man is master at home;

A pair of goats | and a patched-up roof

Are better far than begging.

Bellow's Note:  The manuscript has "little" in place of "a hut" in line I, but this involves an error in the initial-rhymes, and the emendation has been generally accepted.

Bray:

One's own house is best, though small it may be; 

each man is master at home; 

though he have but two goats and a bark-thatched hut

'tis better than craving a boon.

Chisholm:

One’s home is better though it be small.

To each, home is hall.

Though he owns but two goats,

and a thatched roof, it is better than begging.

Hollander:

One's home is best, though hut it be: 

there a man is master and lord; 

Though but two goats thine and a thatched roof, 

'tis far better than beg.

Terry:

Though it be little, better to live

in a house you hold as your own;

with just two goats, thin thatch for your roof,

you're better off than begging.

Thorpe:

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.

Stanza 36 and 37 touch on similar themes and share the same first two lines.

Lines 1 and 2 express the idea that it is good to have your own house, regardless of how small or humble it may be.  The reason given in the majority of the translations, is because when you have a home, you are the master there.  Chisholm goes a little bit different direction by saying that "home is hall."  This seems like just a somewhat more subtle way of getting at the "master of the home" idea, because if your home is your hall...then you are the Lord of the Hall.  Terry steers away from the concept of you being the master at home, and simply says it is good to have a home to "hold as your own."  My favorite translation of the first two lines is Thorpe's. 

One’s own house is best, small though it be;

at home is every one his own master.

Describing being one's "own master" at your "own house," gets right to the heart of the wisdom presented in this stanza.  At your work, or in public, or as a guest at another's house you are not fully free.  Even more so if you don't have a place of your own to live, or if you live in the home of another.  But, in your own home...whether it's a little hut or a big mansion...you are the master of your domain.  You are your own master.

Lines 3 and 4 simply go a bit further regarding the idea that no matter how modest your house, it is best to have a place to call your own.  Clearly, having just two goats would be fairly meager belongings.  And having a patched up roof, or a roof with thin thatch, or bark thatch roof, or a corded roof would be very crude or rustic.  But even this sparse house and meager belonging is better than begging, or asking for hand-outs from others.  Only Thorpe refers to a straw cot or bed, rather than a straw roof.  But, this difference does not affect the meaning in any real way.

We all strive for comfort and happiness.  Part of that effort involves working hard in order to afford a place to live.  This stanza reminds me of when my wife and I purchased our first home.  Our "starter home" as people call it.  It was an older home, a little rough around the edges, and not really in the perfect neighborhood.  But, it was our home.  We had great pride in having a place of our own in which to build a life.  To have more room for our growing family we moved about 5 years later.  But, I still remember how amazing it felt to move into that first home, meager though it might have been by some people's standards.

Stanza 35

Original Old Norse:

Ganga skal

skala gestr vera

ey í einum stað

ljúfr verðr leiðr

ef lengi sitr

annars fletjum á

Auden & Taylor:

The tactful guest will take his leave early,

not linger long:

He starts to stink who outstays his welcome,

in a hall that is not his own.

Bellows:

Forth shall one go, nor stay as a guest

in a single spot forever.

Love becomes loathing if one long sits

By the hearth in another's home.

Bray:

A guest must depart again on his way,

nor stay in the same place ever,

if he bide too long on another's bench

the loved one soon becomes loathed.

Chisholm:

Then the guest should go.

He should not stay too long in one stead.

When one stays loo long in another's house,

love turns into loathing.

Hollander:

Get thee gone betimes, a guest should not

stay too long in one stead;

life grows loath if too long one sits on bench,

though in he was bidden.

Terry:

Don't stay forever when you visit friends,

know when its time to leave;

love turns to loathing if you sit too long

on someone else's bench.

Thorpe:

A guest should depart, not always stay in one place.

The welcome becomes unwelcome

if he too long continues

in another's house.  

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF STANZA 35

Quite simply, do not over-stay your welcome.

The appropriate amount of time one can stay depends on the guest, the host, and the situation.  You have to be wise enough to know how long a welcome you can expect, and to anticipate when your visit might begin to run too long.  As an aside not mentioned at all in this stanza, one thing a guest can do to help extend their visit or their welcome, is to be as helpful as possible as a guest.  Offer to buy or cook a meal.  Pitch in with the work that needs to be done around the house.  There are ways a guest can respect and gift their host, that makes them welcome again...and welcome longer.

An underlying meaning we can take from this, is a good host probably needs to set some expectations about the length of stay that is welcome.  Hospitality would require that the host be able to approach this topic in a polite but straight-forward manner.

I think it is interesting that Auden and Taylor are the only ones who interpret lines 3 and 4 in this way:

He starts to stink who outstays his welcome,

in a hall that is not his own.

This almost seems like an attempt to reference the old Ben Franklin quote:

Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days

Every other translator seems to interpret lines 3 and 4 to have "love turning to loathing," or "welcome turning to unwelcome."  It is just sort of quirky when translator do what Auden and Taylor did here by turning that into a reference about "stinking."  I think if that word or that meaning were in the original Old Norse, we would see some indication of it in at least one of the other translations...