Stanza 50

Original Old Norse:

Hrørnar þöll

sú er stendr þorpi á

hlýrat henni börkr né barr

svá er maðr 

sá er mangi ann

hvat skal hann lengi lifa?

Auden & Taylor:

The young fir that falls and rots 

Having neither needles nor bark, 

So is the fate of the friendless man:

Why should he live long?

Bellows:

On the hillside drear | the fir-tree dies,

All bootless its needles and bark;

It is like a man | whom no one loves,--

Why should his life be long?

Bray:

The pine tree wastes which is perched on the hill, 

nor bark nor needles shelter it; 

such is the man whom none doth love; 

for what should he longer live?

Chisholm:

The young fir tree dies that stands

sheltered by neither bark nor needle in the field

Such is a man whom none love.

Why should such a man live longer?

Hollander:

The fir tree dies in the field that stands:

shields it nor bark nor bast;

thus eke the man who by all is shunned

why should he linger in life?

Terry:

The pine tree withers in an open place,

neither bark nor needles save it.

How shall a man hated by everyone

live for very long?

Thorpe:

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?

There is an iconic image of a lone tree on top of the hill out on the plains. The tree is never a majestic, grand, old tree.. it is always the Charlie Brown's Christmas type of tree. Withered, stunted, spindly. We humans are the same. The man alone, the outcast.. they are never what we would consider a "well adjusted" member of society. What use is their life? To me, this is further attesting to surround yourself with friends. Just keep in mind the warnings of the previous stanzas, and choose those friends wisely.