Stanza 51

Original Old Norse:

Eldi heitari

brinn með illum vinum

friðr fimm daga,

en þá sloknar

es hinn sétti kømr

ok versnar allr vinskapr

Auden & Taylor:

Hotter than fire among false hearts burns 

Friendship for five days, 

But suddenly slackens when the sixth dawns:

Feeble their friendship then.

Bellows:

Hotter than fire | between false friends

Does friendship five days burn;

When the sixth day comes | the fire cools,

And ended is all the love.

Bray:

Fiercer than fire among ill friends 

for five days love will burn; 

bun anon 'tis quenched, when the sixth day comes, 

and all friendship soon is spoiled.

Chisholm:

Hotter than fire friendship burns

for five days between false friends.

But it slackens on the sixth

and the friendship goes awry.

Hollander:

Than fire hotter for five days burneth

love between friends that are false;

it dieth down when dawneth the sixth,

then all the sweetness turns sour.

Terry:

Hotter than fire friendship flames

five days among false friends;

then it dies down when the sixth day comes,

and all love is lost.

Thorpe:

Hotter than fire

love for five days burns

between false friends;

but is quenched 

when the sixth day comes,

and friendship is all impaired.

"Puppy Love". "Honeymoon Period". We all know these terms. Tat time when those who strike up an intense relationship, claim to be BEST friends.. only to have it peter out and die shortly thereafter.

Evans: Hotter than fire among false friends affection burns five days, but then it slakes when the sixth one comes, and all friendship evaporates.
The length of time is typical in Old Norwegian laws, Evans tells us, as it was the span of a week in the pre-Christian era. Affection lasts but a short while among those who aren't in it for the long haul, but it ends at the first test or the mere expiration of a week. Old friends are the truest friends, the verses suggest.