Stanza 56

Original Old Norse:

Meðalsnotr

skyli manna hverr

æva til snotr sé

ørlög sín

viti engi fyrir

þeim er sorgalausastr sefi

Auden & Taylor:

It is best for man to be middle-wise, 

Not over cunning and clever:

No man is able to know his future, 

So let him sleep in peace.

Bellows:

A measure of wisdom | each man shall have,

But never too much let him know;

Let no man the fate | before him see,

For so is he freest from sorrow.

Bray:

Wise in measure should each man be, 

but ne'er let him wax too wise:

who looks not forward to learn his fate

unburdened heart will bear.

Chisholm:

Middle wise should each man be

and not over wise.

He who knows not his orlog

may sleep untroubled.

Hollander:

Middling wise every man should be:

beware of being too wise;

his fate let no one beforehand know

who would keep his heart from care.

Terry:

Moderately wise a man should be --

don't wish for too much wisdom;

if you can't see far into the future,

you can live free from care.

Thorpe:

Moderately wise

should each one be,

but never over-wise.

His destiny let know

no man beforehand;

his mind will be freest from care.

Middling-wise should each man be; never get too wise. No one should know his destiny before; he is most free from sorrow in his mind.

The chief reason for that sorrow perhaps is seeing the end of things, especially one's own life. The knowledge of one's own mortality is seldom a reason to cheer. Even to know a glorious career is to glimpse also its end. The sobering effect of the far-seeing comes from what lies on the horizon, inevitable and irrevocable. While some may look towards the ending with glee and anticipation, most do not. What do we leave unfinished? What do we leave behind? Even with years of notice, we humans feel it too short a time to do all we wish. And besides.. who wants to be reminded of their own mortality, day after day?