Stanza 57

Original Old Norse:

Brandr af brandi

brinn unz brunninn er

funi kveykisk af funa

maðr af manni

verðr at máli kuðr

en til dœlskr af dul

Auden & Taylor:

Brand Kindles Till they broun out,

Flame is quickened by flame:

One man from another is known by his speech

The simpleton by his silence.

Bellows:

A brand from a brand | is kindled and burned,

And fire from fire begotten;

And man by his speech | is known to men,

And the stupid by their stillness.

Bray:

Brand kindles from brand until it be burned,

spark is kindled from spark,

man unfolds him by speech with man, 

but grows over secret through silence.

Chisholm:

Brand burns brand and is so burned.

Fire is kindled from fire.

A man is known by his talk

and the dull man is known by his nonsense,

Hollander:

Kindles brand from brand, and burns till all burnt it is;

thus fire is kindled from fire;

by the words of his mouth a man is known,

but frm his dullness a dullard.

Terry:

Flames from one log leap to another,

fire kindles fire;

a man's wit shows in his words,

stupidity is silent

Thorpe:

Brand burns from brand

until it is burnt out;

fire is from fire quickened.

Man to man

becomes known by speech,

but a fool by his bashful silence.

"Like breeds like" we might say: just as the flame passes from torch to torch, so the light of learning passes from a wise one to a willing student. It burns brightly as long as there is fuel for it - an eager mind. It's a constant refrain of the verses, but if you listen to fools you learn nothing but foolishness. Be mindful of where you sit. Better to learning nothing at all, than to learn foolishness.