Stanza 58

Original Old Norse:

Ár skal rísa

sá er annars vill

fé eða fjör hafa

sjaldan liggjandi úlfr

lær um getr

né sofandi maðr sigr

Auden & Taylor:

Early shall he rise who has designs 

On anothers land or life:

His prey escapes the prone wolf, 

The sleeper is seldom victorious.

Bellows:

He must early go forth | who fain the blood

Or the goods of another would get;

The wolf that lies idle | shall win little meat,

Or the sleeping man success.

Bray:

He must rise betimes who fain of another 

or life or wealth would win;

scarce falls the prey to sleeping wolves,

or to slumberers victory in strife.

Chisholm:

He should rise early who wants to take

the life or property of another.

Seldom does the lying wolf get the lamb

or the sleeping man victory.

Hollander:

Betimes must rise who would take another's

life and win his wealth;

lying down wolf never got the lamb,

nor sleeping wight slew his foe.

Terry:

Get up early if you are after

another man's life or money; 

a sleeping wolf will seldom make a kill

nor a warrior win lying down.

Thorpe:

He should early rise,

who another’s property or life

desires to have.

Seldom a sluggish wolf

gets prey,

or a sleeping man victory.

"The early bird gets the worm". We have all heard this. Here the advice is the same but with the vivid example of the busy wolf grabbing the lamb's 'ham' or thigh. The sleeping warrior will not get victory any more than the sleeping wolf his dinner. In a nut shell, "Don't be lazy".