Stanza 64

Original Old Norse:

Ríki sitt

skyli ráðsnotra

hverr í hófi hafa

þá hann þat finnr 

er með frœknum kømr 

at engi er einna hvatastr

Auden & Taylor:

Moderate at council should a man be, 

Not brutal and over bearing:

Among the bold the bully will find 

Others as bold as he.

Bellows:

The man who is prudent | a measured use

Of the might he has will make;

He finds when among | the brave he fares

That the boldest he may not be.

Bray:

A wise counselled man will be mild in bearing

and use his might in measure,

lest when he come his fierce foes among

he find others fiercer than he.

Chisholm:

All who are wise in rede

shall not be overly forceful.

He finds, who walks among the stout,

that no one is the strongest.

Hollander:

A wise man will not overweening be,

and stake too much on his strength;

when the mighty are met to match their strength,

'twill be found that first is no one.

Terry:

A clever man will take good care

how he shows his strength,

for he discovers among the daring

no man claims all the courage.

Thorpe:

His power should

every sagacious man

use with discretion;

for he will find,

when among the bold he comes,

that no one alone is the doughtiest.

Power in this sense seems to be connected to the idea of anger (as the wise man said, 'Anger is an energy.') I connect it with the previous verse: just as you should not show your cards until you're ready with a firm phalanx of supporters, you should not show your anger until you read the room (or the tent). If your opponent is even more angry, he may be able to sway your supporters - perhaps simply to not support your action, but worse, over to your opponent's side. Hold your anger in check: the sagas are full of unwise men who let their emotions lead them into rash decisions. We all know "that guy" who flies off the handle at every little thing, usually when there is an audience. Don't be that guy.