Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Stanza 88



Original Old Norse: Auden & Taylor: Bellows: Bray:
akri ársánum
trúi engi maðr
né til snemma syni
veðr ræðr akri
en vit syni
hætt er þeira hvárt
A brother's killer encountered upon
The highway a house half-burned,
A racing stallion who has wrenched a leg,
Are never safe: let no man trust them.
In a brother's slayer, | if thou meet him abroad,
In a half-burned house, | in a horse full swift--
One leg is hurt | and the horse is useless--
None had ever such faith | as to trust in them all.
sickly calf or self-willed thrall,
witch's flattery, new-slain foe,
brother's slayer, though seen on the highway,
half burned house, or horse too swift --
be never so trustful as these to trust.
(Bray has this as stanza 86)
Chisholm: Hollander: Terry: Thorpe:
Early sown acres should no man trust,
nor too soon a son.
Weather ruins the acres, and stupidity the son.
Each of these is a risk.
Thy brother's banesman, though it be on the road,
a half-burned house, a speedy hose--
worthless the steed if one foot he breaks--
so trusting be no one to trust in these!
your brother's murderer, though met on the road,
a half-burned house or a horse too swift
(if he breaks his leg you've lost your mount) --
a man's too trusting who takes a chance on these.
an early sown field
let no one trust,
nor prematurely in a son:
weather rules the field,
and wit the son,
each of which is doubtful;




Stanzas 85-88 are a pretty comprehensive list of things not to be trusted in life. All are things that may harm you.

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