Monday, July 30, 2018

Stanza 132



Original Old Norse: Auden & Taylor: Bellows: Bray:
Ráðumk þér Loddfáfnir
en þú ráð nemir
njóta mundu ef þú nemr
þér munu góð ef þú getr
at háði né hlátri
hafðu aldregi
gest né ganganda
Mock not the traveler met On the road,
Nor maliciously laugh at the guest:
I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,-
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
Scorn or mocking | ne'er shalt thou make
Of a guest or a journey-goer.
131.
I counsel thee, Stray-Singer, accept my counsels,
they will be thy boon if thou obey'st them,
they will work thy weal if thou win'st them:
hold not in scorn, nor mock in thy halls
a guest or wandering wight.
Chisholm: Hollander: Terry: Thorpe:
I give you rede Loddfafnir, heed it well!
You will use it, if you learn it,
it will get you good if you understand it.
Never make sport
of guests and travelers.
Hear thou, Loddfafnir, and heed it well,
learn it, 'twill lend thee strength,
follow it, 'twill further thee:
never laugh at or mock, or make game of,
guest or wayfaring with.
Heed my words, Loddfafnir, listen to my counsel;
you'll be better off if you believe me,
follow my advice, and you'll fare well:
don't mock a guest, and never make fun
of a man you meet on the road!
134. With insult or derision
treat thou never
a guest or wayfarer,
they often little know,
who sit within,
or what race they are who come.




Odin often traveled incognito.. the wayfarer in the floppy blue hat. You never know who that stranger on the road will be, what their story is, or what they are capable of.

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