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THE CONDUCT OF LIFE THE HAVAMAL. 



Will a man never get 

 Than great man- wit. 1 



The wary guest 



Who comes to a meal 



Is silent and talks little, 



Listens with (his) ears, 



Looks on with (his) eyes ; 



Thus every wise man looks about him. 



He is happy 



Who gets for himself 



IVaise and good-will ; 



That which a man must own 



In the mind 2 of another 



Is less easy to deal with. 



He is happy 



Who himself has 



Praise and wits while alive ; 



For evil counsels 



Has one often got 



Out of another's breast. 



A better burthen 



A man carries not on the road 



Than great wits ; 



Better than wealth 



It is thought at strange places ; 



It is the strength of the poor. 



Better burthen 



A man carries not on the road 



Than great good sense ; 



No worse journey-provisions 



Weigh him to the ground 



Than too much ale-drinking. 



The ale of men's sons 



Is not su good 



As men say it is ; 



For the more 



A man drinks 



The less has he his senses. 



He is called heron of Oblivion 

 The one who soars over ale-bouts, 



He steals away men's senses ; 

 With the feathers of that bird 

 I was bound 3 

 In the house of Gtmnlod. 4 



I got drunk, 



I got too drunk 



At the wise Fjalar's ; 



The ale is best when 



Every man 



Gets his reason back. 



Silent and thoughtful 

 Should a king's son be 

 And bold in battle ; 

 Glad and cheerful 

 Should every man be 

 Till he meet his death. 



The unwise man 



Thinks he will live for ever 



If he shuns fight, 



But old age gives him 



No peace 



Though spears may spare him. 



A fool gapes 



When he comes into company, 



He mutters or sulks ; 



All at once 



If he gets a drink 



His mind is displayed. 



He alone knows 



Who widely travels 



And has seen much 



What the temper is 



Of every man 



Who has his wits about him. 



A man shall not send away the cup 



But drink mead moderately, 



Speak usefully or be silent ; 



No man will blame thee 



For ill-breeding 



Though thou goest early to sleep. 



1 Good sense. 



2 Here the text has breast for mind or 

 heart. The meaning; of the stanza is that 

 it is very hard to know another man's 

 mind. 



3 This refers to Odin getting drunk 

 from the mead of poetry which lie stole 

 from Suttung. (See later Edda.) 



4 A Jotun woman. 



