Vala.

20.  “Home ride thou, Odin! and exult.  Thus shall never more man again visit me, until Loki free from his bonds escapes, and Ragnaroek all-destroying comes.”

THE HIGH ONE’S[14] LAY.

1.  All door-ways, before going forward, should be looked to; for difficult it is to know where foes may sit within a dwelling.

2.  Givers, hail!  A guest is come in:  where shall he sit?  In much haste is he, who on the ways has to try his luck.

3.  Fire is needful to him who is come in, and whose knees are frozen; food and raiment a man requires, wheo’er the fell has travelled.

4.  Water to him is needful who for refection comes, a towel and hospitable invitation, a good reception; if he can get it, discourse and answer.

5.  Wit is needful to him who travels far:  at home all is easy.  A laughing-stock is he who nothing knows, and with the instructed sits.

6.  Of his understanding no one should be proud, but rather in conduct cautious.  When the prudent and taciturn come to a dwelling, harm seldom befalls the cautious; for a firmer friend no man ever gets than great sagacity.

7.  A wary guest,[15] who to refection comes, keeps a cautious silence, with his ears listens, and with his eyes observes:  so explores every prudent man.

8.  He is happy, who for himself obtains fame and kind words:  less sure is that which a man must have in another’s breast.

9.  He is happy, who in himself possesses fame and wit while living; for bad counsels have oft been received from another’s breast.

10.  A better burthen no man bears on the way than much good sense; that is thought better than riches in a strange place; such is the recourse of the indigent.

11.  A worse provision on the way he cannot carry than too much beer-bibbing; so good is not, as it is said, beer for the sons of men.

12.  A worse provision no man can take from table than too much beer-bibbing:  for the more he drinks the less control he has of his own mind.

13.  Oblivion’s heron ’tis called that over potations hovers; he steals the minds of men.  With this bird’s pinions I was fettered in Gunnlods dwelling.

14.  Drunk I was, I was over-drunk, at that cunning Fialar’s.  It’s the best drunkenness, when every one after it regains his reason.

15.  Taciturn and prudent, and in war daring, should a king’s children be; joyous and liberal every one should be until his hour of death.

16.  A cowardly man thinks he will ever live, if warfare he avoids; but old age will give him no peace, though spears may spare him.

17.  A fool gapes when to a house he comes, to himself mutters or is silent; but all at once, if he gets drink, then is the man’s mind displayed.

18.  He alone knows who wanders wide, and has much experienced, by what disposition each man is ruled, who common sense possesses.