This is a translation, the only translation that I know of, of the Havamal from the Viking Edda. I used W. H .Auden & P. B. Taylor's English translation, which can be found on https://www.ragweedforge.com/havamal.html.
This is an work in progress that I will be updating as I translate.
Note: This is an unassisted translation done entirely by myself. It is a work in progress and it needs to be edited.
This is an work in progress that I will be updating as I translate.
Note: This is an unassisted translation done entirely by myself. It is a work in progress and it needs to be edited.
Young and alone on a long road, Once I lost my way: Rich I felt when I found another; Man rejoices in man, A kind word need not cost much, The price of praise can be cheap: With half a loaf and an empty cup I found myself a friend, Two wooden stakes stood on the plain, On them I hung my clothes: Draped in linen, they looked well born, But, naked, I was a nobody Too early to many homes I came, Too late, it seemed, to some: The ale was finished or else un-brewed, The unpopular cannot please, Some would invite me to visit their homes, But none thought I needed a meal, As though I had eaten a whole joint, Just before with a friend who had two The man who stands at a strange threshold, Should be cautious before he cross it, Glance this way and that: Who knows beforehand what foes may sit Awaiting him in the hall? Greetings to the host, The guest has arrived, In which seat shall he sit? Rash is he who at unknown doors Relies on his good luck, Fire is needed by the newcomer Whose knees are frozen numb; Meat and clean linen a man needs Who has fared across the fells, Water, too, that he may wash before eating, Handcloth's and a hearty welcome, Courteous words, then courteous silence That he may tell his tale, Who travels widely needs his wits about him, The stupid should stay at home: The ignorant man is often laughed at When he sits at meat with the sage, Of his knowledge a man should never boast, Rather be sparing of speech When to his house a wiser comes: Seldom do those who are silent Make mistakes; mother wit Is ever a faithful friend, A guest should be courteous When he comes to the table And sit in wary silence, His ears attentive, his eyes alert: So he protects himself, Fortunate is he who is favoured in his lifetime With praise and words of wisdom: Evil counsel is often given By those of evil heart, Blessed is he who in his own lifetime Is awarded praise and wit, For ill counsel is often given By mortal men to each other, Better gear than good sense A traveller cannot carry, Better than riches for a wretched man, Far from his own home, Better gear than good sense A traveller cannot carry, A more tedious burden than too much drink A traveller cannot carry, Less good than belief would have it Is mead for the sons of men: A man knows less the more he drinks, Becomes a befuddled fool, I-forget is the name men give the heron Who hovers over the fast: Fettered I was in his feathers that night, When a guest in Gunnlod's court Drunk I got, dead drunk, When Fjalar the wise was with me: Best is the banquet one looks back on after, And remembers all that happened, Silence becomes the Son of a prince, To be silent but brave in battle: It befits a man to be merry and glad Until the day of his death, The coward believes he will live forever If he holds back in the battle, But in old age he shall have no peace Though spears have spared his limbs When he meets friends, the fool gapes, Is shy and sheepish at first, Then he sips his mead and immediately All know what an oaf he is, He who has seen and suffered much, And knows the ways of the world, Who has travelled', can tell what spirit Governs the men he meets, Drink your mead, but in moderation, Talk sense or be silent: No man is called discourteous who goes To bed at an early hour A gluttonous man who guzzles away Brings sorrow on himself: At the table of the wise he is taunted often, Mocked for his bloated belly, The herd knows its homing time, And leaves the grazing ground: But the glutton never knows how much His belly is able to hold, An ill tempered, unhappy man Ridicules all he hears, Makes fun of others, refusing always To see the faults in himself Foolish is he who frets at night, And lies awake to worry' A weary man when morning comes, He finds all as bad as before, The fool thinks that those who laugh At him are all his friends, Unaware when he sits with wiser men How ill they speak of him. | 又年轻又单独在长路上的时候 有一天我迷路了 一见到别人就感觉到幸福了 人和人有幸福 好言不需昂贵 赞扬可以廉价 有半块面包和空杯 我找到了一个朋友 两个木桩站在平原 我把衣服挂在上面 披着亚麻布的它们看着高贵很多 不过裸体我是默默无闻的 太早我到很多家来 太晚好像到了一些 麦芽啤酒被喝光了或者还没被酿造 不得人心妩不了 有的人请我做客 可是没有人觉得我需要一顿饭 对我好像我刚吃了一大餐 在和吃了两大餐的朋友一样 站在陌生门槛上的人 进门前应该很仔细得 东张西望 谁提前知道有什么仇人 在殿堂里等着? 问候主人! 客人到了 他该坐在哪个座位? 孟浪人来到陌生的门口 只靠自己的运气 火被刚来的客人需要 他的膝盖被冻的又冷又麻 肉和干净的亚麻布被客人需要 跋山的行客 以及需要水以便吃饭之前他能够洗手 手巾和热情的欢迎 客气之言语然后客气之静默 以便他能够讲自己的故事 走南闯北的人必有悟性 愚者应该留在家里 无知者经常被笑 和智者坐着吃饭的时候 关于自己的知识主人不应该自夸 反而少说为佳 更有知识的人来做客的时候 无言者少出错 母亲之智总是忠实的朋友 客人应该注意礼仪 来吃饭的时候 而又仔细又安静坐好 耳听八方 眼观四面 以便他能够保护自己 人生会很幸福 如果得到赞扬和至理名言 邪恶的劝告经常 来自恶之心的人 人生会很幸福 如果得到赞扬和智慧 不善的劝告经常 来自凡人 比常识更好的装备 一个旅行者带不了 对穷人比财富更好 远走他的家乡 比常识更好的装备 一个旅行者带不了 比喝得多更麻烦的负担 一个旅行者带不了 并不如他们想象中的一般好 蜂蜜酒,对于世人来说 人喝得越多知道得越少 变成一个昏沉的蠢人 '我忘了' 是世人给鹭起的名字 盘旋在大斋上的鹭 那个晚上我被他的羽毛束缚 在Gunnlod的朝廷做客的时候 我醉了,醉生梦死 Fjalar智者和我在一起的时候 最好的宴会是结束了之后 全部都能记住 沉默为王子之子 安静而勇武 愉悦与欣喜适合男人 到他的死期 懦夫以为自己会永生 如果战中裹足不前 不过年老等待他的不会是平静 虽说矛饶了他的四肢 见朋友们的时候,蠢人看呆, 首先他会又害羞又尴尬 喝一口蜂蜜酒之后马上 大家都知道他有多笨拙 看过与遭受过很多事的人 并知道世事难料 并行路过,才能看穿怎么样的精神 控制他见到的人 喝自己的蜂蜜酒,可是要适度喝 说的要有道理否则住口 没有人会觉得无礼 如果早退 馕的贪吃者 给自己悲哀 和智者在一起的时候经常被奚落 因为他臃肿的肚子 牛羊知道什么时候该回家 到时他们离开草原 可是贪吃者从不知道多少 他肚子受得了 发脾气,不快乐的男人 嘲笑所有听到的 笑话别人总是拒收 承认自己的短处 呆子晚上发愁 并为了担心醒地躺着 晨到了的时候他累地 发现什么都和以前一样糟糕 呆子以为笑话 他的人都是朋友们 在和比他明智的人不自觉 他们怎么谤他 |