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Let us continue with “Hovamol” from the Poetic Edda, translated by Henry Adams Bellows. The “Hovamol” is a collection of proverbs in regard to the conduct of life. Hovamol The Ballad of the High One“A man shall not boast of his keenness of mind, But keep it close in his breast; To the silent and wise does ill come seldom When he goes as guest to a house; (For a faster friend one never finds Than wisdom tried and true.) The knowing guest who goes to the feast, In silent attention sits; With his ears he hears, with his eyes he watches, Thus wary are wise men all. […] Happy the man who has while he lives Wisdom and praise as well, For evil counsel a man full often Has from another’s heart. A better burden may no man bear For wanderings wide than wisdom; It is better than wealth on unknown ways, And in grief a refuge it gives. […] Less good there lies than most believe In ale for mortal men; For the more he drinks the less does man Of his mind the mastery hold. Over beer the bird of forgetfulness broods, And steals the minds of men. […] The greedy man, if his mind be vague, Will eat till sick he is; The vulgar man, when among the wise, To scorn by his belly is brought. The herds know well when home they shall fare, And then from the grass they go; But the foolish man his belly’s measure Shall never know aright. A paltry man and poor of mind At all things ever mocks; For never he knows, what he ought to know, That he is not free from faults. The witless man is awake all night, Thinking of many things; Care-worn he is when the morning comes, And his woe is just as it was. […] An ignorant man thinks that all he knows, When he sits by himself in a corner; But never what answer to make he knows, When others with questions come. A witless man, when he meets with men, Had best in silence abide; For no one shall find that nothing he knows, If his mouth is not open too much. (But a man knows not, if nothing he knows, When his mouth has been open too much.) Wise shall he seem who well can question, And also answer well; Nought is concealed that men may say Among the sons of men. Often he speaks who never is still With words that win no faith; The babbling tongue, if a bridle it find not, Often for itself sings ill. […] Crooked and far is the road to a foe, Though his house on the highway be; But wide and straight is the way to a friend, Though far away he fare. […]”
