1. Within the gates | ere a man shall go,
(Full warily let him watch,)
Full long let him look about him;
For little he knows | where a foe may lurk,
And sit in the seats within.
2. Hail to the giver! | a guest has come;
Where shall the stranger sit?
Swift shall he be who, | with swords shall try
The proof of his might to make.
3. Fire he needs | who with frozen knees
Has come from the cold without;
Food and clothes | must the farer have,
The man from the mountains come.
4. Water and towels | and welcoming speech
Should he find who comes, to the feast;
If renown he would get, | and again be greeted,
Wisely and well must he act.
5. Wits must he have | who wanders wide,
But all is easy at home;
At the witless man | the wise shall wink
When among such men he sits.
[1. This stanza is quoted by Snorri, the second line being omitted in most of the Prose Edda manuscripts.
2. Probably the first and second lines had originally nothing to do
with the third and fourth, the last two not referring to host or guest,
but to the general danger of backing one's views with the sword.]
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1. Gáttir allar áđr gangi fram
um skođask skyli,
um skyggnast skyli,
ţví at óvíst er at vita hvar óvinir
sitja á fleti fyrir.
2. Gefendr heilir!
Gestr er inn kominn,
hvar skal sitja sjá? Mjök er bráđr
sá er á bröndum skal síns of freista frama.
3. Elds er ţörf ţeims inn er kominn
ok á kné kalinn.
Matar ok váđa er manni ţörf,
ţeim er hefr um fjall farit.
4. Vatns er ţörf ţeim er til
verđar kemr, ţerru ok ţjóđlađar,
góđs of ćđis ef sér geta mćtti
orđs ok endrţögu.
5. Vits er ţörf ţeim er víđa ratar;
dćlt er heima hvat;
at augabragđi verđr
sá er ekki kann ok međ snotrum sitr.
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