86. In a flying arrow | or falling waters,
In ice new formed | or the serpent's folds,
In a bride's bed-speech | or a broken sword,
In the sport of bears | or in sons of kings,
87. In a calf that is sick | or a stubborn thrall,
A flattering witch | or a foe new slain.
88. In a brother's slayer, | if thou meet him abroad,
In a half-burned house, | in a horse full swift--
One leg is hurt | and the horse is useless--
None had ever such faith | as to trust in them all.
89. Hope not too surely | for early harvest,
Nor trust too soon in thy son;
The field needs good weather, | the son needs wisdom,
And oft is either denied.
90. The love of women | fickle of will
Is like starting o'er ice | with a steed unshod,
A two-year-old restive | and little tamed,
Or steering a rudderless | ship in a storm,
Or, lame, hunting reindeer | on slippery rocks.
[87. The stanza is doubtless incomplete. Some editors add from a late paper manuscript two lines running:
"In a light, clear sky | or a laughing throng,
In the bowl of a dog | or a harlot's grief!"
89. This stanza follows stanza 89 in the manuscript. Many editors have changed the order, for while stanza 89 is pretty
clearly an interpolation wherever it stands, it seriously interferes with the sense if it breaks in between 87 and 88. ]
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86. Fljúganda fleini, fallandi báru,
ísi einnćttum, ormi hringlegnum,
brúđar beđmálum eđa brotnu sverđi,
bjarnar leiki eđa barni konungs.
87. Sjúkum kalfi, sjalfráđa ţrćli,
völu vilmćli, val nýfelldum.
88. Akri ársánum trúi engi mađr
né til snemma syni, - veđr rćđr akri.
en vit syni;
hćtt er ţeira hvárt.
89. Bróđurbana sínum ţótt á brautu mćti,
húsi hálfbrunnu, hesti alskjótum,
- ţá er jór ónýtr, ef einn fótr brotnar -,
verđi-t mađr svá tryggr at ţessu trúi öllu.
90. Svá er friđr kvenna, ţeira er flátt hyggja,
sem aki jó óbryddum á ísi hálum,
teitum, tvévetrum ok sé tamr illa,
eđa í byr óđum beiti stjórnlausu,
eđa skyli haltr henda hrein í ţáfjalli.
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