Quotes from The Poetic Edda

Quotations follow the Carolyne Larrington translation (Oxford University Press, 2014) — our recommended edition.

1. 2

   Cattle die, and kinsmen die, And so one dies one's self; But a noble name will never die, If good renown one gets.

2. 3

   I know that I hung on a windswept tree, nine long nights, wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin, myself to myself.

3. 4

   I ween that I hung on the windy tree, Hung there for nights full nine; With the spear I was wounded, and offered I was To Othin, myself to myself.

4. 5

   Brothers shall fight and slay each other; kinfolk shall break the bonds of kinship. Hard is it on earth; an age of axes, an age of swords.

5. 6

   Brothers shall fight and fell each other, And sisters' sons shall kinship stain; Hard is it on earth, with mighty whoredom; Axe-time, sword-time, shields are sundered, Wind-time, wolf-time, ere the world falls.

6. 7

   The sun turns black, earth sinks in the sea, The hot stars down from heaven are whirled; Fierce grows the steam and the life-feeding flame, Till fire leaps high about heaven itself.

7. 8

   Now do I see the earth anew Rise all green from the waves again; The cataracts fall, and the eagle flies, And fish he catches beneath the cliffs.

8. 9

   An ash I know, Yggdrasil its name, With water white is the great tree wet; Thence come the dews that fall in the dales, Green by Urth's well does it ever grow.

9. 10

   Hearing I ask from the holy races, From Heimdall's sons, both high and low.

10. 11

    Within the gates ere a man shall go, Full warily let him watch, Full long let him look about him.

11. 12

    Young was I once, and wandered alone, And nought of the road I knew; Rich did I feel when a comrade I found, For man is man's delight.

12. 13

    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.

13. 14

    If a friend thou hast whom thou fully wilt trust, And good from him wouldst get, Thy thoughts with his mingle, and gifts shalt thou make, And fare to find him oft.

14. 15

    Fire for men is the fairest gift, And power to see the sun; Health as well, if a man may have it, And a life not stained with sin.

15. 16

    Among Fitjung's sons saw I well-stocked folds,— Now bear they the beggar's staff; Wealth is as swift as a winking eye, Of friends the falsest it is.