Table of Contents
The Havamal Book
Havamal is an old norse word meaning Saying of the High One.
Most scholar said that The High One here refers to Odin, one of principal gods in Germanic or Norse mythology.
There are advice for living, wisdom, proper conduct, counsels and magic charm in the form of poetic.
Nobody knows the author of the poet, but the historian believed that the poet has been composed since the viking age (793 – 1066 AD).
Henry Adams Bellow then collected the poem and publised it as a book in 1936.
Bellow edited the poem into 165 stanzas in 5 independent parts.
Some other publications presenting into 164 stanzas.
Why Should Read Havamal?
As historical text, The Havamal probably the oldest written poem in the word.
By reading this book we could find out the wisdom our ancestor and also the norm and value that life at that era.
As a literature, we can analysing the structure and configuration of ancient poem and comparing to recent poem.
We can also considering to practising the value and life conducts written in Havamal since some of them are relevant to our live nowadays.
The structure of the poem is relatively loose that make us able to inserting new stanza or practicing our skill to write poem.
The Havamal Quotes
Havamal Quotes Old Norse
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.
Where you recognise evil, speak out against it, and give no truces to your enemies.
when morning comes he is weary in mind, and all is a burden as ever.
A bad friend is far away though his cottage is close, to a true friend lies a trodden road though his farm lies far away.
Wealth dies. Friends die. One day you too will die.
A true friend whom you trust well and wish for his good will, go to him often exchange gifts and keep him company.
Praise day at even, a wife when dead, a weapon when tried, a maid when married, ice when ’tis crossed, and ale when ’tis drunk.
let him aware that he be not the friend of one who is friend to his foe.
Thou should never sleep in the arms of a sorceress, lest she lock thy limbs.
It happens often enough that beauty ensnares with desire the wise while the foolish remain unmoved.
Havamal Quotes Love
Share thy mind with him, gifts exchange with him.
A bad friend is far away though his cottage is close.To a true friend lies a trodden road though his farm lies far away.
If aware that another is wicked, say so: Make no truce or treaty with foes.
But hast thou one whom thou trusbut falsely think, and leasing pay for a lie.
Never walk away from home ahead of your axe and sword. You can’t feel a battle in your bones or foresee a fight.
About his intelligence no man should be boastful, rather cautious of mind.
Then I found me another and rich I thought me, for man is the joy of man.
From his weapons on the open road, no man should step one pace away.
They were not so far from us those ancient guys! Enjoy!
Attle die, kinsmen die, you yourself must also die, but he who wins word fame lives forever.
Havamal Quotes Weapons
Many a good girl when you know her better is fickle of heart towards men.
Draped in linen, they looked well born but, naked I was a nobody.
Hast thou a friend whom thou trustest well, from whom thou cravest good?
Praise day at even, a wife when dead, a weapon when tried, a maid when married, ice when ’tis crossed, and ale when ’tis drunk.
The ale was finished or else un-brewed, the unpopular cannot please.
The thing that never dies is the judgement on how you have spent your life.
Even three words of quarrelling you shouldn’t have with an inferior.
The man who stands at a strange threshold.
Young was I once, I walked alone, and bewildered seemed in the way.
The foolish man thinks he will live forever if he keeps away from fighting; but old age won’t grant him a truce, even if the spears do.
Of his knowledge a man should never boast.
The Havamal Interesting Facts
The Havamal consist five independet parts.
The guest section that formed by stanzas 1 – 79. About proverbs and counsels.
On Women section that formed by stanzas 83 – 110. Also about counsels for the conduct of live
Loddfafnismal that formed by stanzas 111 – 138. About Odin’s love story with Billing’s daughter.
Odin’s Run Song that formed by stanzas 139 – 146. About the way Odin won the runes.
Charms that formed by stanzas 147 – 165. About charms collection.