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Hávamál, The Saying of Odin, Stanza 19
Hail and welcome! This is Huginn's Heathen Hof, with your Daily Hávamál.
Original-
Haldit maðr á keri
drekki þó at hófi mjöð
mæli þarft eða þegi
ókynnis þess
var þik engi maðr
at þú gangir snemma at sofa
Translation-
Do not abstain from mead,
but drink in moderation.
Be sparing with your words,
Speaking only when needed.
No one will think you're rude
for going to bed at a reasonable hour.
-Hávamál: Stanza 19
Part of the reason we're going through the Hávamál roughly in order, is because the text sets up these complex lessons over a number of verses. We're almost twenty stanzas in, and we're still talking about the pros and cons of alcohol! However, if we look back over the past couple of weeks, we can see that much more complex ideas have been woven into the poem. Far beyond the simple subject of drinking, Odin has worked in lessons on discipline, moderation, critical thinking, and hospitality.
In many ways, the topic of alcohol in the Hávamál is an allegory, teaching us about ethics, honor, and living well.
