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The
discussion and analysis presented after these
translated stanzas is our
opinion. Read the translations for yourself and our analysis, but also seek
out varied sources and come to your own conclusions.
STANZA 30 OF THE
HAVAMAL
Auden & Taylor:
A man among friends should not mock
another: Many believe the man Who is not questioned to know
much And so he escapes their scorn.
Bellows:
In mockery no one | a man shall
hold, Although he fare to the feast; Wise seems one oft, | if
nought he is asked, And safely he sits dry-skinned.
Bray:
Let no man be held as a laughing-stock,
though he come as guest for a meal: wise enough seem many
while they sit dry-skinned and are not put to proof.
Chisholm:
Do not ridicule another man, though he is
kin. He oft seems wise who is not questioned, and leaves dry skinned.
Hollander:
No mock make though of any man, though
thou comest amongsth kinsmen; he knowing weens him whom no one
has asked, and dry-shod hies him home.
Terry:
Take more than a moment to judge a
man who comes on a visit; many seem clever if they're asked no
questions and don't stay out in storms.
Thorpe:
For a gazing-stock no man shall have
another, although he come a stranger to his house. Many a one
thinks himself wise, if he is not questioned, and can sit in a
dry habit.
DISCUSSION AND
ANALYSIS OF STANZA 30
The translations here vary a lot. And,
without a working knowledge of Old Norse, one has to sort of work
their way through the various directions in which the
translators went.
In very basic terms, all the translators
except Terry translate this as suggesting that you should not
question a man when he comes to feast (or comes among his kin, or
comes among his friends), because most men seem wise if not
questioned and will be able to avoid scorn if not questioned.
Coming at it from this direction it sort of sounds like, "leave well
enough alone, and don't question friends, family, or those you feast
with too closely...or you might prove them a fool and expose them
to scorn."
Terry's translation is the only one that
flips this idea a bit, and suggests you should take your time in
judging a man that comes to visit, because many men appear wise as
long as they are not questioned and don't stay out in
the rain.
It appears that all but one of the
translators maintain the last line as an analogy, speaking
of the unquestioned man keeping a dry habit or dry
skin. This appears to symbolize avoiding scorn or
coming away unscathed. It is only Auden and Taylor
that translate this reference to "dry-skin" very literally,
and mention specifically avoiding the scorn
of others.
With all the different versions, this stanza
is a little more difficult to pin down. Whatever its specific
meaning, it is clear that it suggests at the very least that many
men can appear wise and avoid problems if they remain
unquestioned. So, don't question family and friends too
closely at feast, lest you expose them as fools. And those you
wish to expose potentially as fools, should be
actively questioned
and challenged.
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