Havamal Quotes

Cattle die kinsmen die all men are mortal. Words of praise will never perish nor a noble name. - The Havamal; Book of Viking Wisdom

Wake early if you want another man's life or land. No lamb for the lazy wolf. No battle's won in bed. - The Havamal

Never walk away from home ahead of your axe and sword. You can't feel a battle in your bones or foresee a fight. - The Havama; Book of Viking Wisdom

A foolish man is all night awake, pondering over everything; he than grows tired; and when morning comes, all is lament as before.

A cowardly man thinks he will ever live, if warfare he avoids; but old age will give him no peace, though spears may spare him.

Tolerance is not a virtue

Look back unto your ancestors for strength They were strong enough to get you here

Wife and mother is the ultimate career All other careers exist simply to support it

What’s right isn’t always popular And what’s popular isn’t always right

Question what others accept Often the herd is wrong If a thousand people do a foolish thing It is still a foolish thing

Make yourself someone Who you would like to know

You are responsible for your deeds You are responsible for you

Beware a society in which The weak and stupid rise to power Inferior people should never be in positions of superiority Dumber people should not rule smarter people

Harm seldom befalls the watchful man, for you can never have a more faithful friend than a good supply of wisdom.

Surround yourself with good people If you put garbage in you will get garbage out

The coward and the hero are both equally afraid It is only their actions that sets them apart

Crush your enemy completely Do not be deceived believing Your foe is worthy of a chance

Remember your ancestors Use their wisdom and add their strength to yours Keep your ancestors alive in your heart Through thoughts and deeds

22. A miserable man, and ill-conditioned, sneers at everything: one thing he knows not, which he ought to know, that he is not free from faults.

Children follow examples not advice

Being weak invites attack

The meaning of life is found In one’s children

Only fools and children weep about the past No warrior ever lost sleep Wishing the past was different Even the gods can’t change the past

Do not sacrifice your principles To please anyone You will only displease yourself

Things and people are often not What we wish them to be They are only what they are Learn to accept that

You must awaken, find your path become yourself Or you will be dragged along your path And wish you had voluntarily walked it

You can judge a man by the company he keeps

There is no refuge in ignorance

Be the person you would like to be

You have no right to remain ignorant

There is no safety in stupidity

It’s a long and crooked walk to a bad friend, even if he lives nearby. But it’s an easy road to a good friend, no matter how long the journey.

122. I counsel you, Loddfáfnir, if you’ll take my advice, you’ll profit if you learn it, it’ll do you good if you remember it: You should never exchange words with someone who won’t see reason.

43. To his friend a man should bear him as friend, to him and a friend of his; but let him beware that he be not the friend of one who is friend to his foe. 44. Hast thou a friend whom thou trustest well, from whom thou cravest good? Share thy mind with him, gifts exchange with him, fare to find him oft. 45. But hast thou one whom thou trusbut falsely think, and leasing pay for a lie. 47. Young was I once, I walked alone, and bewildered seemed in the way; then I found me another and rich I thought me, for man is the joy of man. 50. The pine tree wastes which is perched on the hill, nor bark nor needles shelter it; such is the man whom none doth love; for what should he longer live?

I know a ninth: If through storms I need to protect my boat at sea, I calm the wind on the wave and put all the sea to sleep. -Hávamál

They said the boy had problems sitting still and quiet The wise old man said to his parents There is nothing wrong with that boy That one hundred acres would not cure

Friends are the siblings we should have had Friends are siblings we give ourselves

Do things with your children While they still want to do things with you

Get rid of all the extras If something is of no use Do not burden yourself with it Get rid of it, let go

You cannot undo anything that you did in the past But you can learn from it Even the gods can’t change the past

Never underestimate the influence of people You allow into your life Be careful who you let in And kick them out as needed

The greatest trick our enemy ever did Was to make us think we are our own enemy Is to make us ashamed, and hate ourselves Thinking we are our own enemy

The first rule of war is to know when you’re in one

Some people demand freedom of speech When they don't use freedom of thought

Avoid the weak woman Who clings like a calf or vine She is a parasite seeking a host You can never do enough for her

Make a good present and in a few years You will have a good past

In nature nothing is done without a purpose Nature does nothing useless She is the greatest economist of all There is a reason for everything

Example isn’t another way to teach Example is the only way to teach

You can tell the size of a man By the size of what troubles him A small thing should not trouble you Don’t be bothered by little troubles

Decide what is worth dying for You will know what is worth living for Live for that

Revenge is the sweetest of all drinks Sweeter than honey more intoxicating than mead

A tree falls the way it leans Make sure you are leaning In the direction you want to fall Because sooner or later, everyone falls

When you are planting your crops Be sure you want to harvest the seeds you plant

Never give up, never give in, never quit Keep working till you’ve won

A bundle of sticks is stronger than any single stick

Be tired at the end of every day From doing a lot of work

Improve yourself in every way you can You may not be much, but you are all you have

Be who you want to be Not what other people want you to be

A man’s character is his fate Your habits are your future

It is easier to stay out of trouble Than to get out of trouble

Open your ears to wisdom, your eyes to truth

Only a man who is wide-traveled and has wandered far can know something about how other men think. Such a man is wise.

What you ask of the runes will prove true; they are of divine origin, made by the mighty gods and painted by Óđin. You’ll learn best with your mouth shut.

Sometimes a nap is the best medicine Napping prepares the mind for fresh thoughts

No one can make you feel inferior Without your help

Treat your children the way You wanted your parents to treat you Do not do to them that which would cause you pain If the same was done to you

This superstitious, family-oriented existence is the background to 'The Lay of Loddfafnir' and the whole of Havamal (Myth and Note25). This great compendium of aphorisms and advice on right conduct offers a commonsensical and sober (though sometimes witty) picture of the day to day life of the Norsemen, and it is a far cry from the heady image of Vikings on the rampage. Value life itself; censure naivete; cherish and celebrate friendships; beware treachery; practice moderation; be hospitable (but not too hospitable); try to win the fame and good name that will outlive you: these are the leitmotifs of the Havamal.

I know a ninth: If through storms I need to protect my boat at sea, I calm the wind on the wave and put all the sea to sleep.

58. He should early rise, who another’s property or life desires to have. Seldom a sluggish wolf gets prey, or a sleeping man victory.

95. The mind only knows what lies near the heart, that alone is conscious of our affections. No disease is worse to a sensible man than not to be content with himself.

A greedy man, if he be not mindful, eats to his own life's hurt: oft the belly of the fool will bring him to scorn when he seeks the circle of the wise. Herds know the hour of their going home and turn them again from the grass; but never is found a foolish man who knows the measure of his maw.

68.A warm fire is best for men and women, And the sight of the sun is sweet. Health is a blessing too, if you can manage to keep it, And to live life without shameful deeds.

Autumn nights are the most fickle: good and bad weather All in five days, and more than that in a month.

Cattle die, and kinsmen die, And we will die ourselves; But fair fame never dies For the one who can achieve it.

Praise the day at evening, a woman on her pyre, A weapon after it's tried, a maiden at her wedding, Ice after it's crossed, ale after it's drunk.

I was young once, and I wandered alone; The wide road was bewildering; I didn't know much. Then I met a friend and I felt very rich, For man is ever the joy of man.

The most important thing parents can teach their children Is how to get along, without them

I know a twenty-forth Othila, roots If I am lost I can find my homeland If I forget who I am I can remember My ancestors walk with me My ancestors talk with me My roots to them go back so far It gives me strength and stability to know my heritage

Teach your children To live their own lives

It is easier to prevent an illness than to cure one Clean living is the best medicine

It is always your choice To view a comment as insulting or not No one can insult you without your help Consider the source

Avoid a woman who makes you worse Praise a woman who makes you better

If entering marriage ask Will I enjoy conversation with this person in old age

Part of a parent’s job is to Get out of the way of their children

A coward believes he will ever live if he keep him safe from strife: but old age leaves him not long in peace though spears may spare his life. 18.

The miserable man and evil minded makes of all things mockery, and knows not that which he best should know, that he is not free from faults. 24.

The unwise man weens all who smile and flatter him are his friends, nor notes how oft they speak him ill when he sits in the circle of the wise. 26.

Wise he is deemed who can question well, and also answer back: the sons of men can no secret make of the tidings told in their midst. 30.

Long is the round to a false friend leading, e’en if he dwell on the way; but though far off fared, to a faithful friend straight are the roads and short. 36.

Wise in measure should each man be; but let him not wax too wise; seldom a heart will sing with joy if the owner be all too wise.

Each man who is wise and would wise be called must ask and answer aright. Let one know thy secret, but never a second, if three a thousand shall know.

All will prove true that thou askest of runes, those that are come from the gods, which the high Powers wrought, and which Odin painted then silence is surely best.

whim rules the child and weather the field, each is open to chance.

Hast thou a friend whom thou trustest well, from whom thou cravest good? Share thy mind with him, gifts exchange with him, fare to find him oft. 46.

I swallowed a morsel of bitterness. It annoyed me that Havamal had grown up to be so good-looking… so irksomely muscular and well-proportioned. The other mermaids fawned over him and hung on his every word. If there was any justice under the sea, he would have remained gap-toothed and gangly for the rest of his life.

You are only as good as you are today

A real man does not fear the test of life

When death finds you May you be doing something you love And while you are doing something you love May you be living when you die

The Norns weave fate not of our choosing Fate is indifferent to each man’s suffering How you react to fate Is the only choice a man has

Every second you are alive Gives you the opportunity, to live your life