Be not a shoe-smith Nor a shaft-smith Except for thyself; Is the shoe misshaped, Or the shaft wry, Then is evil wished to thee. Where thou canst do harm Do not keep from it, And do not give peace to thy foes. Be never Glad at evil, But be pleased with the good. Never look up Shalt thou in battle; Like swine[328] May become the sons of men; Let no man spell-bind thee. Wouldst thou get a good woman To talk pleasantly, And get delight from her, Promise thou fair things And firmly keep it; No man dislikes the good if he can get it. I bid thee be wary, But not too wary; Be most wary at ale, And with another’s wife, And thirdly That thieves play not tricks on thee. Thou must never Mock or laugh at A guest or a wayfarer. Often know not well Those who sit within Of what kin they are who come; No man is so good That a fault follows him not, Nor so bad, that he is good for nothing. Never laugh At a hoary wise man; Often it is good which old men say, Skilled words come often Out of a shrivelled skin Hanging among hides, Dangling among dry skins, And going among the sons of toil. Scoff not at the guest, Nor drive him to the door; Be kind to the poor. Strong is the door-bar, That shall turn And open for all; Give a ring,[329] Or to thy limbs Will every kind of evil be wished. Wherever thou drinkest ale, Take earth’s strength; For the earth acts against ale, And fire against constipation, The (corn) ear against spells, The spurred rye against hernia; The moon shall be called on against curses, Heather against contagious diseases, Runes against evil spells; The mould must receive the liquid. The following proverbs and wise sayings occur in the Sagas: Courage is better Than the power of sword Where the angry must fight; For I saw a bold man Win.... Victory with a blunt sword. ‘Tis better for the bold Than cowards To be in the game of Hild;[330] It is better to be merry Than to be downhearted Whatever may come to hand.