1
Keep your eyes open
as you enter
you should look around you
closely around you
for you cannot know
if a foe may be sitting
right under your nose
2
Good host!
A guest has come
where is he to sit?
He will scowl
if sat on logs by the door
who wants to try his luck
3
He needs warmth
who has just come in
whose knees clatter from cold
Food and clothing
are what he needs
after crossing the fells
Translated by Annabelle Despard
1
Augo du bruke
før inn du gjeng,
i kot og i kråom,
i kot og i krokom.
For d' er uvisst å vita
kvar uvener sit
føre din fot.
2
Sæl den som gjev!
Gjest er inn komen,
kvar finn han sess åt seg?
Brå vert den
som på brandom skal sitja
og føre ærend fram.
3
Eld han treng
som inn er komen
og om kne kulsar.
Til mat og klede
den mann hev trong
som hev i fjell fari.
*
1
Gáttir allar,
áðr gangi fram,
um skoðask skyli,
um skyggnast skyli,
því at óvíst er at vita,
hvar óvinir
sitja á fleti fyrir.
2
Gefendr heilir!
Gestr er inn kominn,
hvar skal sitja sjá?
Mjök er bráðr,
sá er á bröndum skal
síns of freista frama.
3
Elds er þörf,
þeims inn er kominn
ok á kné kalinn;
matar ok váða
er manni þörf,
þeim er hefr um fjall farit.
From Håvamål, translated by Ivar Mortensson-Egnund, Det Norske Samlaget, Oslo 1986.
Poem of the Week. 52 poems through the year
From the time when the earliest texts were recorded in runic inscriptions, poetry has had a strong position in Norway. By introducing a new poem each week throughout 2019, we aim to highlight the quality and breadth of Norwegian poetry. «Poem of the Week» presents 52 poems, inspired by the changing seasons and the passing of the year. The selection has been made by Annette Vonberg and Tone Carlsen, and consists of poems from the earliest handwritten manuscripts up until today, with a special emphasis on contemporary poetry.