Havamal Snippets 119: Visit a trusted friend often

This verse is similar to verse 41, which notes the importance of returning a gift for a gift and a lie for a lie.  In this verse, 119, it focusses on the human relationship rather than the gift giving, saying that a man should visit a good freind regularly, and make sure that the freindship lasts a long time.  A long lasting freindship will benefit both men, because they will give gifts to one another: material gifts and immaterial gifts (like knowledge and information); not forgetting that the experiences they share will be enjoyable!  After all, life is about experiencing the moment in emotional terms aswell as abstract terms.

 
119
Ráðumk þér Loddfáfnir
en þú ráð nemir
njóta mundu ef þú nemr
þér munu góð ef þú getr
veiztu ef þú vin átt
þanns þú vel trúir
farðu at finna opt
því at hrísi vex
ok hávu grasi
vegr er vættki trøðr             
 
I advise you, Loddfafnir,
to take advice;
you would benefit, it you took it,
good will come to you, if you accept it:
know this, if you have a friend
whom you trust well,
go to visit him often,
for [9] the path which no-one treads
[7] grows with underbrush
[8] and high grass.

 

[End.]