Vil ok dul tælir virða sonu,
þá er fíkjaz á fé;
ljósir aurar verða at löngum trega;
margan hefr auðr apat.
Vil ok dul tælir sonu virða, þá er fíkjaz á fé; ljósir aurar verða trega at löngum; auðr hefr apat margan.
Desire and delusion trap the sons of men, those who are greedy for wealth; shining pieces of silver turn to grief in the long run; riches have made a monkey of many a man.
[2] tælir ‘entrap’: 3rd pers. sg. verb for pl. subject comprising two distinct entities. For warnings against trusting in riches, cf. Hsv 34/6: ilt er auði at trúa ‘it is bad to trust in wealth’, and more distantly Hsv 22, 66, 80; Hávm 75, and Matt. VI.19-21; against trusting in worldly things in general, cf. Hsv 106.