Anon Mhkv 28III
Roberta Frank (ed.) 2017, ‘Anonymous Poems, Málsháttakvæði 28’ in Kari Ellen Gade and Edith Marold (eds), Poetry from Treatises on Poetics. Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages 3. Turnhout: Brepols, p. 1241.
text and translation
Geta má þess, er gengit hefr;
gerir sá betr, er annan svefr;
veitkat víst, hvat verða kann;
villa er dælst of heimskan mann.
Fláráðum má trautt of trúa;
til sín skyldi inu betra snúa;
hugga skal, þann er harm hefr beðit;
hølzti mjǫk er at flestu kveðit.
Má geta þess, er hefr gengit; sá gerir betr, er svefr annan; veitkat víst, hvat kann verða; er dælst villa of heimskan mann. Má trautt of trúa fláráðum; skyldi snúa inu betra til sín; skal hugga, þann er hefr beðit harm; hølzti mjǫk er at flestu kveðit.
‘What has passed can be related; he does better who soothes another; I know not for certain what can happen; it is easiest to lead astray a foolish man. One can scarcely trust the deceitful; one should turn what is better toward oneself; one must console him who has suffered sorrow; exceedingly much is decreed about most. ’
notes and context
[1]: Cf. Grettis saga (Gr ch. 40, ÍF 7, 137): þess verðr þó getit, sem gǫrt er ‘what is done shall be told all the same’. — [5]: Similar advice is provided in Anon Hsv 42/1-3VII fláráðs manns orði, | þótt fagrt mæli, | þarftu eigi þeim at trúa ‘you need not believe the word of a deceitful man, even though he may speak fair’. Parallels in phrasing occur in Hávm 45. Cf. Bjarnar saga Hítdœlakappa (BjH ch. 11, ÍF 3, 138). — [7]: Cf. Anon Sól 26/4-5VII grættan gæla | skaltu með góðum hlutum ‘you must comfort the weeping one with good things’.
readings
sources
Text is based on reconstruction from the base text and variant apparatus and may contain alternative spellings and other normalisations not visible in the manuscript text. Transcriptions may not have been checked and should not be cited.
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GKS 2367 4° (R) — 55r/31 - 55r/33
imagesGeta má þess, er gengit hefr;
gerir sá betr, er annan svefr;
†vetkat† víst, hvat verða kann;
villa er dælst of heimskan mann.
Fláráðum má †sistz† of trúa;
til sín skyldi inu betra snúa;
hugga skal, þann er harm hefr beðit;
hølzti mjǫk er at flestu kveðit.Geta ma þes er gengit hefr gorir sa betr er aɴann svefr | vetkat ek vist hvat verða kaɴ villa er dælst of heimskan maɴ flara | þvm ma sistz of trva til sin skyldi env betra snva hvɢa skal þaɴ er harm hefir beþit ⸝⸝ heyllzti mioc er at flestv qveþit |
(VEÞ)
editions and texts
Skj: Anonyme digte og vers [XIII], A. [1]. Málsháttakvæði 28: AII, 136, BII, 145, Skald II, 78, NN §2830; Möbius 1874, 12, Wisén 1886-9, I, 76.
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