Ofdrykkju forðaz; * hon drýgir erfiði;
svá skal við vífin varaz;
líkams lestir tæla lýða hvern,
er í sællífi sitr.
Forðaz ofdrykkju; * hon drýgir erfiði; svá skal varaz við vífin; líkams lestir tæla hvern lýða, er sitr í sællífi.
Avoid too much drinking; * it causes hardship; thus one must guard against women; vices of the body entrap every man who keeps to a wealthy way of life.
[2] drýgir erfiði: so 720a IV, drýg erfiði 1199ˣ, 624, erfiði drýgir 723aˣ
[2] * hon drýgir erfiði ‘* it causes hardship’: The reading in 1199ˣ, en drýg erfiði ‘but suffer hardship’ does not produce good sense. The reading here is that of 720a IV and 723aˣ, and is adopted in Skj B. Both 720a IV and 723aˣ begin with því here, but adopting their reading would require emendation to því að ‘because...’.