Slow Havamal: 25

In the 25th verse, the unwise man falls into the error of thinking that those who laugh with him must be his friends. But at court, no one will have his back.

I don’t speak Old Norse, so I’m not sure whether “court” in this verse is a translation of a word that means a legal proceeding, or the court of a king. My suspicion is the former, but it also makes sense in the latter case, where the man isn’t on trial, but probably needs someone to vouch for him in order to be treated according to his status, or to speak kindly of him to the king. The first half of the verse is a repetition of the previous one. The problem for the unwise man is still being able to read the context and understand when people are real friends, versus patronizing tormentors.( Read more... )