MY ENGLISH INTERPRETATION AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF STANZAS 49-64
Stanza 49 - “I once gave my clothes to two scarecrows in a field, and this act of kindness made them feel human. The naked man is one that feels ashamed.”
Following on from the theme of forgiveness discussed in stanza 48, Stanza 49 reveals the profound effect that forgiveness and kindness can have on a person. We’re introduced to this concept through the metaphor of two lifeless scarecrows being gifted the clothes from Odin’s back. This simple action made these once lifeless husks feel human.
This metaphor is used to emphasise the naked man [The man who has nothing], is one who feels ashamed of himself, and the simplest act of kindness can reinvigorate this lost soul. I think it’s a beautifully poetic message and one that speaks volumes about how our lives can be shaped by the kindness of others.
Stanza 50 - “Like a fir tree without its bark and needles, a person without love and care wilts. Just as the protective bark sustains the tree, love sustains the human spirit.”
The message of stanza 50 is very simple, yet unbelievably true. Without love, the human spirit will wilt away. This concept is told to us through the visual metaphor of a tree, wilting away without its bark and needles. Whenever I read this stanza, I think of the Hollows from the Dark Souls franchise.
For those who haven’t played those games, the Hollows are almost zombie-like husks of what were once humans, wilted away through a lack of purpose in a dying and decrepit world. I imagine this is how life must feel for those who have no one to love or care for, and vice versa.
As I touched on in a previous stanza, we’re incredibly social creatures, dependent on enriching social engagements to give our lives purpose and meaning. My advice for this stanza is to hold those that you care about near and deer. Message your friends and call your family members, especially your elders who might not see you as often. They need social enrichment more than you would imagine.
Stanza 51 - “A false friendship will burn bright for five days, and fade out on the sixth. An authentic friendship is one forged with sincerity and depth, and will endure for a lifetime.”
Coming off of the back of the three stanzas of love and forgiveness, stanza 51 deals with the concept of a true, authentic, and long-lasting friendship. We’re told very clearly that the best kind of friendship is one upheld by sincerity and depth, and we’ve learned through past stanzas that this sincerity and depth is defined by a variety of factors:
These are an equilibrium of reciprocal actions between both friends, open and honest communication with the ability to challenge and disagree with each other, and frequent visits.
The idea of a false friendship burning bright for 5 days is interesting, as someone could initially seem like the type to make a great friend. With some time, however, you might learn the nature of their character, and thus form a different opinion.
Stanza 52 - "Small acts of kindness can win great favour. Even something as small as half a loaf of bread and a bowl of soup can shape and forge long-lasting friendships.”
Stanza 52 speaks to the impact that small acts of kindness can have on forging long-lasting friendships. Odin tells us that something as simple as a bowl of soup or half of a loaf of bread can be enough to win someone's favour.
I would expand on this by pointing out that something even simpler, such as a common interest or a good joke can be the start of a fruitful and long-term friendship. I met my closest friend Jordan because we just so happened to be sat next to each other for our ICT class in college and we’re both die-hard fans of Metal Gear Solid.
This was more than enough to start a 10-year friendship. He met our close friend Crayon on a game called For Honor, simply by chance that in this 1v1 fighting game, neither gave up when they lost. This led to a voice chat invite, which in turn led to us all playing together and 4 years down the line we speak to each other every day, meet up once or twice a year and we’ve been on holiday twice.
The point I’m making here is that something so simple as a kind word, gesture, or common interest can be the start of a lifelong friendship.
Stanza 53 - “In the vast sea of knowledge, not every mind is an ocean. The average person carries only moderate wisdom, the wise know just how little they know.”
The message of Stanza 53 is a very straightforward and comforting insight regarding the reality behind the intelligence of humanity. What Odin tells us here is that the average person carries only an average level of intelligence. This should come as no surprise of course.
This is followed up with the idea that the wise among us are those who are actively aware at just how little they know in the grand scheme of things. This level of self-awareness is an indicator of humility and implies that the unwise among us are those who believe that they know more than they do, a clear indicator of an inflated ego and a lack of humility.
My advice is to realise that in the grand scheme of things, most of us know very little, and that’s fine. Nobody can know everything, so in your very limited lifespan of ~80 years, it’s important that we think about what knowledge and skills we’d like to gain. For example, I’ll never be a great astrophysicist in my life, but I will be very knowledgeable on the topic of Norse mythology.
Stanza 54 - “It’s important to be wise, but no one needs infinite wisdom, for the happiest of people are those who live through their lives knowing just enough.”
Pair text with an image to focus on Stanza 54 continues with this idea that the average person is only moderately wise, and how that’s absolutely fine. It's also just a simple law of nature. Where stanza 54 builds on this by reinforcing the idea that no one needs to have infinite wisdom, and the pursuit of such will not result in a happy life.
Ironically this is spoken by Odin, a God who has dedicated his life to the pursuit of infinite wisdom. Odin seems to think that by acquiring more wisdom, he will find a way to avoid his fated death at Ragnarok. Odin will be devoured by Fenrir, and a million years of learning coupled with a billion soldiers in his private army will never change that outcome. His fate is sealed.
My advice for this stanza is that moderate is enough. I’ve noticed recently just how frustrated I’ve been getting with social media, and everybody telling you that you need more. You need to consume more, you need to make more money, etc. It’s brain rot and incredibly damaging to those of us who live normal lives and earn a normal amount of money.
No, you don’t need to start dropshipping or remote closing for $20,000 a month, which is probably bullshit anyway. What you do need is purpose, and you should work toward a life that gives you genuine meaning and fulfillment.
I’m by no means rich from Einarr’s Journey, but I wake up every day knowing that I can have a positive impact on people's lives while building something I’m deeply passionate about. This is more than enough for me, and I think you should ignore these ‘influencers’ and their bullshit, and focus solely on finding meaning through your work and your actions.
Stanza 55 - “It’s important to be wise, but no one needs infinite wisdom, for a heart burdened by too much knowledge is one that seldom finds true joy.”
Continuing with the idea that no one needs infinite wisdom, stanza 55 emphasises the very clear message that the constant search for more knowledge will only lead you down a path of sadness and burden.
I find it interesting that this is coming from Odin, as he knows this all too well. Odin has made many great sacrifices in his quest for more wisdom, and this has certainly placed a burden on him that no other being could comprehend.
The same applies to us. It’s important to become wise and knowledgeable, especially in relation to your work and passions. That being said, a life devoted to becoming smarter isn’t necessary, and won’t exactly lead to a happier life. I think a good balance of relevant competence and meaningful activity would lead to a more satisfying and happy existence overall.
Stanza 56 - “It’s important to be wise, but no-one needs infinite wisdom, for a fate that is known is a life lived in fear. Embrace the unknown, for it is where life's greatest stories are written.”
Finishing this small trilogy of ‘no one needs infinite wisdom’ stanzas is the simple truth that a fate known is a life lived in fear and misery, an experience that Odin can absolutely attest to. In the Eddic poem Voluspa, Odin revives a dead seeress, seeking all kinds of knowledge from her.
What he learns would change his life forever. He acquires the knowledge of his fated death at Ragnarok, and from this would go on to live a life in fear of this end, going to extreme lengths to prevent this. He would build a colossal private army of warriors, the Einherjar who live in Valhalla, and make many great sacrifices in pursuit of more wisdom.
The outcome is the same though. The great wolf will, with absolute certainty, break free from his chains, and while the world is plunged into darkness, Odin will be devoured amidst the chaos.
Stanza 57 - “Wisdom, much like a torch, shines brilliantly when shared. One becomes wise through shared and different insights, but in isolation, it dwindles into foolishness.”
The message of stanza 58 seems like a great extension to that of stanza 33 - "Nourish yourself early, unless a friend's table calls; a starving man becomes lethargic, and even the sharpest wits become impaired.” The core idea of both of these is that you set yourself up for success early in the morning. I definitely agree with the idea of waking up early to be more productive, even if it’s something I tend to struggle to do on a consistent basis.
Me and my girlfriend once spent an entire summer waking up at 6am followed by a 2 hour walk with our husky snow, a cold shower and a high protein breakfast. By 9am I was energised, alert, well fed and I’d had more than enough time to think about my tasks for the day and form a plan. What I found is that I was finishing my work day earlier while still being as productive.
I would add to this with the advice that you should start your day by eating the frog. If you aren’t familiar with this concept, it’s from a fantastic book by the same name. The idea is that if you wake up every morning and the thing you have to do is eat a live frog, you know with absolute certainty that you’ve completed your hardest challenge of the day.
The application of this concept is that you should prioritise your most difficult task of the day, and do that first. If the warrior goes into battle first thing in the morning, the rest of the day will be easy by comparison [if he lives]. If the hungry wolf catches it’s prey in the morning, it can spend the rest of the day freely with the pack.
If you complete your worst task first thing in the morning, the rest of the work day will be far less stressful in comparison.
Stanza 58 - “Rise early if you want to take the spoils of another. A sleeping wolf will catch no meat, and a sleeping warrior will achieve no victory.”
The message of stanza 58 seems like a great extension to that of stanza 33 - "Nourish yourself early, unless a friend's table calls; a starving man becomes lethargic, and even the sharpest wits become impaired.” The core idea of both of these is that you set yourself up for success early in the morning. I definitely agree with the idea of waking up early to be more productive, even if it’s something I tend to struggle to do on a consistent basis.
Me and my girlfriend once spent an entire summer waking up at 6 am followed by a 2-hour walk with our husky snow, a cold shower, and a high protein breakfast. By 9 am I was energised, alert, well fed and I’d had more than enough time to think about my tasks for the day and form a plan. What I found is that I was finishing my work day earlier while still being as productive.
I would add to this with the advice that you should start your day by eating the frog. If you aren’t familiar with this concept, it’s from a fantastic book by the same name. The idea is that if you wake up every morning and the thing you have to do is eat a live frog, you know with absolute certainty that you’ve completed your hardest challenge of the day.
The application of this concept is that you should prioritise your most difficult task of the day, and do that first. If the warrior goes into battle first thing in the morning, the rest of the day will be easy by comparison [if he lives]. If the hungry wolf catches its prey in the morning, it can spend the rest of the day freely with the pack.
If you complete your worst task first thing in the morning, the rest of the work day will be far less stressful in comparison.
Stanza 59 - “Early to rise, early to thrive. You should wake early and get straight to work if you have no one to do it for you, for your wealth is half won in the early hours of the morning.”
‘The early bird gets the worm,’ Stanza 59 is another that reinforces the positive impact of waking up early to seize the opportunities of the day. I absolutely agree with the idea that your wealth is half-won in the early hours of the morning.
I consistently start work at 9 am in the morning, as my girlfriend works a corporate job from home, so it makes sense to align my work schedule with hers. What I notice is that the hours of 9-12 feel drastically different from the hours of 12-5:30. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but it’s very clear that whatever happens during those first three hours absolutely sets the tone for the rest of my day.
Of course, there’s some nuance to be taken into consideration here, as I have to recognise that I'm speaking from a biased perspective in which all of the work that I do solely benefits me. When I worked in retail, I was nowhere near as motivated, as my labor was barely rewarded and thus unfulfilling.
That being said, I noticed a huge difference in my quality of life when my schedule of 9-3 five days per week was changed to evenings. My days were much better when working 9-3, as I’d return home with a whole evening to spend on my content and commissions for Einarr’s Journey. When working the evening shifts [2 or 4-10:30], I’d wake up late and barely do anything before the shift.
What I’m getting at is that in my personal experience, I found it far more beneficial to work in the morning than in the evening.
Stanza 60 - “You should know how to chop and dry wood, and to store the right amount for each season. You should also know how to make bark for your roof, and how to maintain your home.”
The first line stanza 60 is a lot less applicable to the majority of people in the modern world, as we rely now on gas and electric heating as opposed to an open fire. Of course, there are still some who do, but most of us heat our homes by paying a bill and pressing a button.
That being said, the latter half of this stanza carries a crucial message that I think we can all benefit from. In an earlier stanza, I spoke to the idea of carefully choosing the skills and knowledge that you wish to acquire in your lifetime.
I think home maintenance is absolutely one of those core skills that everyone should think about developing in their lives. You’ll become far more independent if you learn the inner workings of your home, even if just the basics.
Learning how to repair your boiler, how to paint, and developing some simple woodworking skills just to name a few will massively reduce your dependence on others, and save you a bit of money too. You can even extend this to car repairs, the knowledge gained will help you save money or at the very least, avoid being taken advantage of if you happen across a dishonest mechanic.
On top of this, these are timeless life lessons you can gift to your children so that they can live more independent lives.
Stanza 61 - “when you go out, you should go out well-fed and well-kept, even if you can’t afford good clothing. It’s important take pride in yourself, even if you’re less well-off than others.”
Stanza 61 imparts a pearl of practical wisdom regarding personal presentation. We’re told that even if we aren’t well off, we should still present ourselves as clean and well-kept when we go out, especially if we’re to attend some form of social gathering.
I think this is fantastic advice, as you don’t need expensive clothing and fancy accessories in order to take pride in your appearance. Some simple yet clean clothing alongside a shower, some deodorant, fresh breath and a bit of time taken to style your hair is more than enough to feel pride in your presentation.
I think my go-to outfit when I go out is a cheap pair of black jeans, a black T-shirt, a shirt, and my work boots, which I clean and polish before I leave. In total, the combined cost of what I’m wearing is roughly £40, which I could bring down to £25 if I chose a basic T-shirt.
I think buying fancy branded clothing is a fools game, especially if we’re talking about these pseudo luxury brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, etc. To me, they don’t come across as the ‘social status symbols’ that they’re marketed as, and I certainly don’t think they’re needed. I believe that once you find your particular style, you can clothe yourself for fairly cheap if you’re shopping in the right places.
All in all, the message of stanza 61 is a simple one. Take pride in your personal hygiene and presentation. It will serve you well in all social settings.
Stanza 62 - "When the waters of the sea meet the eye, the starving eagle readies itself, beak poised and neck elongated. So too do humans act when they find themselves isolated among the unknown, with no ally to sing their praises.”
I find stanza 62 particularly interesting, as I among many of you have been in this particular situation. The basic premise of this is that we tend to be very uncomfortable when in unfamiliar situations alone, especially situations with people that we don’t know.
A certain level of social anxiety is absolutely normal for everyone to experience, and there isn’t much advice that I could give you for when you find yourself in such a situation, outside of trying to strike up a conversation with someone, but that would naturally be awkward and intimidating for most people.
The advice I can give you, however, is for when you notice somebody else in that situation. Suppose you see that someone is alone in a social setting, with nobody there to vouch for them. In that case, you have the power to alleviate their anxiety by striking up a conversation with them and maybe even inviting them to your group for a conversation.
Stanza 63 - “If you are to be known as wise, you should know how to ask and answer questions wisely. Tell your secrets only to one person. Everyone knows your secret if three people do.”
Stanza 63 gives us two fantastic pieces of advice regarding how you are perceived in the context of wisdom and intelligence. If you are to be known as wise, you should know how to both ask and answer questions in conversation, and you should also know when to hold your tongue. The first part is simple, you won’t get very far in social settings if you aren’t able to ask people questions about themselves, nor answer their questions in return.
Dating is a great example, if you mumble basic answers to questions about yourself, you’re not likely to come across as interesting. At the same time, if you’re only capable of asking surface level questions while unable to pick up clues about the other person, you may also come across as uninteresting. This is true for all social settings.
The second piece of advice is crucial, you should take great caution in who you tell your secrets to, especially depending on how sensitive they are. If you know that someone can’t be trusted with a secret, never share something private with that person, no matter how much they try to lull you into a false sense of security.
On the other hand, you should be very respectful of people’s secrets. I worked in retail for 7 years, and in that kind of environment, secrets travel faster than the plague. I was always admired for my ability to just listen and then mind my own business.
I was the go to for complaints about other people, as well as if somebody needed someone to confide in. I’d assume this was partially due to my ADHD and I’d just forget, but at the same time, a core moral principle of mine is that it is not my right to share the secrets of others. At the same time, if someone has confided in me, it’s a great compliment about the perceived value of my integrity and trustworthiness, which is something I hold very dear.
Stanza 64 - “Humility is the mark of the wise man, who would only show his power in moderation among others. When among the bold, such a man will find that none are the boldest of all.”
The message of stanza 64 is one of humility, its a warning against showing off. The premise here is essentially the idea that if you show off and display your full abilities around others, especially if you do it arrogantly. you stand to be challenged and potentially humiliated by another with greater abilities.
I 100% agree with this, as in general, people tend to heavily frown upon and look to ridicule those displaying cocky or arrogant tendencies. I’d imagine it would feel very crushing to so boldly proclaim and show your skill at a particular thing, just for someone more humble to come along and outperform you.
Now I’ve always been quite quick witted and cocky in my speech, but usually with the goal of engaging in playful banter and making social situations more lighthearted by winding people up, usually my colleagues. I think going out of your way to show off and ‘look cool,’ however, is a foolish endeavour that has the potential to greatly backfire on you.