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The
discussion and analysis presented after these
translated stanzas is our
opinion. Read the translations for yourself and our analysis, but also seek
out varied sources and come to your own conclusions.
STANZA 34 OF THE
HAVAMAL
Auden & Taylor:
To a false friend that footpath
winds thought his house be on the highway. To a sure friend
there is a short cut, though he live a long way off.
Bellows:
Crooked and far is the road to a
foe, Though his house on the highway be; But wide and straight
is the way to a friend Though far away he fare.
Bray:
Long is the round to a false friend
leading, e'en if he dwell on the way; but though far off
fared, to a faithful friend straight are the roads and short.
Chisholm:
It is a long way to the false
friend though he dwell by the road. but a straight way lies to
the good friend, though he lives far away.
Hollander:
To false friend ay a far way 'tis, though
his roof be reared by the road; to stanch friend ay a straight
way leads, though far he have fared from thee.
Terry:
A bad friend lives far away thought his
house lie on your road, but it's no distance to one who is
dear thought you travel many miles.
Thorpe:
Long is and indirect the way to a bad
friend's, though by the road he dwell; but to a good friend's
the path lie direct, though he be far away.
DISCUSSION AND
ANALYSIS OF STANZA 34
This is one of my favorite stanzas.
The interpretations here all are fairly close
in meaning.
Essentially, the road leading to the home of
an enemy, bad friend, or false friend is very long and winding, even
if he lives right next to you. And the road leading to the
home of a good friend is very short and direct, even if he lives
very very
far away.
In very practical terms, we see this in
modern Heathenry today. Many Heathen individuals, families,
and kindreds in the Midwest have formed friendships and bonds...and
many of us will travel 3, 6, 12, and even 16 hours to visit these
friends. The distance does not matter. The difficulty or
cost of the trip does not matter. The time and effort spent
getting to these friends does not matter in the least. Such is
the joy in gathering together with these friends, that there is very
little that will stand in the way of us visiting
each other.
Meanwhile, there are people who call
themselves "Heathen" here in Kansas City, for instance, that I
rarely if ever see because I do not like them, and have reason to
not like them. I could drive 15 minutes and be at some of their
homes, and yet I never seek them out and will even avoid them
if possible.
But, this goes beyond a mere description of
how friendship works or feels. It is also advice. If you
have a friend, and wish to honor and keep that friend, then visit
him or her. Make the trip. Take the time. No
distance should keep you from your good friends. And if you
have an enemy, spend very little time or effort on them
at all.
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