Frost must freeze, fire melt wood, the earth grow, ice bridge, water wear a covering, wondrously lock the shoots in the earth. The many-powered God alone must unbind the frost’s fetter. Winter shall depart, water come after, summer heated by the sun. The unstill waves, the deep paths of the dead, will be secret longest.
Holly must be burned, the inheritance of a dead man shared. Judgment is best.
The king shall with money purchase a queen, with cups and rings; both must first be good with gifts. The spirit must be in an earl, to grow in courage, and the woman to thrive in love with her people, be cheerful-minded, hold counsel, be roomy-hearted, with horses and treasures, at the meadcompany, before companion-protection always at all times, go first to greet the noble one, first fully to the lord’s hand, know counsel, and know advice for him, the owners of the homestead both together.
A ship must be nailed, a shield bound, the light linden board.
The dear one is welcomed by the Frisian woman, when the ship is drawn up, his boat is come, and her man is home, her own breadgiver, and she calls him in, washes his dirty raiment, and gives him new clothes, gives him on the land what his love demands. Many are faithful; many are curious, they love foreign men, when the other departs far away.
A seaman is long on a journey. Always a man must abide, he who loves to return, unless he may not go, until he again has a chance to come home, if he is hale and safe, unless the sea prevents him; the ocean, the joy of the raiders, has him in hands.
A merchant buys from the king a place for men, when the ship comes, uses wood and water, when he has given quarters, buys food, if he needs more, before he becomes too faint.
Sick is he who too seldom eats. Though he may be led into the sun, he may not live in the weather. Though it is warm in the summer, he is overcome before he dies, if he does not know someone to feed him. Strength must be fed with food, murder befalls under the earth, hidden under the earth, by him who wished to hide it. That is not a decent death, when it is kept secret.
The humble shall bow, languish in sickness. The right will grow strong. Advice is the most useful, evil the least useful; he who chooses that is misled. Goodness is enough and it is close to God. Mind must be held, hand wielded, seeing is in the eye, wisdom in the heart, that is where the thoughts of men are.
Each mouth needs food. Meals must take place on time.
It is right for gold to be on a man’s sword, the beautiful victory-blade; treasure on a queen; a good poet for the men; the warriors defend against war, hold the peaceplace. A warrior shall have a shield, an arrow for a criminal, a ring shall be for a bride, books for a learner, the eucharist for a holy man. For the heathen, sins.
Woden made idols, the Almighty made heaven, the roomy skies, that is the god of the lands, the true king himself, the savior of souls, who gave us all that we live on, and again at the end will rule all, the kin of men. That is the ruler himself.
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