On Love

81. At day’s end, praise the torch burned,

the romance loved, the shield sturdy,

ice melted, and ale being drunk

82. Fell wood before it wakes,

row in fair weather,

keep your affairs in private.

Select a strong shield,

a fast ship, a sharp sword,

and a lover for pleasure

83. Around the fire, drink ale.

On the ice, skate.

On the steed, ride.

Mend rusty blade.

Feed your horse.

Care for your hound in the home

84. A fickle lover let no soul trust;

nor the words of a missionary.

On a potter’s wheel are such hearts made,

fragile and fitful in design

85. A fragile bow, raging fire,

a starving wolf, mother sow,

a croaking crow, boiling kettle,

a swelling sea, rootless tree

86. A flying arrow, a foaming billow,

a melting ice, a coiled snake,

a lover’s words in bed, a broken blade,

lone bear’s cubs, the promises of a king

87. A sickly calf, an emboldend slave,

the wicked words of a witch, the freshly slain soldier

88. Thy kinsman’s killler, met upon open road;

a half-burned house, a speedy horse {worthless if one foot it breaks},

so trusting to be to not one of these

89. Early seeds sewn, should no soul trust,

nor trust a child too soon;

weather undoes one while unwisdom the other.

Risk not one’s riches in these

90. A false love of a budding romance is like riding a horse on ice unroughshodden,

the will of a toddler,

in windy seas without rudder,

or the weak trying to outrun reindeer on open ground

91. Heed my words now, as I know them well;

mispledged can lovers be.

Those speak most fair with most false their thoughts,

canniving and selfish are their motives

92. Should you speak fairly,

and spare no gifts,

you will win the heart of those you seek.

Praise their looks,

flatter their person,

and win them fair

93. Do not seek humor in the loves of another;

the wise fall and the foolish do not yield,

to the lure of a genuine romance

94. It is not for one to laugh at what with most struggle at;

a fair face oft makes a fool of the wise by the mighty lure of love

95. Only you can know what is dear to your heart;

no illness rots the mind worse than the loss of love for life