The Hávamál, the most sacred and mysterious part of the Elder Edda, was understood as the very Words of Odin, King of the Gods of Asgard, for centuries by the Norse Vikings and earlier Germanic peoples. Across the mists of time, this holy poem of wise advice to mankind, was the inspirations of some of the Germanic world's greatest explorers, warriors and heroes. The noble ethics of the brave Heathen faith of the Vikings are encapsulated in the Hávamál, which remains just as relevant today as when it was first recited by the Skalds. Now it is translated line-for-line, un-altered, uncensored, side-by-side with the original text, in a powerful English edition for Odinists, Asatruars, Heathens, and all those who dare to learn the true meanings of the Words of the High One for themselves. WARNING: This is NOT another "safe" or "politically correct" academic translation. It is NOT watered-down to please the weak sheep of the "new age". This is the raw wisdom of the Gods, sorely needed by mankind. Hail Odin! For a long time, people of Heathen, Odinist and Runic paths have been calling for a Hávamál translation in English that is accurate, quotable, and doesn't have the discrepancies of the mainstream translations which were done by non-Heathen academics. Well, wait no longer! Finally Odin's words are available in a readable and Heathen English translation that truly does justice to every line of the original! This is a Hávamál you can actually use and quote in rituals, and use for study as well.You can trust it to be honest with the Heathen values of the original Old Norse Hávamál , even if these are not always "comfortable" to the non-Heathen masses of the modern world. To reach the Immanence of the Gods, we must first overcome fear, and taste noble tradition! WHAT MAKES THIS TRANSLATION UNIQUE: *Uncensored (not a single word's meaning altered, no political pandering - just straight Norse Heathen * drengr * culture!) *Unabridged (not a single line cut out!) *Translated line-for-line from the Old Norse (the ordering of the verses and the lines is unchanged!) *You also GET the actual Old Norse text, side-by-side with the Translation! Easy to compare! *Easy-to-understand footnotes (with NO confusing academic jargon) to clear up all the trickier bits *Cultural notes in the Preface, Introduction and Postface! *An Old Norse glossary of some of the most commonly used terms in the Hávamál , for study *Plenty of space on the pages for taking your own notes! *No-nonsense, easy-to-use translation that preserves all the Old Norse metaphors and symbolism - translated by a Heathen, for Heathens! *ALL of the Old Norse metaphors are translated directly, with footnotes where needed. *Reflects the actual cultural flavor/values of the Viking skalds; not tainted by any modern agenda! *Usable in rituals and lessons! Reflects the entirety of the Hávamál 's content! Quotable and poetic, yet also accurate! Makes a great Yule gift, for the home Altar or for Heathen family and friends! Also here's what you DON'T have to worry about with my translation: *It's NOT by a secular academic with non-Heathen and non-Indo-European ideological loyalties *It's NOT by a Christian pushing Abrahamic beliefs under the cover of "comparative religion" *It does NOT abridge or truncate verses to force them to fit a modern poetic formula *It's NOT by a "committee academic" with a postmodernist political agenda *It does NOT change the meanings of words to avoid "offending" people with weak egos *It's NOT written in archaic, confusing Victorian or Elizabethan English *It's NOT crammed with confusing academic jargon *It's not by Wiccan/Wiccatru eclectics or new-agers; NO cultural dilution! *It's not by a Satanist or a Setian *It does not leave words half-untranslated or unexplained *It does not throw away or rewrite the original idioms and metaphors of the Hávamál *It does NOT treat the Hávamál as a mere museum curiosity. This translation is a true labor of love for the Old Ways. Celebrate in it, the Words of the High One. Hail and Skål !