Viking Age sayings and proverbs often deliver a powerful message filled with wisdom in a short, straigth forward manner. They inspire reflection, fairness, courage and honor. Most of them can be applied to our modern day world in order to become a better person. Here are 48 favorites:
- Too much beer, and a man's heart will be open for all to see - The Saga of Olaf Haraldsson, c.151
- The error is the result of letting fear rule your actions - The Saga of Harald Hardrade, c.46.
- A person should not agree today to what he will regret tomorrow – Saga Bandamanna, c.10.
- Defend your own judgment and not what others say - Gudmundur Jonsson.
- No one is a fool if he knows when to shut up - Grettir's saga, c.88.
- Not all the clouds that darken the day bring rain - Saga Heitharvega, c.7.
- It is better to fight and fall than to live without hope - The Saga of the Volsungs, c.12.
- Where the wolf's ears are, the wolf's teeth are close. - Volsunga Saga, c.19.
- Fight your enemies in the field, don't burn in your home - Saga Volsunga, c.21.
- When men encounter enemies in the fight, a robust heart is better than a sharp sword - Volsunga, c.19.
- Only a coward expects to be taken as a redfish or a fox from a trap - Saga Laxdaela, c.40.
- We often regret saying too much and seldom regret saying too little - The saga of Hrafnkel Freysgothi, c.7.
- Those who take large resolutions, and then set them aside, only end in disgrace (The saga of King Olaf Trygvisson, c.9)
- Gold is little comfort to the dead relative - Saga of Ervar Odd, c.11.
- The one you trust the most may disappoint you the most – Saga Fljotsdale, c.23.
- Ill is the result of letting fear rule thine actions - The Saga of Harald Hardrade, c.46
- Ill it is to take love from another man’s wife - Saga of the Volsungs, c.21
- Kinsmen to kinsmen should be true. - The Saga of Olaf Haraldsson, c.186
- Fear not death for the hour of your doom is set and none may escape it - Saga of the Volsungs, c.5
- Often times it is not numbers that wins the victory, but those who fare forward with the most vigor - The Saga of Thrond of Gate, c.19
- With many who come to power and honor, pride keeps pace with promotion - The Saga of Magnus the Good, c.8
- Ill it is to abandon honor and integrity in exchange for injustice and greed - Bandamanna Saga, c.10
- There is more honor in accumulating little by little than in reaching for the sky and ending up flat on your face - Vatnsdæla Saga, c.7
- A person’s actions are often worse than their intentions - The Saga of Hrafnkel Freysgothi, c.10
- Stubbornness brings either greater humiliation or greater honor - The Saga of Hrafnkel Freysgothi, c.10
- When truth and fairness are different from what is law, better it is to follow truth and fairness - Bandamanna Saga, c.6
- Wisdom is welcome wherever it comes from - Bandamanna Saga, c.10
- Great deeds and ill deeds often fall within each other’s shadow - Gisli Sursson’s Saga, c.17
- Better to die with honor than live with shame - The Saga of the Jomsvikings, c.23,
- Oft one finds, when the foe he meets, that he is not the bravest of all - Fafnismal 17
- All a people need in order to rise up against tyranny is a leader bold enough to take up the banner - The Saga of Harald Hardrade, c.45
- That which has a bad beginning, is likely to have a bad ending - Hen-Thorir’s Saga, c.4
- One should not ask more than would be thought fitting - Króka-refs Saga, c.10
- Often it is that what happens to most others will happen to you - Eyrbyggja Saga, c.32
- Better a brief spell of honour than a long rule of shame - Laxdaela Saga, c.29
- There is greater consolation than money - Grettir’s Saga, c.47
- He’s a wise man who knows himself - The Saga of Hrafnkel Freysgothi, c.7
- Let another’s wounds be your warning - Njal’s Saga, c.37
- Bravery is half the victory - The Saga of Harald Hardrade, c.103
- A hungry wolf is bound to wage a hard battle - Laxdaela Saga, c.19
- The fool is busy in everyone’s business but his own - Kormak’s Saga, c.14
- Often it is that anger is blind to the truth - The Foster-brother’s Saga, c.22
- Better it is to have a lower position in life and be free than to have a position of power only to be subject to the will of another - The Saga of Olaf Haraldsson, c.79
- Ill is the result of being more given to big talk than using one’s wits - The Saga of Bjarn of the Hitdoela Champions, c.19
- With law shall our land be built up and settled, and with lawlessness wasted and spoiled - Njal’s Saga, c.69
- It can be expected that a man who has a lot on his mind will not always be careful enough - The Saga of Hrafnkel Freysgothi, c.9
- Where fault can be found, the good is ignored - Njal’s Saga
- A tale is but half told when only one person tells it - The Saga of Grettir
Better a brief spell of honour than a long rule of shame – Laxdaela Saga, c.29
I cannot find this or similar wording in any of the translation. Can you help?
Truths to be shared!
A lot of good advice from the past which may be applied to the future or today
Thanks I enjoyed these, Fun to read and think about. Love learning.
I have a feeling this will become a reference sheet for me.
Leave a comment