ber er hver að baki, nema sér bróður eigi

Icelandic

Alternative forms

  • ber er hver að baki

Etymology

From Brennu-Njáls saga, a phrase uttered by Kári Sölmundarson. Consists of ber (bare) + er (is), from vera (to be) + hver (each, everyone) + (concerning, to) + baki the dative singular form of bak (back) + nema (unless) + sér, dative form of sig (oneself, one) + bróður, the accusative form of bróðir (brother) + eigi, form of eiga (to own).

Literally meaning that the "back of each man is bare, unless he has a brother to him".

Proverb

ber er hver baki, nema sér bróður eigi

  1. he who doesn't have a companion (brother) in battle; is unprotected
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