| Middle English | Modern English |
|---|---|
| Worldesblis ne last no throwe,
hit wit ant wend a wey a non; The lengur that hich hit i knowe The lasse hic finde pris ther on, for al hit is imeynd wyd kare, mid sorewe ant wid uuel fare, ant at the laste pouere ant bare hit let mon, wen hit ginnet a gon. al the blisse this here ant there bi louketh at hende wop ant mon. Al shal gon that her mon howet, al hit shal wenden to nout; the mon that her no god ne sowet, wen other repen he worth bikert. thenc, mon, for thi wil thu hauest mykte, that thu thine gultus here arikte, ant wrche god bi day an nikte, ar then thu be of lisse ilakt. thu nost wanne crist ure drikte the asket that he hauet bitakt. Al the blisse of thisse liue thu shalt, mon, henden in wep — of huse ant home ant child ant wyue. seli mon tak there of kep! for thu shalt al bileuen here the eykte were of louerd thu were; wen thu list, mon, up on bere ant slepest a swythe druye slep ne shaltu haben wit the no fere butte thine werkus on an hep. Mon, wi seestu loue ant herte on worldes blisse that nout ne last? wy tholestu that te so ofte smerte for loue that is so unstedefast? thu likest huni of thorn iwis, that seest thi loue on worldesblis for ful of bitternis hit is. sore thu mikt ben of gast, that despendes here heikte amis, wer-thurh ben in to helle itakt. Thenc, mon, war of crist the wroukte ant do wey prude ant fulthe mod. thenc wou dere he the bokte on rode mit his swete blod; him self he gaf for the in pris, to buge the blis yf thu be wis. bi thenc the, mon, ant up aris of slovthe, an gin to worche god wil time to worchen is, for elles thu art witles ant wod. Alday thu mikt undurstonde ant ti mirour bi for the sen, wat isto don an to wonden, ant wat to holden ant to flen; for alday thu sigst wid thin egven wou this world went ant wou men deiegt. that wite wel, that thu shalt dreigen det, al so an other det. ne helput nout ther non to ligen, ne may no mon bu det ageyn. Ne wort ne god ther unforgulde, ne non uuel ne worth unboukt; wanne thu list, mon, undur molde thu shalt hauen astu hauest wrokt. bi thenc the wel for thi, hic rede, ant clanse the of thine misdede, that he the helpe at thine nede, that so dure hus haued iboukt, ant to heuene blisse lede that euere lest ant failet nout. |
Worldly bliss lasts not a moment;
it wanes and goes away anon. The longer that I know it, the less I find value thereon; for it is all mingled with care, with sorrows and with evil fare, and at the last poor and bare it leaves man, when it begins to be gone. All the bliss that is here and there in the end encompasses weeps and moans. All shall go that here man has, it shall all wane to nought; the man that here sows no good, when others reap, he will be beguiled. Think, man, therefore, while you have might, that your guilts here you may aright, and work good by day and night, ere then you be of life deprived. You know not when Christ our Dright will ask of you what he has entrusted. All the bliss of this life you shall, man, end in weeping — of house and home and child and wife. Simple man, take care thereof! For you shall all relinquish here the possessions whereof you were lord; when you lie, man, upon the bier and sleep a very dreary sleep you will not have with you any companion but your works on a heap. Man, why do you set love and heart on worldly bliss that doesn’t last? Why do you endure that you often smart for love that is so unsteadfast? You lick honey from a thorn indeed, who set your love on worldly bliss for full of bitterness it is. Sorely you might be terrified, who spend here wealth amiss, whereby to be into hell cast. Think, man, whereof Christ wrought you and do away with pride and filthy mind. Think how dearly he bought you on the cross with his sweet blood; himself he gave for you in price, to buy the bliss if you be wise. Bethink you, man, and up arise from sloth, again to work good while there is time to work, for else you are witless and mad. All day you might understand and the mirror before you see, what is to do and to undertake, and what to hold and to flee; for all day you see with your eyes how this world wanes and how men die. Know this well, that you shall suffer death, also another death. It doesn’t help at all there to lie, no man can avail against death. No good will be there unrequited, nor any evil will be unrepaid; when you lie, man, under the mould you shall have as you have wrought. Bethink you well therefore, I urge, and cleanse yourself of your misdeed, that he may help you at your need, he that so dearly has bought us, and to heaven’s bliss lead that ever lasts and fails not. |