fol. 179vMon
may longe lyves wene,Ac ofte him lyeth the wrench;
Feyr weder turneth ofte into reyneAnd wunderliche maketh his blench.line5Tharvore, mon, thu the bythenchAl schal falwy thi grene.Waylaway! Nys king ne queneThat ne schal drynke of Dethes drench.Mon, er thu falle of thi bench,line10Thyne sunne thu aquench.
Nis non so strong, ne sterk, ne keneThat may ago Dethes wyther-blench —fol. 180rYung and olde, briht and schene,Alle he ryveth on o streng.line15Fox and ferlych is his wrench —Ne may no mon thar-toyeynes.Waylaway! Threting ne bene,Mede, liste, ne leches drench.Mon, let sunne and lustes thine.line20Wel thu do and wel thu thench!
Do bi Salomones rede,Mon, and thenne thu schalt wel do.Do as he the tauhte and seydeThat thin endinge the bringeth to.line25Thenne ne schaltu never mysdo,Ac sore thu myht the adrede.Waylaway! Such weneth to ledeLong lif and blysse underfo,Ac Deth luteth in his scholine30Hym stilliche to fordo.
Mon, hwi nultu the biknowe?Mon, hwi nultu the biseo?Of fule fulthe thu art isowe;Wurmes fode thu schalt beo.line35Her navestu blisse dayes thre,Ac thi lif al thu last in wowe.Weylawey! Deth the schal adun throweTher thu wenest heyust to steo.In deth schal thi lyf endi,line40And in wop al thi gleo.
World and Weole the biswiketh —Iwis, heo beoth thine ifo.If the World with Weole the slyketh,That is for to do the wo;line45Tharefore let lust overgo,And eft hit the liketh.fol. 180vWeylawey! Sore he him biswikethThat, for one stunde other two,Wurcheth him pyne evermo.line50Mon, ne do thu nouht swo!
fol. 179vMan may plan to have a long life,But often the reverse happens;Fair weather often turns to rainAnd suddenly changes its course.line5Therefore, man, consider howAll your green will wither.Wailaway! There’s no king or queenWho won’t drink of Death’s potion.Man, before you fall off your bench,line10Quench your sinfulness.
There’s none so strong, hardy, or livelyThat he may avoid Death’s counterblow —fol. 180rYoung and old, handsome and fair,All of them he strikes violently.line15His trick is cunning and terrifying —No one may strive against it.Wailaway! Threats are worthless,As are bribes, schemes, and potions.Man, abandon sin and your bad desires.line20You must do well and think well!
Do according to Solomon’s advice,Man, and then will you do well.Do as he taught you and explainedWhat your ending brings you to.line25Then will you never misdo,But sorely afraid might you be.Wailaway! Whoever plans to leadA long life and receive bliss,Still Death lurks in his shoeline30To quietly undo him.
Man, why won’t you remember?Man, why won’t you see yourself?You are sown with foul filth;You’ll become the food of worms.line35Here you don’t have three days’ bliss,But you’ll suffer your whole life in woe.Wailaway! Death will toss you downJust where you think to climb the highest.In death will you end your life,line40And all your joy in weeping.
World and Wealth deceive you —Indeed, they are your foes.If the World tricks you with Wealth,That’s done so as to bring you woe;line45Therefore let bad desires pass by,And later on you’ll be pleased.fol. 180vWailaway! Sorely is he deceivedWho, because of a moment or two,Falls into pain forevermore.line50Man, don’t you ever do so!