1 euch. “any.” See MED, ech (pron.), sense 1c.↩back to note source

4 twyelinge. “deceiving, duplicity.” See MED, twielinge (n.), where this line provides the only record of the word.↩back to note source

6 swithe edmod. “very humble.” On Jesus depicted as a humble man, compare An Orison to Our Lord (art. 25), line 17 (“Buhsum and poure thu were, iwis”); and see MED, ed-mod (adj.), sense 1a, “humble, free from pride; meek, submissive”; and edmodlich (adj.), “humble, submissive to God’s will.” The word and its forms appear in the Jesus lyrics only in this poem (see lines 27, 42). The idea that Jesus accepts the Passion passively, without resistance, is also argued in On Serving Christ (art. 18).↩back to note source

24 eche lyve. “eternal life,” denoting the final fate of each soul assigned by Christ on Doomsday, that is, heaven, hell, or purgatory. Compare On Serving Christ (art. 18), lines 25–28 (note), which states that there are three options for the afterlife. In any of them, the soul will eternally endure its final fate, good or bad.↩back to note source

25 that ilche bod. “that very rule,” that is, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Mark 12:31). Compare Poema Morale (art. 3), line 304.↩back to note source

27 edmod. “submissive.” See note to line 6, above.↩back to note source

42 edmodnesse. “humility.” See note to line 6, above.↩back to note source

53–58 The sothe luve . . . ay atsonde. The definitions of love given here borrow from a well-known biblical passage: “Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up; Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed” (1 Corinthians 13:4–8).↩back to note source

60 his ryht honde. On Doomsday, those who are to be saved, that is, sent to heaven, are traditionally visualized as gathered on the right side of Christ, while those who are doomed to hell are gathered beside him on the left.↩back to note source