fol. 169r Tractatus quidam in anglico

Ich am eldre than ich wes, a winter and ek on lore. Ich welde more than ich dude. My wyt auhte beo more. Wel longe ich hadde child ibeo, a werke and eke on dede. Thah ich beo of wynter old, to yong ich am on rede.line5 Unned lif ich habbe ilad, and yet, me thinkth, ich lede. Hwenne ich me bithenche, ful sore ich me adrede.

Mest al that ich habbe idon is idelnesse and chilce. Wel late ich habbe me bithouht bute God do me mylce. Veole idel word ich habbe ispeke seoththe ich speke cuthe,line10 And feole yonge deden ido, that me ofthincheth nuthe. Al to lome ich habbe agult on werke and on worde. Al to muchel ich habbe ispend, to lutel ileyd an horde.

Best al that me likede er nu hit me myslyketh. The muchel foleweth his wil himseolve he biswiketh.line15 Mon, let thi fol lust overgo, and eft hit the liketh! Ich myhte habbe bet ido hevede ich eny selhthe. Nu ich wolde, and I ne may, for elde ne for unhelhthe. Elde is me bistolen on er than ich hit wiste. Ne may ich biseo me bifore for smoke ne for myste.line20 Erewe we beoth to donne god, uvel, al to thriste. More eye stondeth mon of mon than him to Cryste.

The wel ne doth hwile he may hit schal him sore reowe, Hwenne alle men repen schule that heo ear seowe. Dod to Gode that ye muwen the hwile ye beoth alyve.line25 Ne lipne no mon to muchel to childe ne to wyve. The himseolve foryet for wive other for childe He schal cumen on uvele stude bute God him beo milde.

Sende uch sum god bivoren him the hwile he may to heovene. Betere is on almes bivoren thane beoth after seovene.line30 Ne beo the leovere than thiseolf thi mey ne thi mowe. Sot is that is other mannes freond more than his owe. Ne lipne no wif to hire were, ne were to his wyve. Beo vor himseolve uych mon the hwile he beoth alyve.

Wis is that himseolve bithenkth the hwile he mot libbe,fol. 169v Vor sone willeth him foryete, the fremede and the sibbe.line36 The wel nule do hwile he may, ne schal he hwenne he wolde. Mony monnes sore iswynk ofte habbeth unholde. Ne scholde no mon don a virst ne slakien wel to donne Vor mony mon bihoteth wel that hit foryeteth sone.

line40 The mon that wile syker beo to habbe Godes blysse Do wel himseolf the hwile he may — thenne haveth he hit myd iwisse! Theos riche men weneth to beon syker thurh walles and thurh diche, Ah heo doth heore ayhte in siker stude that sendeth hit to heoveriche, Vor ther ne tharf he beon adred of fure ne of theve.line45 Thar ne may hit bynyme, the lothe ne the leove.

Ther ne tharf he beon ofdred of yefte ne of yelde. Thider we sendeth and seolf bereth to lutel and to selde. Thider we schulde drawen and don wel ofte and ilome. Ne may ther non hit us bynymen myd wrongwise dome.line50 Thider we schulden drawen and don, wolde ye me ileve, Vor ther ne may hit us bynyme, the king ne the schirreve. Al the beste that we habbeth, thider we schulde sende, Vor ther we hit myhte vinden eft and habben o buten ende!

He that her doth eny god to habbe Godes oreline55 Al he schal vynde ther, an hundred-folde more. The that ayhte wile holde wel the hwile he may him wolde Yeve hit for Godes luve — thenne doth he hit wel iholde! Ure swynk and ure tylehthe is iwuned to swynde, Ah heo that hit yeveth for Godes luve eft hit mowen ivynde.

line60 Ne schal non uvel beon unbouht, ne no god unvorgulde. Uvel we doth al to muchel, god lasse thane we scholde. The that mest doth nu to gode, and te the leste to lathe — Eyther to lutel and to muchel schal thunchen heom eft to bathe. Ther me schal ure werkes weyen byvore heovene Kinge,line65 And yeven us ure swynkes lean after ure earnynge.

Everuych mon, myd that he haveth, may bugge heoveriche, The riche and the poure bothe, ah nouht alle ilyche — The poure myd his penye, the riche myd his punde — That is the wunderlicheste ware that ever was ifunde!line70 And ofte God con more thonk ye that yveth him lasse.fol. 170r Alle his werkes and his yeftes is in ryhtwisnesse.

Lutel lok is Gode leof that cumeth of godewille, And lutel he let on muchel wowe ther the heorte is ille. Heovene and eorthe he oversyhth — his eyen beoth so brihte!line75 Sunne and mone, hevene and fur, beoth theostre ayeyn his lyhte. Nis him forhole nowiht ne ihud, so muchele beoth his myhte. Nis no so derne dede idon, in so theostre nyhte. He wot hwat thencheth and hwat doth alle quyke wyhte. Nis no louerd such is Crist, ne King such ure Dryhte.

line80 Heovene, and eorthe, and al that is, biloken is in his honde. He doth al that his wille is, a watere and eke on londe. He makede fysses in the sea and fuweles in the lufte. He wit and wald alle thing and schop alle schafte. He wes erest of alle thing and ever byth buten ende.line85 He is on ewiche stude, wende hwer thu wende. He is buven and binethen, bivoren us and bihinde. The that Godes wille doth ichwer may him fynde.

Huych rune he iherth, the wot alle dede. He thurhsyhth uych monnes thonk. Wy, hwat schal us to rede,line90 The that breketh Godes hes and gulteth so ilome? Hwat schulle we seggen other don at the muchele Dome, The that luveth unryht and heore lif uvele ledeth, We that never god ne duden, then heveneliche demeth? Hwat schulle seggen other don, ther engles heom drede?line95 Crist for his muchele myhte hus helpe thenne and rede!

Hwat schulle we beren us bivoren? Mid hwan schulle we queme? Ther schule beon deovlen so veole that wulleth us forwreye. Nabbeth heo nowiht foryete of al that heo iseyen. Al that we mysduden here, heo hit wulleth cuthe there,line100 Bute we habben hit ibet the hwile we her were. Al heo habbeth in heore wryte that we mysduden here. Thah we hit nusten, heo weren ure ifere.

Hwat schulleth horlinges don, the swiken and the forsworene? Swithe veole beoth icleped, and fewe beoth icorene.line105 Way, hwi were heo biyete? Hwi weren heo iborene, That schulle beo to dethe idemed and evermore forlorene?fol. 170v Huych mon himseolve schal her bicleopien and ek deme. His owene werkes and his thouht, to witnesse hit schal teme.

Ne may him no mon deme so wel, iwis, ne al so ryhte,line110 For non ne knoweth so wel his thonk, bute ure Dryhte. Uych mon wot himseolve best, his werkes and his wille. That lest wot he seyth ofte mest, and he that al wot is stille. Nis no witnesse al so muchel so monnes owe heorte, For so seyth that unhol is himseolve hwat him smeorteth.

line115 Uych mon schal himseolve deme to dethe other to lyve. The witnesse of his owe werk therto him schal dryve. And al that ever mon hafth idon seththen heo com to monne — Al so he hit iseye on boke iwryten hit schal him thinche thenne! Ne schal no mon beon ydemed after his bigynnynge,line120 Ah dom schal tholyen uych mon after his endinge. If the ende is uvel, al hit is uvel. God yef us god ende! God yef us ure ende god, hwider that he us lende.

The mon that never nule do god ne never god lif lede, That Deth cume to his dure, he may sore adredeline125 That he ne muwe bidden ore, for that ityt ilome. Vorthi is wis that bit ore and bet bivore the Dome. Hwenne Deth is at the dure, wel late he bit ore. Wel late he leteth that uvel thenne he ne may do na more.

Bilef sunne hwil thu myht, and do bi Godes lore;line130 And do to Gode hwat thu myht, if thu wilt habben ore, For we hit ileveth wel, and Dryhten seolf hit seyde. On hwiche tyme so ever the mon ofthincheth his mysdede, Other rather other later, milce he schal ymete, Ah he that nouht naveth ibet muchel he haveth to bete.

line135 Mony mon seyth, “Hwo rekth of pyne that schal habben ende? Ne bidde ich no bet bute ich beo ilesed a Domesday of bende.” Lutel wot he hwat is pyne, and lutel he hit iknoweth Hwich hete is thar the soule wuneth, hw bitter wynd ther bloweth.fol. 171r Hedde he iwuned ther enne day other unnethe one tyde,line140 Nolde he for al the middel-erd another ther abyde!

Swithe grimlych stench ther is, and wurth wythuten ende, And hwo the enes cumeth ther ut may he never thenne wende. Never ich in helle ne com, ne ther to cume ne recche, Thah ich, al thes worldes weole, ther wende to vecche.line145 That seyden theo that weren ther — heo hit wisten myd iwisse: Ther thurh seorewe of seove yer for sovenyhtes blysse, And for the blysse that ende haveth endeles is the pyne. Beter is worie wateres drung thane atter meynd myd wyne.

Swynes brede is swete; so is of the wilde deore.line150 Al to deore he hit buth that yeveth tharvore his sweore. Ful wombe may lihtliche speken of hunger and of festen, So may of pyne, that not hwat hit is, that evermo schal lesten. Hedde he ifonded summe stunde, he wolde seggen al other, And lete, for Crist, beo wif and child, fader, suster, and brother.

line155 Al he wolde other don and otherluker thenche. Hwenne he bithouhte on helle-fur, that nothing ne may quenche, Evre he wolde in bonen beon and in godnesse wunye; With that, he myhte helle-fur ever fleon and schonye. And lete sker al thes worldes weole and thes worldes blysse;line160 With that, he myhte to heovene cumen and beo ther myd iwisse.

Ich wile eu seggen of the Dome, as ich eu er seyde. On the Day and on the Dome, us helpe Cryst and rede. Ther we muwen beon aferd and sore us ofdrede. Ther uych schal seon him bifore his word and ek his dede.line165 Al schal beon ther theonne ikud: that er men lowen and stelen. Al schal beon ther theonne unwrien: that men her wrien and helen.

We schulleth alre monne lyf iknowe al so ure owe. Ther schulle beon evenynges the riche and ek the lowe. The Dom schal beon sone idon; ne lest he nowiht longe.line170 Ne schal him no mon menen ther of strengthe ne of wronge.fol. 171v Theo schullen habbe harde dom that er weren harde — Theo that uvele heolde wrecche men and uvele lawe arerde.

Alle theo that beoth icumen of Adam and of Eve — Alle heo schule thider cumen, and so we owen hit ileve!line175 Theo that habbeth wel idon, after heore mihte, To heoveriche heo schulle vare forth myd ure Dryhte; Theo that habbeth Feondes werk idon and therin beoth ifunde, Heo schulle fare forth myd him into helle-grunde.

Ther ho schulle wunyen o buten ore and ende.line180 Ne breketh nouht Crist eft helle-dure to lesen heom of bende. Nys no seollich theh heom beo wo he mawe wunye ethe. Nul never eft Crist tholye deth to lesen heom of dethe. Enes Drihte helle brek, his freond he ut brouhte. Himseolve he tholede deth for us; wel deore he us abouhte.

line185 Nolde hit no mon do for me, ne suster for brother; Nolde hit sone do for vader, ne no mon for other. Ure alre Louerd, for us threlles, ipyned wes on rode. Ure bendes he unbond and bouhte us myd his blode. And we yeveth unnethe a stucche of ure brede.line190 We ne thencheth nouht that he schal deme the quyke and ek the dede.

Muchel luve he us cudde, wolde we hit understonde. That ure elderne mysduden, we habbeth harde on honde. Deth com i this middel-erd thurh the Deofles onde, And sunne and sorewe and muchel swynk, a watere and a londe.line195 Ure forme-faderes gult we abuggeth alle. Al his ofsprung after him in harme is ifalle.

Thurst and hunger, chele and hete, ache and unhelthe Thurh him com in this myddel-erd, and othe unyselyhthe. Nere no mon elles ded ne sek, ne non unhele,line200 Ah myhten libben evermo myd blysse and myd wele. Lutel hit thincheth mony mon, ah muchel wes the sunne For whon alle tholieth deth that comen of heore kunne.

Ure sunne and ure sor us may sore ofthunche.fol. 172r In sunnen we libbeth alle, and seorewe and in swynke.line205 Hwenne God nom so muche wreche for one mysdede, We that ofte mysdoth, we mowen us sore adrede. Adam and his ofsprung, for ore bare sunne, Weren feole hundred wynter in pyne and on unwunne.

And theo that ledeth heore lif myd unriht and myd wronge,line210 Bute hit Godes mylce beo, he beoth thar wel longe. Godes wisdom is wel muchel, and al so is his myhte. Nis his mylce nowiht lasse ah al by one wyhte. More he one may foryeve than al volk agulte kunne. Theyh seolf Deovel myhte habbe mylce if he hit bigunne.

line215 The that Godes mylce sekth, iwis he hit may fynde, Ah helle kyng is oreles with thon that he may bynde. The that doth his wille mest he schal habbe wrst mede. His bath schal beo wallynde pich, his bed bernynde glede, Al so ich hit telle, as wyse men us seyden,line220 And on heore boke hit iwryten is, that me may hit reden. Ich hit segge for heom that er this hit nusten, And warny heom with harme, if heo me wulleth lusten.

Understondeth nu to me, edye men and arme. Ich wille ou telle of helle-pyne, and warny of harme.line225 Thar is hunger and thurst, uvele tweye ivere. Theos pyne tholieth ther that were mete-nythinges here. Thar is wonyng and wop after ulche strete. Ho vareth from hete to chele, from chele to thar hete.

Hwenne heo cumeth in hete, the chele heom thincheth lysse.line230 Thenne heo cumeth eft to chele; of hete heo habbeth mysse. Eyther heom doth wo ynouh; nabbeth heo none lisse. Heo nuten hwether heom doth wurse myd never none iwisse. Heo walketh ever and secheth reste, ah heo hit ne muwe imete, For heo nolde, hwile heo myhten, heore sunnen ibete.

line235 Heo schecheth reste ther non nys, forthi ne muwen hi finde, Ah walketh thar bothe up and dun, so water doth myd winde.fol. 172v This beoth the that weren, her, mid hwom me heold feste, And theo that Gode biheyhte wel and nolden hit ileste, And theo that god werc bygunne and fulendy hit nolden.line240 Nu were her, nu were ther — heo nuste hwat heo wolden.

Ther is pych that ever walleth that heo schulle habbe there, Theo that ledeth heore lyf unwreste and eke false were. Thar is fur an hundred-folde hatture thane be ure. Ne may hit quenche no saltwater, ne Avene strem ne Sture.line245 That is thet fur that ever barnth; ne may hit no mon quenche. Tharinne beoth theo that her wes leof poure men to swenche;

Theo that were swikelemen and ful of uvele wrenche, And theo that ne myhte uvele do and was hit leof to thenche; Theo that luved reving and stale, and hordom and drunken,line250 And on Deoveles werke blutheliche swunken; Theo that were so lese that me heom ne myhte ileven, Med-yorne domesmen and wrongwise reven;

The that wes leof other mannes wif and his owe leten, And the that sunegeth ofte on drunken and on mete;line255 Theo that wrecche men bynymeth his eyhte and hit leyth an horde, And lutel let on Godes bode and of Godes Worde; Theo that almes nolde yeve there he iseyh the neode, Ne his poure kunesmen at him ne myhte nouht spede;

The that nolde here Godes sonde thar he sat at his borde;line260 And was leof other mannes thing levere than beon schulde, And weren al to gredi of seolver and of golde, And luveden untrewnesse that heo schulden beon holde, And leten that hi scolden do, and duden that heo ne scholden — Heo schulleth wunyen in helle the Veondes onwolde!

line265 The that were gaderares of thisse woldes ayhte, And duden that the lothe gost heom tycede and tahte, And alle theo the myd dusye wise Deovele her iquemeth — Theo beoth nu in helle with him, fordon and fordemde,fol. 173r Bute theo that ofthincheth her sore heore mysdede,line270 And heore gultes gunnen lete and betere lif to lede.

Ther beoth neddren and snaken, evethen and fruden, Ther tereth and freteth that uvele speketh, the nythfule and the prude. Never sunne ther ne schineth, ne mone ne steorre. Ther is muchel Godes hete and muchel Godes eorre.line275 Ever thar is muchel smech, theosternesse, and eye. Nis ther never other lyht bute the swarte leye.

Ther lyth the lodliche veond in stronge raketeye, That is the that wes myd God in heovene swithe heye. Ther beoth ateliche veondes and grysliche wyhtes.line280 Ther schule the wrecche soulen iseon that sunegeden bi sihtes. Ther is the lothe Sathanas and Beelzebub the olde. Ethe heo mwue beon adred, that heom schulde biholde.

Ne may non heorte hit thenche, ne no tunge telle Hw muche pyne, hw veole veondes beoth in theostre helle.line285 For al the pyne that her is, nulle ich eu nouht lye, Nis hit bute gome and gleo al that mon may her dreye, And yet ne doth heom nothing so wo, in the lothe bende, Ase that witen heore pyne ne schal habbe non ende.

Thar beoth the hethene men that were lawelese,line290 Thet nes nouht of Godes forbode ne of Godes hese. Uvele Cristene men beoth ther heorure nere, Theo that, heore Cristendom, uvele heolden here. Yet heo beoth a wrse stude anythe helle-grunde, Ne schullen heo never cumen up, for marke ne for punde.

line295 Ne may helpe ther, nouther beode ne almesse, For nys nother in helle ore ne foryeuenesse. Nu schilde him uych mon, hwile he may, with the ilke pyne, And warny uich his freond, so ich habbe myne. Theo that schilde heom ne kunnen, ich heom wille teche.line300 Ich con beon eyther, if ich schal — lycome and soule leche.

fol. 173v Lete we that God forbed alle monkunne, And do we that he us hat, and schilde we us with sunne. Luvye we God myd ure heorte and myd alle ure myhte. Ure even Cristen as usseolf, for so us lerede Dryhte.line305 Al that me redeth and syngeth bivoren Godes borde, Al hit hongeth and hald bi thisse twam worde.

Alle Godes Lawe he fulleth, the Newe and ek the Olde, That haveth theos ilke two luven and wel heom wile atholde. Ah, soth ich hit eu segge, ofte we agulteth alle,line310 For strong hit is to stonde longe, and lyht hit is to falle; Ah Dryhten Crist us yeve strengthe stonde that we mote, And, of alle ure sunnen, us lete cume to bote.

We wilneth after worldes ayhte, that longe ne may ileste, And mest leggeth ure swynk on thing unstudeveste.line315 If that we swunken for Gode half that we doth for eyhte, Nere we nouht so ofte bicherd ne so uvele bythouhte. Yef we servede God so we doth earmynges, We mihte habbe more of heovene than eorles other kynges.

Ne mowe nouht weryen heom with chele ne with hunger,line320 Ne with elde ne with dethe, the eldure ne the yonge, Ah ther nys hunger ne thurst, ne deth, ne unhelthe, ne elde. Of this world we thencheth ofte, and therof al to selde.

We schulde us bithenche wel ofte and wel ilome: Hwat we beoth, to hwan we schulen, and of hwan we comen,line325 Hw lutle hwile we beoth here, hw longe elles-hware, And after Gode wel wurche; thenne ne thuruue noht kare. If we were wyse men, thus we schulde thenche. Bute we wurthe us iwar, thes world us wile fordrenche.

Mest alle men, he yeveth drynke of one Deofles schenche.line330 He schal him cunne schilde wel yef he him wole bithenche. Mid Almyhtyes Godes luve ute we us werie With theos wrecche worldes luve, the heo us ne derye.fol. 174r Mid festen, and almesse, and beoden, were we us with sunne Mid the wepnen that God haveth yeven to alle monkunne.

line335 Lete we theo brode stret and thene wey grene That lat the nyethe to helle of folke, and mo, ich wene. Go we thene narewe wey, thene wey so schene. Ther forth fareth lutel folk, and that is well ethsene. The brode stret is ure wil, that is us loth to lete.line340 The that al feleweth his wil he fareth the brode strete.

The narewe wey is Godes heste, that forth fareth wel fawe, That beoth theo the heom schedeth wel with uych unthewe. Theos goth unnethe ayeyn the cleo, ayeyn the heye hulle. Theos leteth awei al heore wil for Godes hestes to fulle.

line345 Go we alle thene wei, for he us will brynge, Mid the fewe feyre men, byvoren heovene Kinge. Ther is alre murehthe mest, myd englene songe. Wel edy wurth thilke mon that ther byth undervonge. The lest haveth murehthe he haveth so muche, ne bit he namore!line350 Hwoso theo blisse for thisse foryet, hit may him rewe sore.

Ne may no pyne ne no wone beon in heovene riche, Thah ther beon wonynges feole, and other unyliche. Summe habbeth lasse murehthe, and summe habbeth more, Uych after that he dude her, and after that heo swunken sore.line355 Ne wrth ther bred ne wyn, ne nones kunnes este. God one schal beon eche lif and blisse, eche reste.

Ther nys nouther fou ne grey, ne konyng ne hermyne, Ne oter ne acquerne, beuveyr ne sablyne. Ne ther ne wurth, ful iwis, worldes wele none.line360 Al the murehthe that me us bihat, al hit is God one. Nis ther no murehthe so muchel so is Godes syhte. He is soth sunne and briht, and day bute nyhte.

He is uyche godes ful. Nys him nowiht withute. Nis heom nones godes wone that wuneth hym abute.fol. 174v Ther is weole bute wone, and reste bute swynke.line366 Hwo may thider cume and nule, hit schal hym sore ofthinche. Ther is blysse bute teone, and lif withute dethe. Theo that schulle wunye ther, blithe muwen heo beon ethe.

Ther is yonghede buten ealde, and hele buten unhelthe.line370 Ther nys seorewe ne no sor, never non unhelthe Seoththe me Dryhten iseo so he is, myd iwisse. He one may beon, and schal, englene and monne blisse.

Theo schulen of him more iseon that her him luvede more, And more iseon and iwyten his milce and his ore.line375 On him, heo schullen fynden al that mon may luste, And on lyves bec iseon al that heo her nusten. Crist seolf one schal beon inouh to alle derlinges. He one is more and betere than alle wordliche thinges.

Inough hi habbeth that hyne habbeth, that all thinges weldeth.line380 Him to seonne murie hit is, so fayr he is to biholde! God is so swete and so muchel in his godnesse Al that wes, and is, is wel wurse and lasse, Ne may no mon hit segge, ne wyten myd iwisse, Hu muchele murehthe habbeth heo, that beoth in hevene blisse.

line385 To thare blisse bringe us God, that lesteth buten ende, Hwenne he ure saule unbind of lichomliche bende. Crist us lete such lif lede and habbe her such ende That we mote to him cume hwenne we heonne wendeth. Amen.

Bidde we nu, leove freond, yonge and ek olde,line390 That he that this wryt wrot, his saule beo ther atholde. Amen.

fol. 169r Another treatise in English

I’m older than I was, in winters and in learning. I possess more than I did. My wit ought to be greater. I’ve been a child too long, in work and also in deed. Though I am old in winters, too young am I of wisdom.line5 I’ve led a worthless life, and I lead one still, it seems. When I think of myself, I’m terribly afraid.

Most everything I’ve done is idleness and childishness. I’ve thought of myself too late unless God grants me mercy. Many vain words I’ve said since learning to how to speak,line10 And I’ve done many immature acts, which I now regret. All too often I’ve transgressed in deed and in word. All too much I’ve spent, laid too little aside.

Everything that I once liked best now displeases me. He who stubbornly follows his will betrays himself.line15 Man, repudiate your foul desire, and be glad in return! I might have behaved better had I had any discretion. Now I want to, but I can’t, because of age and ill health. Age has snuck up on me before I knew it. I cannot see ahead for smoke and for mist.line20 We’re slow to do good, but evil, all too rash. Man remains more awed of man than he is of Christ.

He who doesn’t do well while able will bitterly regret it, When all men have to reap what they earlier sowed. Render to God what you must while you’re alive.line25 Let no man rely too much on child or on wife. Whoever forgets himself for the sake of wife or child Will come to an evil place unless God shows him mercy.

Each sows some good in advance before he goes to heaven. Better is one alm beforehand than are seven afterwards.line30 Don’t love more than yourself your kinsman or kinswoman. He’s a fool who’s another man’s friend more than his own. Let no wife trust in her husband, or husband in his wife. Every man must be for himself while he’s alive.

Wise is he who thinks of himself while he possesses life,fol. 169v For they’ll quickly forget him, strangers and kin.line36 He who won’t do well while he can, won’t be able when he wants to. Many a man’s hard exertions often earn hostility. No one ought to postpone or slacken from doing well, For many adamantly promise what they quickly forget.

line40 The man who wants to be certain to gain God’s bliss Should himself do good while he may — then he’ll truly have it! Rich men consider themselves safe behind walls and moats, But he sets his wealth in a safe place who sends it to heaven, For there he needn’t be afraid of fire nor of theft.line45 There no one can steal it, neither enemy nor friend.

There he needn’t be fearful about rewards or payments. Thither do we send and bear ourselves too rarely and too seldom. Thither we should draw and advance over and over again. No one can deprive us of it with a wrongful judgment.line50 Thither we should draw and advance, you must believe me, For no one can deprive us of it, neither king nor sheriff. All the best that we have we should send thither, For there we will find it again and have it always without end!

He who here does any good deeds to have God’s mercyline55 Shall find it all there, a hundred-fold more. He who’d closely guard his wealth while he’s in control of it Ought to give it up for God’s love — then does he guard it well! Our labor and our harvest are destined to waste away, But he who gives it up for God’s love will find it again.

line60 No evil will go unpaid for, nor any good go unrewarded. We do evil all too often, good less than we ought to. One now acts the most for good, another acts the least for evil — Either too little or too much, it’ll later seem to them both. There will our works be weighed before the King of heaven,line65 And our deeds’ reward be given us according to our merit.

Each man, with what he has, may purchase heaven’s kingdom, The rich and the poor both, but not all alike — The poor man with his penny, the rich man with his pound — It’s the most splendid purchase that ever was found!line70 And often God will thank more you who give him less.fol. 170r All his deeds and his rewards stem from righteousness.

Dear to God is a little gift that comes of goodwill, But he cares little about misery where the intent is foul. He observes heaven and earth — his eyes are so bright!line75 Sun and moon, heaven and fire, are dark against his light. Nothing is concealed or hidden from him, so great is his power. No deed is done privately, however dark be the night. He knows the thoughts and deeds of every living creature. There is no lord like Christ, no King like our Lord.

line80 Heaven, earth, and all that is, are cared for in his hands. He does all according to his will, on water and also on land. He makes the fishes in the sea and the birds in the sky. He knows and rules all things and shapes all creation. He existed before all things and is ever without end.line85 He abides in every place, going wherever you go. He is above and below, before us and behind. He who does God’s will may find him everywhere.

He hears each whisper, knows all deeds. He pierces each man’s thoughts. Ah, what should we do,line90 Who break God’s laws and sin so frequently? What shall we say or do at the great Doom, Who have loved perfidy and led evil lives, We who never did good, when judged in heaven? What shall we say or do, where angels fear him?line95 May Crist with his great might help and guide us then!

What shall we bring before us? How shall we be acceptable? There shall be so many devils who will accuse us. They won’t have forgotten any of all that they’ve seen. All that we’ve done wrongly here, they’ll know it there,line100 Unless we had repented it while we were here. They’ll have in writing everything we’ve done wrongly here. Although we didn’t know it, they were our companions.

What shall adulterers do, the deceivers and the perjurers? So many will be summoned, and few will be chosen.line105 Ah, why were they begotten? Why were they born, Who are to be doomed to death and forever lost?fol. 170v Each man here shall himself accuse and also judge. To his own actions and thoughts, he will bear witness.

No one else may judge him so well, indeed, nor so correctly,line110 For no one else knows so well his thoughts, except for our Lord. Each man knows himself best, his works and his will. He who knows least often says most, and he who knows all is silent. There is no witness so great as a man’s own heart, For whoever says he’s unwell knows himself what pains him.

line115 Each man shall condemn himself to death or to life. The witnessing of his own works shall drive him thereto. And all that one’s ever done since growing to manhood — As if he sees it written in a book will it seem to him then! No man will be condemned according to his beginning,line120 But each shall suffer judgment according to his ending. If the end is evil, all is evil. May God give us a good end! May God give us our good end, no matter where he assigns us.

He who never wills to do good nor ever to lead a good life, Before Death comes to his door, he’ll be sorely afraidline125 That he can’t seek mercy, for that often happens. Therefore he’s wise who seeks mercy and reforms before Doom. When Death is at the door, too late does he seek mercy. Too late does he abandon that evil when he can no longer act.

Give up sin while you’re able, and do according to God’s lore;line130 And do for God whatever you may, if you want to have mercy, For we believe it deeply, and the Lord himself said it. At whatsoever moment a man repents his misdeeds, Either sooner or later, he shall meet with mercy, But he who hasn’t reformed has much need to reform.

line135 Many men say, “Who cares about pain that will end? I can’t do better than pray to be released from bonds on Doomsday.” He knows little of what pain is, and little does he know The heat where the soul dwells, how bitterly the wind blows there.fol. 171r Had he been there just one day or even one hour,line140 He wouldn’t for all of middle-earth endure any more!

Such a horrific stench is there, and existence without end, And whoever comes there once can never get out. I have never entered hell, nor do I care to go there, Even if, all this world’s wealth, I went there to fetch.line145 So say those who’ve been there — they know it for sure: There wholly the sorrow of seven years for seven days’ bliss, And for a finite bliss one gains infinite sorrow. Dirty water is a better drink than poison mixed with wine.

A swine’s meat is sweet; so is that of wild deer.line150 All too dearly does he buy it who gives his neck for it. A full stomach may speak lightly of hunger and of fasts, So too of pain, not knowing what it is, that will last forever. Were he to feel it for a moment, he’d say something else, And, for Christ, give up wife and child, father, sister, and brother.

line155 He’d do everything differently and think differently. When he thought about hell-fire, which nothing can quench, He’d always be in prayer and dwell in goodness; By that means, he might hell-fire entirely escape and avoid. And he’d give up all this worldly wealth and worldly bliss;line160 By that means, he might come to heaven and truly arrive there.

I’ll now tell you about the Doom, as I promised you earlier. On the Day and the Doom, may Christ help and guide us. There we must be afraid and deeply in dread. There each shall see before him his words and also his deeds.line165 There shall all then be known: what they once lied about or stole. There shall all then be disclosed: what they here hid or concealed.

Every man’s life we will know just like our own. There shall be made equal the rich and also the poor. The Doom will be quickly performed; it won’t last long.line170 No one will make complaint there of violence or of wrong.fol. 171v Those shall have a harsh judgment who were harsh here — Those who evilly oppressed poor men and enacted evil laws.

All those who are begotten of Adam and of Eve — All of them shall come thither, and so we ought to believe it!line175 Those who’ve done well, according to their ability, To heaven’s kingdom they’ll travel forth with our Lord; Those who’ve done the Devil’s work and are found therein, They’ll fare forth with him into the pit of hell.

There they shall dwell forever without mercy or end.line180 Christ won’t ever again break hell-door to release them from bonds. It’s no wonder if woeful are those who must dwell there forever. Christ will never again suffer death to release them from death. Once the Lord had breached hell, he brought out his friends. He himself suffered death for us; he paid very dearly.

line185 No one would do it for another, not sister for brother; Son wouldn’t do it for father, nor anyone for another. Our Lord of all, for us servants, was tormented on cross. He unbound our bonds and bought us with his blood. And we offer barely a morsel of our bread.line190 We don’t consider how he shall judge the quick and also the dead.

Abundant love he showed us, were we to comprehend it. For what our elders did wrongly, we suffer in due course. Death came into this middle-earth by the Devil’s malice, And sin and sorrow and great toil, on water and on land.line195 Our first father’s guilt we all pay for. All his descendents after him are fallen into harm.

Thirst and hunger, cold and heat, pain and disease Through him came into this middle-earth, and other miseries. Otherwise no one would be dead or sick, or no one unwell,line200 But he might live forever with bliss and with happiness. To many a man it seems small, but great was the sin For which all suffer death who come of their kin.

Our sin and our suffering we might sorely regret.fol. 172r In sin we all live, and in sorrow and in toil.line205 After God wreaked so much vengeance for one misdeed, We who often do wrong, we must be terribly afraid. Adam and his offspring, for merely one sin, For many hundred winters were in pain and in misery.

And those who lead their lives with evil and with wrong,line210 Were it not for God’s mercy, they’ll be there a long time. God’s wisdom is very great, and so is his power. His mercy is never any bit less for only one creature. He may forgive one by more than can all people sin. The Devil himself might have mercy if he sought it.

line215 Those who seek God’s mercy, certainly they can find it, But hell’s king is merciless with those whom he binds. Whoever most follows his will will have worst reward. His bath will be boiling pitch, his bed burning coal, Just as I describe it, as wise men have told us,line220 And in their book it is written, where one may read it. I’ll explain it for those who haven’t known it before, And protect them from harm, if they’ll listen to me.

Understand me now, rich men and poor, I’ll tell you about hell-pain, and protect you from harm.line225 There is hunger and thirst, two evils together. Those suffer pain there who were food-misers here. There is wailing and weeping in every direction. They shift from heat to cold, from cold to heat there.

When they enter heat, the cold seems a relief to them.line230 Then they return again to cold; they have need of heat. Either gives them plenty of pain; they find no relief. They never know which feels worse with any certainty. They walk always and seek rest, but they can’t come upon it, Because they wouldn’t, when they could, repent their sins.

line235 They seek rest where there’s none, for they may not find it, But walk there both up and down, as water does in wind.fol. 172v They are those who were, here, the ones others trusted, And those who promised God well and wouldn’t hold to it, And those who began good deeds and wouldn’t complete them.line240 Now here, now there — they knew not what they wanted.

There is the pitch that boils forever, which they shall have there, Those who led deceitful lives and also were false. There is fire a hundred times hotter than is ours. No saltwater may quench it, nor the river Avon or Stour.line245 That is the fire that burns eternally; no one can quench it. In there are those who enjoyed oppressing poor men;

Those who were fraudulent and full of evil tricks, And those who couldn’t do evil but enjoyed thinking about it; Those who loved plunder and theft, whoredom and drunkenness,line250 And for the Devil’s works happily toiled; Those who were so false that none might believe them, Bribe-greedy judges and wicked reeves;

Those who enjoyed other men’s wives and neglected their own, And those who sin often in drinking and in eating;line255 Those who seize their wealth from poor men and hoard it, And attend little to God’s bidding and to God’s Word; Those who wouldn’t give alms wherever they saw need, Nor might their poor kinsmen ever prosper by them;

Those who here ignored God’s gifts when they sat at their table;line260 Those who coveted other men’s things more than they should, And were all too greedy for silver and for gold, And loved untruth when they should have been upright, And omitted what they should have done, and did what they shouldn’t — They will dwell in hell under the Devil’s authority!

line265 Those who were gatherers of this world’s wealth, And did what the loathsome spirit enticed and taught them, And all those who unwisely pleased here the Devil — Those are now in hell with him, ruined and condemned,fol. 173r Except for those who here repented sorely of their misdeeds,line270 And began to forsake their sins and lead a better life.

There are adders and snakes, lizards and frogs, That tear and bite those who speak evil, the envious and the proud. The sun never shines there, nor does moon or stars. There is God’s mighty anger and God’s mighty wrath.line275 Always there is great smoke, darkness, and terror. There is never any light other than the dark fire.

There lie the loathly fiends in strong chains, Those who were with God in heaven so high. There are hideous fiends and terrible creatures.line280 There shall be seen the poor souls who sinned wittingly. There is loathsome Satan and old Belzebub. They must be instantly terrified, whoever beholds them.

May no heart imagine it, nor any tongue tell How much pain, how many fiends are in dark hell.line285 Regarding all the pain that’s here, I won’t lie to you, It’s mere game and mirth that one may suffer here, And yet nothing else gives them such woe, in those loathly bonds, As knowing that their pain will never end.

There are the heathens who were faithless,line290 Who didn’t care about God’s commands nor about God’s behests. Wicked Christian men are their close companions, Those who, their Christianity, maintain sinfully here. Now they’re in a worse place next to the pit of hell, And they’ll never advance upward, for penny or for pound.

line295 Nothing may help them there, neither prayers nor alms, For in hell there’s neither mercy nor forgiveness. May each man shield himself, while he can, from that very pain, And warn each of his friends, as I have warned mine. Those ignorant of how to shield themselves, I’ll teach them.line300 I know how to be both, if I must — healer of body and soul.

fol. 173v Let’s relinquish what God forbade all mankind, And do what he commands us, and shield ourselves from sin. May we love God with our hearts and with all our power. And our fellow Christian as ourself, as the Lord teaches us.line305 All that men read and sing before God’s altar, It all depends on and holds to these two words.

He will fulfill all of God’s Law, the New and the Old, Whoever has these two loves and upholds them well. But, truly I tell you, we all sin frequently,line310 For it’s arduous to stand long, and it’s easy to fall; But Lord Christ give us strength that we may stand, And, for all our sins, let us come to redemption.

We yearn for the world’s wealth, which cannot last long, And we invest most of our toil in transitory things.line315 If we toiled for God’s love by half what we do for wealth, We’d not be so often misled nor so poorly informed. If we served God as we do poor wretches, We could have more of heaven than earls or kings.

They can’t protect themselves from cold or from hunger,line320 Or from old age or death, neither the old nor the young, But no hunger or thirst is there, no death, ill health, or old age. We think of this world often, and of there all too seldom.

We should think of ourselves constantly and repeatedly: What we are, where we shall go, and from whence we came,line325 What a short while we’re here, how long elsewhere, And toil directly for God; then we need have no care. If we were wise men, thus would we think. Unless we remain alert, this world will drown us.

To most every man, it offers a drink from the Devil’s draught.line330 He will shield himself well if he thinks of himself. With Almighty God’s love we ought to guard ourselves From love of this wretched world, so that it not injure us.fol. 174r With fasts, alms, and prayers, let’s guard ourselves from sin With the weapons that God has given to all mankind.

line335 Let’s depart from the broad street and the leafy way That leads nine-tenths of folk to hell, and more, I think. Let’s go by the narrow way, the way so glorious. Few folk travel there, and that is easily seen. The broad street is our willfulness, which we hate to give up.line340 He who follows only his will travels the broad street.

The narrow way is God’s law, upon which very few travel, Those who protect themselves well from every vice. They go with difficulty upon the cliff, upon the high hill. They let go of all their willfulness to fulfill God’s law.

line345 Let’s all go that way, for it will bring us, With a few fair men, before heaven’s King. There’s the highest joy of all, amid angels’ song. Fortunate be that very man who’s received there. The least has such abundant joy, he mightn’t ask for more!line350 Whoever forgets about this bliss, he’ll regret it sorely.

No pain and no want may exist in heaven’s kingdom, But there are various ways of life, of different kinds. Some have less joy, and some have more, According to what they did here, and how hard they worked.line355 There’s no bread or wine there, or other sorts of pleasure. God alone will bring eternal life and bliss, eternal rest.

There’s no variegated or gray fur, nor fur of rabbit or ermine, Nor of otter or squirrel, nor of beaver or sable. There isn’t there, truly, any worldly wealth.line360 All the joy promised to us, it’s all from God alone. And there’s no joy so great as the sight of God. He’s the true and bright sun, and day without night.

He’s full of every good. He lacks in nothing. They are deprived of no kind of good who dwell about him.fol. 174v There is wealth without want, and rest without toil.line366 Whoever may come there and will not, he’ll sorely regret it. There’s bliss without suffering, and life without death. Those who shall dwell there, they’ll be eternally happy.

There’s youth without age, and health without disease.line370 There’s neither sorrow nor grief, nor any disease When men see the Lord as he is, in truth. He alone is, and shall be, the bliss of angels and men.

They shall see more of him who here loved him more, And see and know more his grace and his mercy.line375 In him, they shall find all one can desire, And see in life’s book all that here they didn’t know. Christ alone will be enough for all dear followers. He alone is more and better than all worldly things.

He possesses enough whoever has him, who rules all things.line380 To look upon him is joyous, so fair he is to behold! God is so gracious and abundant in his goodness That all else that was, and is, is much worse and less, Nor may anyone express it, or comprehend truly, How much joy they have, who are in heaven’s bliss.

line385 To that bliss may God bring us, who rules without end, When he unbinds our souls from their bodily bonds. May Christ grant us to lead such a life and have here such an end That we may come to him when we go from here. Amen.

Pray we now, dear friend, young and also old,line390 That he who wrote this writ, his soul be admitted there. Amen.