CXVIII.
[1]
Seli vnwemmid ere in wai,
In lagh ofe lauerd þat gane ai.
2
Seli þat ransakes witnes hisse,
In alle þar hert sekes him for blisse.
3
Noghte þate wicknes wirken ai
In his waies yhoden þai.
4
Þou bade þine bodes ilkedele
To be yhemed swith wele.
5
Whine ware mine waies righted swa
To yheme þine rightwisenesses ma!
6
Þanne schente sal .i. noghte be,
In alle þine bodes when .i. se.
7
Schriue vnto þe sal .i.
In rightinge ofe hert for-þi,
In þate þat .i. lered mare and lesse
Domes ofe þi rightwisenesse.
8
Þhine rightwisenesses .i. sal yheme in thoght:
Towarde, frawarde, forlete me noght.
9
In what yhunger righte[s] his wai?
In yhemand þi saghes ai.
10
In alle mi hert soghte .i. þe:
Fra þine bodes schouue noghte me.
11
Þine speches hide .i. mine hert withinne,
Þate .i. sul noght to þe sinne.
12
Blissed, lauerd, ai ert þou;
Þine rightwisenes lere me nou.
13
In mi lippes schewede .i.
Alle domes ofe þi mouth for-þi.
14
In þe waie ofe þi wittenesses
Am .i. lusted als in alle richesses.
15
In þine bodes wun sal .i.,
And bihalde þine waies witerli.
16
In þi rightwisenesses bithinke .i. sal,
Þine saghes noghte forgete with-al.
17
Foryhelde to þine hine, quiken me,
And .i. sal yheme saghes ofe þe.
18
Vnhile mine eghen, and bihald .i. sal
Wondres ofe þi lagh with-al.
19
Comelinge am .i. in erthe to se,
Hide noghte þine bodes fra me.
20
Langed mi saule to yherne ful wide
Þine rightwisenesses in alle tide.
21
Þou snibbed proude; werihed be þai
Þat helden fra þi bodes ai.
22
Bere fra me vpbraidinge and forhoghte,
Þine witnesses for .i. soghte.
23
Sothlike aldermen þai seten
And againes me þai speken;
And þi hine þat eure esse
Woned in þi rightwisenesse.
24
For and þi witnesse thoght mine;
And mi rede rightwisenesse þine.
25
Cliued mi saule to þe flet:
After þi worde qwiken me yhete.
26
.I. schewed mi waies, and þou herd me:
Lere me þi rightwisenesses þat be.
27
Ofe þi rightwisnesses lere me þe wai,
.I. aryhed (!) in þi wordes ai.
28
For sleuie sleped saule myne:
Festen me in wordes þine.
29
Wai ofe wicknes stire fra me nou,
And ofe þi lagh milthe of me þou.
30
Wai ofe sothnes ches .i. for-þi,
And þi domes noghte forgete .i..
31
To þi witnesses cliued .i. to be:
Lauerd, nil tou schend me.
32
Wai ofe þi bodes ran .i. with querte,
When þou tobreddeste mi herte.
33
Lagh set to me, lauerd, wai
Ofe þi rightwisnesses, and .i. sal seke ite ai.
34
Gife to me vnderstandinge al,
And þi lagh ransake .i. sal,
And yheme wele bi night and dai
In al mi herte, whils liue .i. mai.
35
In stihe ofe þi bodes lede þou me,
For þat .i. walde in it be.
36
Helde mi hert in witnesses þine,
And noght in yherninge to be ine.
37
Turn min eghen, þat þai fantome ne se;
In þi wai quiken þou me.
38
Sete to hine þine for mede
Speche þine ai in þi drede.
39
Cute mine vpbraidinge þat .i. am wende;
For þi domes winsome and hende.
40
Loke þine bodes yherned .i.:
In þine euennes quiken me for-þi.
41
And þi merci, lauerd, come ouer me;
Þi hele after speche ofe þe.
42
And answer to vpbraidand me .i. sal,
For .i. hoped in þine saghes al.
43
And ne awai-bere fra mi mouth
Worde of sothnes þat es kouth,
Toward fraward, night ne dai;
For in þi domes ouer-hoped .i. ai.
44
And þi lagh ai sal .i. yheme,
In werld and in werld ofe werld to queme.
45
And .i. yhode in brede to be,
For .i. soghte bodes ofe þe.
46
And .i. spake of þi witnesses in kinges sighte,
And noght was schente, dai ne nighte.
47
And .i. thoght in bodes þine,
Þat .i. loued als life mine.
48
And .i. houe mi hend to þi bodes mare and lesse
Þat .i. loued, and woned in þi rightwisnesse.
49
Mined of þi worde to þi hine be nou,
In whilke hope to me gafe þou.
50
Þis roned me in mekenes mine,
For me qwikened speche þine.
51
Toward frawarde proude dide wicli,
And fra þi lagh noght helded .i..
52
.I. mined ofe þi domes fra werld sumdele,
Lauerd, and roned am .i. wele.
53
Waninge helde me, for sinnande
Þat þi lagh ware forletande.
54
Sanglic to me ware rightwisnesses þine
In stede of pilgrimage mine.
55
.I. mined, lauerd, of þi name bi nighte,
And þi lagh .i. yhemed righte.
56
Þis es made to me for-þi,
For þi rightwisnesses soghte .i..
57
Dele mine, lauerd, saide .i.,
To yheme þi lagh ful stedfastli.
58
.I. bisoghte þi face in al hert mine;
Milþe of me after speche þine.
59
.I. thoght mi waies, and turned swa
Mi fete in þi witnesses ma.
60
.I. am boune, and let na-dele,
Þate .i. yheme þine bodes wele.
61
Stringes of sinful vmclipped me,
And .i. forgate noght lagh ofe þe.
62
At midnighte .i. ras to þe at schriue
Ouer domes ofe þi rightnes biliue.
63
Deltakand .i. am of al þe dredand,
And of þi lagh wele yhemand.
64
Ofe þi merci, lauerd, þe erthe fulle esse:
Lere þou me þi rightwisnes.
65
Godenes dide þou with þi hine,
Lauerd, after worde þine.
66
Lere me godenes, wisdome, and lare,
For in þi bodes le[u]ed .i. mare.
67
Ere .i. was meked gilted .i.,
Þi speche yhemed .i. for-þi.
68
Gode ert þou, and in þi godenes
Lere þou me þi rightwisenes.
69
Manifalded es ouer me
Wickednes of proude þate be;
.I. sothlike in alle hert mine
Ransake sal ai bodes þine.
70
Lopred als milke es hert ofe þa;
And .i. þi lagh am thinkand swa.
71
Gode es to me þat þou meked me,
Þat .i. lere rightwisenesses ofe þe.
72
Gode to me lagh of þi mouth holde,
Ouer thousandes ofe siluer ore golde.
73
Þine hend made [me] for to be,
And als-swa þai schope me:
Gife to me vnderstandinge,
Þat .i. lere þi bodes ouer al thinge.
74
Þat drede þe sal se and faine for-þi,
For in þi wordes ouer-hoped .i..
75
I. knewe, lauerd, þat þi domes euennesse,
Þou meked me in þi sothnesse.
76
Be þi merci þat ite rone me,
After þi speche to þi hine wil be.
77
Come to me, lauerd, þi rewthes, and liue .i. sal;
For þi lagh mi thoghte es al.
78
Schent be proude mare and lesse,
For vnrightwiselike wickednesse
In me dide þai; and .i. al dai
Woned in þine bodes ai.
79
To me be turned dredand þe,
And ate knewe þi witnesses, to se.
80
Be mi hert vnwemmid with-in me
In þi rightwisenesses, þat schente .i. ne be.
81
Waned in þi hele saule mine,
And .i. ouerhoped in worde þine.
82
Waned min eghen in speche ofe þe,
Saiand: “when sal tou rone me?”
83
For als [b]it in froste am .i. wroghte;
Þine rightwisenesses forgete .i. noghte.
84
Hou fele daies of þi hine ere in land?
When saltou do dome ofe me filiyhand?
85
Wicked, fablinges talde to me,
Bot noghte als þe lagh ofe þe.
86
Alle þine bodes sothe ere þai:
Wicked filiyhed me, helpe me ai!
87
Almaste in erthe þai me forname;
And þi bodes forlete .i. noghte for þame.
88
Quiken me after þi merci,
And witnesses ofe þi mouth yheme sal .i..
89
In euermare, lauerd ofe blisse,
Þe worde ofe þe in heuen it isse.
90
In strende and strende þi sothnesse;
Þou grounded þe land þat euer esse.
91
With þi welesettinge lastes dai,
For al thinge serue to þe sal ai.
92
Bote for þi lagh mi thoghte esse,
Þen thurgh hap .i. forworþed in mi mekenesse.
93
In ai forgete .i. noght rightnesses ofe þe;
For in þa quikenedeste þou me.
94
Þine am .i., saufe me make þou.
For þi rightwisenesses soghte .i. non.
95
Me abade sinful, þat me forles þai;
Þi witnesses vnderstode .i. ai.
96
Of alle fulfilling ende sagh .i.;
Swith brade þi bode witerli.
97
Hou luued .i., lauerd, þi lagh ai
Mi thoghte es it al þe dai.
98
Ouer mine faas slegh me made þou yhite
To þi bode, for in ai to me es ice.
99
Ouer alle lerand me .i. vnderstode;
For mi thoghte þi witnesses gode.
100
Ouer elde .i. vnderstode in thoghte;
For þate þine bodes .i. soghte.
101
Fra iuel wai forbede .i. fete mine,
Þat .i. yheme wele wordes þine.
102
Fra þine domes noght helded .i.;
For þou set lagh to me wiseli.
103
Hou swete to mi chekes þi speches ai!
Ouer hony to mi mouth ere þai.
104
Ofe þi bodes vnderstode .i.;
Alle waie ofe wikenes .i. hated for-þi.
105
Lanterne to mi fete es worde þine,
And lighte vnto stihes mine.
106
.I. swore and set, mare and lesse
To yheme domes ofe þi rightwisenesse.
107
Toward fraward meked am .i.;
After þi worde quiken me for-þi.
108
Wilnes ofe mi mouth, lauerd, make wele queme,
And þi domes lere me to yheme.
109
Mi saule es ai in hende mine,
And .i. forgete noght lagh þine.
110
Sinfulle to me snares sette;
And fra þi bodes noghte dweled .i. yhette.
111
In eritage soght .i. þi wittenesses ai;
For gladschipe ofe mi herte ere þai.
112
.I. helded mi hert to do forbi al thinge
Þi rightwisenesses in ai, for foryheldinge.
113
Wicked to hatereden had .i.,
And þi lagh .i. luued for-þi.
114
Mi helper and mi keper ertou,
And in þi wordes ouer-hoped .i. nou.
115
Withdragh yhou, lither, fra me forþi;
And bodes ofe mi gode ransake sal .i..
116
Kepe me and .i. sal liue, thurgh speche þine,
And noghte schende þou me fra abidinge mine.
117
Helpe me, and saufe be .i. sal,
And thinke in þi rightwisnesses al.
118
Þou forsoke alle witand þin rightwisnesses fra;
For vnrightwise es þe thoght ofe þa.
119
Wemmand al sinfulle of erthe wend .i.;
Þi witnesses luued .i. for-þi.
120
Stike in þi drede flesches mine;
For .i. drede of domes þine.
121
I made domes and rightwisnes
in land;
Noghte gife þou me to me crauand.
122
Onfange þi hine in gode to be;
Noght þe proude sal craue me.
123
Mine eghen waned in þi hele esse,
And in speche ofe þi rightwisnesse.
124
After þi merci do with þi hine,
And lere me rightwisenesses þine.
125
I. am þi hine, vnderstandinge gife me,
Þat .i. wite witnesses of þe.
126
Lauerd, time ofe makande; ai
Skatered þi lagh, night an dai.
127
For-þi luued .i. þi bodes ilkon
Ouer golde and topaȝion.
128
At alle þi bodes righted .i. was for-þi;
Alle wai wicked hated .i..
129
Selkouth, lauerd, witnesses þine;
For-þi ransaked es saule mine.
130
Schirenes of þi speche lightes wite,
Vnderstandinge to litel giues ite.
131
Mi mouth .i. opened, and withdrogh gaste;
For þi bodes yherned .i. maste.
132
Bihald in me, and rewe of me,
After dome of luuande name ofe þe.
133
Right mi steppes after þi speche esse,
Þat noght lauerd ouer me al vnrightwisnesse.
134
Fra crauinge ofe men me bie þou,
Þat .i. yheme þi bodes nou.
135
Onlight þi face ouer þi hine,
And lere me rightwisnesses þine.
136
Outgange ofe watres lede min eghen twa,
For þi lagh noght yhemed þa.
137
Rightwis ertou, lauerd mine,
And [right] in ai es dome þine.
138
Þou sent rightwisnes þi witnes,
Swithe mikel and þi sothnes.
139
To skulke me made þi luue on-an,
For forgeten þine wordes haue mi faan.
140
Fired þi speche es swithe wele,
And þi hine luued ite ilkadele.
141
Yongelike am .i. and hated; for-þi
Þine rightwisnes noght forgete .i..
142
Þi rightwisnes, in ai rightwisnes,
And þi lagh it es sothnes.
143
Drouinge and angrom fonden me;
And mi thoght es bodes ofe þe.
144
Euennes witnesses þine in ai;
Vnderstandinge gife me and liue .i. mai.
145
I cried in al herte: “lauerd, here
me;
Þine rightwisnesses sal .i. seke to þe”.
146
.I. cried to þe: “saufe me make þou,
Þate .i. yheme þi bodes nou”.
147
.I. forcome in ripenes, and made crie;
In þine wordes ouerhoped .i..
148
Bifore-come mine eghen at þe in grikinge,
Þat .i. thinke þi speche ouer alle thinge.
149
Mi steuen here, lauerd, after þi merci,
And after þi domes qwiken me for-þi.
150
Neghed me filiyhand to wickenes ai,
Fra þi lagh sothlice fer made ere þai.
151
Nere ertou, lauerd, in godenesse,
And alle þine waies sothfastnesse.
152
In biginninge, ofe þi witnesses knew .i. swa,
For in ai grounded þou þa.
153
Se mi mekenes, and outake me;
For .i. forgete noght lagh ofe þe.
154
Deme mi dome, and me bie þou;
For þi speche quicken me nou.
155
Fer fra sinful hele es ai,
For þi rightwisnesses noghte soghte þai.
156
Þine mercies, lauerd, mani be,
And after þi dome quiken me.
157
Fele þat filiyhen me, and drouen me swa;
Fra þi witnesses noght helded .i. for þa.
158
.I. sagh wemmand and skulked awai,
For þi speches noght yhemed þai.
159
See for þi bodes, lauerd, luued .i.;
Þou quiken me in þi merci.
160
Biginninge ofe þi wordes sothnesse;
In ai alle domes of þi rightwisnesse.
161
Princes filiyhed me selfwilli;
Ofe þi wordes dred mi hert for-þi.
162
.I. sal faine ouer þine speches mare,
Als wha swa fande mikel þat reft ware.
163
Wicknes to hatereden had .i. sothli,
And am wlated; and þi lagh luued i.
164
Seuensithe in dai lofe saide .i. to þe,
Ouer domes ofe þi rightwisenesses þat be.
165
Mikel pais to þi lagh luuand,
And to þam es na schame in land.
166
.I. abade þi hele, lauerd, al dai,
And þine bodes luued .i. ai.
167
Mi saule yhemed þi witnesse,
And swith mikel luued am mare and lesse.
168
.I. gate þi bodes and witnesses þine,
For in þi sighte al waies mine.
169
Negh mi bisekinge, lauerd, in
sight ofe þe;
Bi þi speche, vnderstandinge gife me.
170
Inga min askinge in þi sight nou;
After þi speche, me outake þou.
171
Rifte sal mine lippes ympne dai and nighte,
Þi rightwisenesses when þou has me taghte.
172
Schewe sal mi tunge þi speche þat esse,
For alle þine bodes euennesse.
173
Be þi hand þat it sauue me,
For þine bodes ches .i. to se.
174
.I. yherne[d], lauerd, hele þine,
And þi lagh es thoght mine.
175
Mi saule sal liue, and loue þe,
And þi domes sal helpe me.
176
.I. dweled als it ware a schepe
Þat forworþed with-outen kepe;
Seke þou, lauerd, þi hine;
For .i. forgete noght bodes þine.
