 | An Old English miscellany containing A Bestiary, Kentish Sermons, Proverbs of Alfred, religious poems of the thirteenth century, from manuscripts in the British Museum, Bodleian Library, Jesus College Library, etc |  |
156
XX. Long Life.
Mon mai longe liues wene
Ac ofte him lieð þe wrench.
Feir weder turneð ofte into reine
An wunderliche hit makeð his blench.
Þaruore mon þu þe bi-þench
Al schal falewi þi grene
Weilawei nis kin ne quene
Þat ne schal drinche of deaþes drench.
Mon er þu falle of þi bench.
Þine sunne þu aquench.
Ac ofte him lieð þe wrench.
Feir weder turneð ofte into reine
An wunderliche hit makeð his blench.
Þaruore mon þu þe bi-þench
Al schal falewi þi grene
Weilawei nis kin ne quene
Þat ne schal drinche of deaþes drench.
Mon er þu falle of þi bench.
Þine sunne þu aquench.
Nis non so strong ne sterch ne kene.
Þat mai ago deaþes wiþer-blench.
Ȝung and olde, brihet and schene.
Alle he riueþ in one strench.
Fox and ferlich is his wren[c]h.
Ne mai no mon þar-to-ȝeines.
Weilawei þreting ne bene.
Mede. liste ne leches drench.
Mon let sunne and lustes þine.
Wel þu do and wel þu þench.
Þat mai ago deaþes wiþer-blench.
Ȝung and olde, brihet and schene.
Alle he riueþ in one strench.
Fox and ferlich is his wren[c]h.
Ne mai no mon þar-to-ȝeines.
Weilawei þreting ne bene.
Mede. liste ne leches drench.
Mon let sunne and lustes þine.
Wel þu do and wel þu þench.
Do bi salemones rede.
Mon and þenne þu schald wel do.
Do ase he þe tahte and seide.
Þat þin endinge þe bringeþ to.
Þenne ne schal þu neuer mis-do.
Ac sore þu miȝt þe adrede.
Weilawei shuc weneð to lede.
Long lif and blisse under-fo.
Ac deþ luteþ in his scho,
Him stilliche to for-do.
Mon and þenne þu schald wel do.
Do ase he þe tahte and seide.
Þat þin endinge þe bringeþ to.
Þenne ne schal þu neuer mis-do.
Ac sore þu miȝt þe adrede.
Weilawei shuc weneð to lede.
Long lif and blisse under-fo.
Ac deþ luteþ in his scho,
Him stilliche to for-do.
158
Mon hwi nultu þe bi-cnowe.
Mon hwi nultu þe bi-seo.
Of fole fulþe þu art isowe.
Wormes fode þu schald beo.
Her nauestu blisse daies þreo.
Ac þi lif al þu last ine wowe.
Weilawei. deþ þe schal adun þrowe.
Þer þu wenest heȝest to steo.
Ine deð schal þi lif endi.
And ine wop al þi gleo.
Mon hwi nultu þe bi-seo.
Of fole fulþe þu art isowe.
Wormes fode þu schald beo.
Her nauestu blisse daies þreo.
Ac þi lif al þu last ine wowe.
Weilawei. deþ þe schal adun þrowe.
Þer þu wenest heȝest to steo.
Ine deð schal þi lif endi.
And ine wop al þi gleo.
World and weole þe bi-swikeð
Iwis heo beoð þin ifo.
Ȝef þe world wið weole þe slikeð.
Þat is for to do þe wo.
Þare-fore let lust ouer-go.
And eft-ȝones hit þe likeð
Weilawei sore he him biswikeð
Þat for on stunde oþer two.
Wurcheþ him pine euer-mo.
Mon ne do þu nowt swo.
Iwis heo beoð þin ifo.
Ȝef þe world wið weole þe slikeð.
Þat is for to do þe wo.
Þare-fore let lust ouer-go.
And eft-ȝones hit þe likeð
Weilawei sore he him biswikeð
Þat for on stunde oþer two.
Wurcheþ him pine euer-mo.
Mon ne do þu nowt swo.
| An Old English miscellany containing A Bestiary, Kentish Sermons, Proverbs of Alfred, religious poems of the thirteenth century, from manuscripts in the British Museum, Bodleian Library, Jesus College Library, etc | |