XXXIV.
[1]
Deme, lauerd, me derand be;
Ouercome þe infightand me.
2
Gripe wapenes and schelde of fighte,
And rise in helpe to me with mighte.
3
Yhet swerd; þat filigh me, ogain louke þam;
Sai to mi saule: “þi hele .I. am”.
4
Þai be schent and schoned be þa
Þat sekes mi saule for to sla;
5
Þai torne hindward and schent be þai
Thinkand to me iuels ai.
6
Þai be als dust ogain wind lickam,
And louerdes aungel narwand þam.
7
Mirkenes and sliper be þare wai,
And lauerdes aungel filighand þam ai.
8
For wilfuli þen hidden þa
Forward of þare snare swa;
Ouer-tomehede vpbraided þai
Saule mine bi night and dai.
9
Come to him snare noght es him kid,
And þe takeinge þat he hid
Vmgripe him it mot with-alle;
And in þe snare, in him he falle.
10
And mi saule sal glade in lauerd ofe blis,
And like ai ouer hele his;
11
Alle mine banes þai sal sai:
“Lauerd, to þe wha like be mai?
12
Outakeand helples fra his stalworþer hand;
Nedeful and pouer fra him reueand”.
13
Vprisand witnes, swikel ware ai,
Þat .I. ne wist me asked þai.
14
Þai yhelde to me for goednes ille,
Geldehede swa mi saule vntille.
15
.I. sothlike, whils þai to me ware
Hackande, haire cled .I. þare;
16
.I. meked in fastinge mi saule alle,
And mi bede in mi bosum be torned salle.
17
Als neghburgh, als your broþer right,
Swa quemed .I. with al mi might;
Als wepand and als dreri,
Swa meked .I. witterli.
18
And ogain me þai fained, and come in ane,
Samened on me swepinges, and .I. wist nane.
19
Þa ere scatered, ne stungen sare—
Þai fraisted me þe lesse and mare,
Þai snered me with sneringe swa,
Bot gnaisted ouer me with þaire tethe þa.
20
Lauerd, when þou bihald sal?
Ogaine-sette mi saule with-al
Fra liþernes ai ofe þa,
Als mine oninge liouns fra.
21
In mikel kirke sal .I. to þe schriue,
In heui folke looue þe mi liue.
22
Noght ouermirthe þai to me for-þi
Þat wiþerþretes me wickeli;
Whilke þat hates me wilfulli,
And beckes with þaire eghen lesli.
23
For þat to me summe it ware
Paisfulike þat spekes þare;
And in wrethe of erþe spekand,
Swikedomes ware þai thinkand.
24
And þai tobred þare mouth ouer me,
And said: “wa! wa! oure eghen se”.
25
Þou segh, lauerd: ne blinne þou;
Ne wite þou noght fra me nou.
26
Ris, and bihald to dome mine;
Mi god and mi lauerd, in skil mine.
27
Deme me, lauerd, after rightwisnes ofe þe
Mi god, and noght þai ouermirthe to me.
28
Ne þai sai in þare hertes: “wa, wa be
To oure saule”; ne sain: “him sweligh sal we”.
29
Schente and schoned samen be þai
Þat faines of mine iuels ai;
30
Þai be cled with schenschipe and schonignes
Þat ouer me spekes liþernes.
31
Þai glade and faine baþe mare and lesse
Whilke þat wilen mi rightwisenes;
And saies ai: “mikled be lauerd in blisse”,
Þat wil pees to hine hisse.
32
And mi tunge þi rightwisenes thinke sal,
Alle þe dai þi loofe with-al.
