LXXIII.
[1]
Whare-to outpote þou in ende, god gode,
Wrathe es þi breth ouer schepe ofe þi fode?
2
Mined be þou ofe þi sameninge,
Þat þou aght fra biginninge.
3
Þou agaynboghte yherde ofe þine eritage yhite,
Syon hille whilke þou woned in ite.
4
Heue þi handes in þar pride in ende.
Hou lithered in halew es þe fende!
5
And mirthed er þat hated þe
In midde of þi solempnite.
6
Þai set þaire takenes, taknes wrange;
And noght knewe þai ouer heght als in outgange.
7
Als in wodes of trees þat are,
Þaire yhates with axes þai doune schare
In him-seluen; at þe laste
In ax and in thixil þai ite dounecaste.
8
Þai brent þi halines with fire; in erthe same
Þai fortrade telde ofe þi name.
9
Þai saiden in þaire herte swa
Samen þe kynered ofe þa:
“To reste make we mesdaies alle
Ofe god fra erthe, for oght mai falle”.
10
Oure taknes noght se we; nou profete nane is;
And vs knawe namare sal he for his.
11
Towhen, god, vpbraide sal þe fende?
Gremes wiþerthret þi name in ende?
12
Wharto tornes þou þi hand, and righthand ofe þe
Fra mide þi bosome in ende to be?
13
Bifore werldes god oure kinge, with hand
Wroght has hele in midde þe land.
14
Þou feste in þi might þe se swa;
Þou droued dragunes heuedes in watres ma.
15
Þou brake dragoun heuedes, mete gafe him
To folke of Ethiope ilka lim.
16
Þou brake welles and weles nou;
Stremes ofe Etham dried þou.
17
Þine es dai, and þine es nighte;
Þou smiþed griking and sunne brighte.
18
Þou made al meres ofe erthe ma;
Somer and ware, þou schope þa.
19
Mined be ofe þis dai and nighte:
Þe faa vpbraided lauerd ofe mighte,
And folke vnwis als-swa þe same
Þai schoned þi hali name.
20
Ne giue þou to bestes til be
Saules schriuand vnto þe,
And saules of þi poure frend
Ne forgete þou neuer in end.
21
Bihald in þi witeworde swa,
For fulfilled er þai þa
Þat sestrede er in mirkenes
Of erthe til houses of wickednes.
22
Ne be turned þe mekemade yotten same;
Poure and helples sal looue þi name.
23
Ris, god, deme þi skille in querte:
Mined be þou in þi herte
Of þine vpbraidinges, of þa whilke ai
Are fra þe biginnand alle dai.
24
Ne forgete steuens of þi faas;
Pride of þas þat þe hates ai vpstegh þas.
