Medieval English

Worldes blis

Worldes blis ne last no throwë
it went and wit awey anon.
The langer that ich hit iknowë
the lass ich findë pris tharon;
for al it is imeind mid carë
mid serwen and mid evel farë
and attë lastë povre and barë
it lat man, wan it ginth agon.
Al the blis this heer and tharë
bilucth at endë weep and mon.
 
Al the blis of thissë livë
thu shált, man, enden inë weep
of hus and hom of child and wivë.
A, sali man, nim tharof keep!
For thu shalt al bileven herë
thet eightë warof lord thu were,
wan thu list man upon the beerë
and slapst that swithë dreeri slep,
shaltu have with thee no feerë
but thinë werkes on a hep.
 
Man wi sestu thout and hertë
o worldes blis that nout ne last?
Wi tholstu that thee softë smerte
for thing that is unstedëfast?
Thu lickest huni of thorn iwis
that sest thi luvë o worldes blis
for ful of bitternessë it is.
Ful sorë thu might been ofgast
that heer despendest eight amis,
thar thurw been into hellë cast.
 
Shal no good been unforyoldë
ne no quedhéd ne wurth unbout,
wannë thu list man under moldë,
thu shalt haven as tu hast wrout.
Bithinc wel forthi, ich thee reedë
and clansë thee of ech misdeedë
that he thee help at tinë needë
that so deerë hath thee about,
and to hevenblissë leede
that ever last and failleth nout.

English

Worldly bliss

Worldly bliss does not last a moment;
it goes and passes away presently.
The longer that I know it,
the less value I find in it;
for it is all mingled with care,
with sorrows and with ill-success,
and at the last it leaves man
poor and naked when it departs.
All the bliss which is here and there
amounts at the end to weeping and grief.
 
All the pleasures of this life you, man,
shall bring to an end in weeping –
those of house and home, of child and wife.
Oh, miserable man, take heed of this!
For you shall leave here all the property
of which you were lord;
when you lie, man, upon the bier
and sleep that very dreadful sleep,
you will have no companion with you
but your piled-up deeds.
 
Man, why do you set mind and heart
on worldly bliss that does not last?
Why do you permit that you should grieve
for things that are transitory?
You lick honey from a thorn, indeed,
who set your love on worldly bliss,
for it is full of bitterness.
You may well be greatly terrified
who mis-spend wealth here,
thereby to be cast into hell.
 
No good deed shall be unrequited,
and no evil deed will not be paid for;
when you lie, man, under the earth,
you shall get what you have earned.
Consider well therefore, I advise you,
and cleanse yourself of each misdeed,
so that He may help you in your need
who has so dearly redeemed you,
and may lead you to the bliss of heaven
which ever endures and does not fail.