Man ought to
love those who instruct
the lewd,
MAn og to luuen ðat rimes ren,
ðe Wiſſeð wel ðe logede men,
hu man may him wel loken
so that he who is
not book-learned
may love and
serve God.
ðog he ne be lered on no boken, 4
Luuen god and ſeruen him ay,
For he it hem wel gelden may,
And to alle criſtenei men
God shall love all
Christian men,
and give them
soul-rest
beren paiſ and luue bi-twen; 8
ðan ſal him almighti_n_ luuen,
Her bi-neðen and ðund[71] abuuen,
And giuen him bliſſe and ſoules reſte[n]
that shall last
evermore.
ðat him ſal earuermor[72] leſten. 12
Out of Latin is
this song turned
into English speech.
Ut of latin ðis ſong is dragen
on engleis ſpeche, on ſoðe ſagen;
Christian men
ought to be as
glad as birds are
of dawn to hear
the story
Cristene men ogen ben ſo fagen
ſo fueles arn q_u_an he it ſen dagen, 16
ðan man hem telled soðe tale
Wid[73] londes ſpeche and wordes ſmale,
of man's bliss and
sorrow,
Of bliſſes dune, of ſorwes dale;
Q_u_hu lucifer, ðat deuel dwale, 20
[Brogte mankinde in sinne and bale]
and how salvation
came through
Christ,
And held hem ſperd in helles male
til god ſrid him in manliched,
dede mankinde bote and red, 24
and destroyed the
power of Satan.
And unſpered al ðe fendes ſped,
And halp ðor he ſag mikel ned.
[71] _read_ gund?
[72] So in MS.
[73] _read_ wið