Geoffrey Chaucer "Truth"

Balade de Bon Conseyl

Flee fro the prees, and dwelle with sothfastnesse;     from      crowd     truth

Suffyce unto thy thing, though it be smal,              suffice, be able

For hord hath hate, and climbing tikelnesse, hoard, store-house      instability

Prees hath envye, and wele blent overal.    Well-being      blinds

Savour no more thanne thee bihove shal,       savor     ought

Reule wel thyself, that other folk canst rede,   advise

And trouthe thee shal delivere, it is no drede.

Tempest thee noght al croked to redresse

In trust of hir that turneth as a bal;

Gret reste stant in litel besinesse.

Be war therfore to sporne ayeyns an al        spurn, kick     awl

Stryve not, as doth the crokke with the wal.

Daunte thyself, that dauntest otheres dede,             overcome

And trouthe thee shal delivere, it is no drede.

That thee is sent, receyve in buxumnesse;        obedience

The wrastling for this world axeth a fal.

Her is non hoom, her nis but wildernesse:

Forth, pilgrim, forth! Forth, beste, out of thy stal!

Know thi contree, look up, thank God of al;

Hold the heye wey and lat thy gost thee lede,          spirit

And trouthe thee shal delivere, it is no drede.

                Envoy

Therfore, thou Vache, leve thyn old wrechednesse;         cow (also Sir Philip de la Vache)

Unto the world leve now to be thral.                  slave

Crye him mercy, that of his hy goodnesse             beg

Made thee of noght, and in especial

Draw unto him, and pray in general

For thee, and eek for other, hevenlich mede;             reward

And trouthe thee shal delivere, it is no drede.