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[verse 1] Forsothe grete ben thi domes, Lord, and vntellable [vnwlatable A.] thi wrdis; for these the vndisciplyned soulis erreden. [verse 2] Whil for|sothe wicke men han ful preued, to moun lordshipen to the holy nacioun, in bondis of dercnesses, and of long nyȝt gyued, enclosid vnder rooues, fugitif to perpetuel prouydence, pleseden. [verse 3] And whil thei wenen them to lurken in derk synnes, bi the derc veil of forȝeting thei ben sca|tered,
dredende grisfulli, and with ful myche wndring disturbid. [verse 4] Ne forsothe the den that heeld [hilyde A.] hem, with oute drede kepte; for descendende soun disturbide [disturblid G.] them, and dreri persones aperende to them, ȝeuen inward [inwardli A.] fere to them. [verse 5] And no strengthe forsothe of the [Om. C pr. m.] fijr myȝte to them ȝyuen liȝt, ne the cleer flaumes of sterres [the sterres A.] myȝten liȝten that grisful nyȝt. [verse 6] Forsothe ther aperede to them sodeyn fyr, ful of drede [dreden C.] ; and smyten with the drede of that face, that was not seen, thei eymeden werse to ben, that weren seen. [verse 7] And of deuyning craft the scornes weren leid to, and the glorie of wisdam correccioun with strif. [verse 8] Thei forsothe, that bihiȝten dredes and perturbaciouns them to putten out fro the languysshende soule, these with scorn ful, of drede lan|guyssheden. [verse 9] For and if no thing hem of the wndris disturbide, bi passing of bestis, and hissing of edderes stirid, fer|ful thei persheden [perishen AGH.] ; and the eir, that bi no resoun a man myȝte flee, denyende themself seeȝen; ofte forsothe they be|forn ocupien werst thingis, the concience vndernemende. [verse 10] Whan forsothe ther is ferful shreudenesse, it is ȝouen in to the condepnacioun of alle thingus; euermor presumeth cruel thingis a conscience dis|turbid. [verse 11] No thing forsothe is drede [dredeful A.] , but helpe of presumpcioun, betraȝyng [betraiȝingis AC.] of the helpis of thoȝt. [verse 12] And whil fro with|inne lasse is the abiding, the more it weneth the power of his cause, of the whiche torment it ȝyueth. [verse 13] Thei for|sothe, that verreli the vnmyȝti nyȝt, and slepende the same slep, ouercomende from [verse 14] the lowest, and fro the heȝest, otherwhile thei weren stirid hider and thider, bi the drede of the wndris, otherwhile the lyues faileden bi ouerleding; forsothe to
them sodeyn and vnhopid drede ouer|cam. [verse 15] Theraftir if any of hem hadde falle doun, he was kept in prisoun, with [verse 16] oute iren, reclosid; if forsothe a cherl who were, or a shepperde, or a werch|ere of feeldis, were beforn ocupied, vnscapable, `or that myȝt not be fled [Om. C et E pr. m.] , nede he suffrede. [verse 17] With oon forsothe cheyne of dercnesses alle thei weren bounde togidere; or [outher AEGH.] puffende wind, or sweet soun of briddes among thicke [thoo E pr. m.] braunchis of tres, or [a A. bi E pr. m.] strengthe of ful [verse 18] myche rennende doun water, or strong soun of stones fallid doun, or the vnseen cours of pleiende bestes, or the stronge vois of loowende bestes, or the aȝeen sounende rebounding of soun fro [of A.] the heȝest hillis, maden them failende for drede. [verse 19] Forsothe al the roundnesse of erthis was liȝtid with cler liȝt, and con|tened in werkis not lettid. [verse 20] Forsothe only to them was ouerset a greuous nyȝt, ymage of dercnesses, that was to come `on to [vnto AG.] them; thanne thei to themself weren mor greuous than the dercnessis.