The Psalter, or Psalms of David and certain canticles / with a translation and exposition in English by Richard Rolle of Hampole ; ed. from manuscripts by the Rev. H. R. Bramley ... With an introduction and glossary.

[PSALM XXXI.]

BEATI quorum remisse sunt iniquitates: & quorum tecta sunt peccata. ¶ Blisful whas wickidnessis ere forgifen; and whas synnes ere hiled. ¶ Here the prophet spekis in his person that does penaunce for his synn, and says. blisfull ere thai, and sall be in heuen, whas synnes ere forgifen in verray contricyon and shrift: and whas synnes ere hiled fra the deuel, that he shame hym noght for thaim. and fra god, that he punyss thaim na mare. this hilynge is with charite.

2. Beatus vir cui non imputauit dominus peccatum: nec est in spiritu eius dolus. ¶ Blisful man til whaim lord rettid noght synn; na treson is in his gaste. ¶ He that has doen plenere satisfaccioun for his synn, god rettis [S arettis.] it namare til him, bot he is asoild of synn and pyne: and na treson is in his gaste when he grauntis him swilk as he is, and defendis noght his syn. he that is synful and says he is rightwis, treson is in him.

3. Quoniam tacui inueterauerunt ossa mea: dum cla|marem tota die. ¶ ffor .i. stilled eldid my banes; whils .i. cried

all the day. ¶ ffor .i. stilled that was noght to still. that is shrift of mouth, my banes eldid. that is, the strenght of my saule failed. whils .i. cried all the day. rosand me of rightwisnes, .i. stilled that was at say, and .i. sayd that was at still.

4. Quoniam die ac nocte grauata est super me manus tua: conuersus sum in erumpna mea dum configitur spina. ¶ ffor day and nyght heuyd is on me thi hand; turnyd .i. am in my wrichidnes whils the thorn is festid. ¶ That is. lord, for thi vengaunce touchid me, for to make me meke, and that day and nyght, that is assiduely, turnyd .i. am til the in my wrichidnes, knawand me a wreche, whils the thorn is festid. that is, whils com|punccioun for my synn is festid in my hert.

5. Delictum meum cognitum tibi feci: & iniusticiam meam non abscondi. ¶ My trespas .i. made knawn til the; and my vnrightwisnes .i. hid noght. ¶ My trespas, that .i. wald noght doe. that .i. was haldyn til, .i. made knawn til the shrifand it: and my unrightwisnes. that .i. did that sould not hafe ben doen, .i. hid noght in shrifte.

6. Dixi confitebor aduersum me iniusticiam meam domino: & tu remisisti impietatem peccati mei. ¶ I sayd .i. sall shrife agayns me myn vnrightwisnes til lord; and thou relessid the wickidnes of my synn. ¶ I sayd, that is .i. thoght first in me, that .i. sall shrife agayns me, accusand me self skil|wisly, and thou relesid the wickidnes of my synn: that is. that he hid his syn and cried his merit. Gret pite of god is shewid here, that he forgifis syn at a heghtynge of shrifte.

7. Pro hac orabit ad te omnis sanctus: in tempore oportuno. ¶ ffor that sall pray til the ilk halygh; in tideful tyme ¶ ffor that forgifnes. sall pray til the ilke haly man. for in that he is haly and praies that, thou forgaf him his syn. tideful tyme is tyme of grace, that makis oure prayer to be herd.

8. Verumptamen in diluuio aquarum multarum: ad eum non approximabunt. ¶ Noght forthi in flowynge of many watirs; til him thai sall noght neghe. ¶ Tha that ere in flowynge of many waters. that is, tha that flowis in lust of fleysse and delites of this warld and in sere errours of couaitis. thai sall noght neghe til god as thai wene, bot thai ere lenghid fra him. ffor many wenes that thai may lif in thaire likynge in this warld, and sithen duell with crist: and thai ere desaifed.

9. Tu es refugium meum a tribulacione que circumdedit me: exultacio mea, erue me a circumdantibus me. ¶ Thou ert my fleynge fra tribulacioun that vmgaf me; my ioynge, delyuer me of vmgifand me. ¶ In all myn anguys .i. fle til the: for thou ert my ioy in wele and wa: delyuer me of vmgifand me to tempt me. gret perfeccioun: his ioy cesses noght in crist thof he be in tourment.

10. Intellectum tibi dabo & instruam te: in via hac qua gradieris firmabo super te oculos meos. ¶ Vndirstandynge .i. sall gif till the, and .i. sall enfourme the: in this way that thou sall in ga .i. sall fest on the myn eghen. ¶ He askis to be delyuered, and god answers. vndirstandynge .i. sall gif the, that thou knaw and witt that all goed is of my grace, and ioy in hope: and .i. sall enfourme the, that thou erre noght in this way of luf, that thou sall inga withouten erroure, ay thynkand til me: .i. sall fest on the myn eghen, that nane noy the, for thou liftis thin eghen til me. for men says, whare is the luf; thare is the eghe. lo what ioy is of him that does verray penaunce.

11. Nolite fieri sicut equus & mulus: quibus non est intel|lectus. ¶ Willes noght be made as hors and mule; in the whilke is noght vndirstandynge. ¶ Here he amonestis other men: thus has god doen with me. for thi willes noght be as hors. that is he that has na discrecioun wha sitt on him, and resayues the deuel with als goed chere as god: and the mule. that is he that forsakis na byrthyn of syn: and in nouther is vndirstandynge: for the tane beris the deuel, the tother is chargid with vices. for thi,

12. In chamo & freno maxillas eorum constringe: qui non approximant ad te. ¶ In keuel and bridel streyn thaire chekis; that neghis noght til the. ¶ That is, in lesse and in mare tribulacioun streyn thaire chekis: that is, thaire foly and thaire pompe in speche, fordo it, that neghis noght til the in meknes.

13. Multa flagella peccatoris: sperantem autem in domino miserecordia circumdabit. ¶ Many swyngiyngs [S ere the scourgynges the swyngyns.] of synful; bot hopand in lord mercy sall vmgif. ¶ Eftere the bridel comes the swyngynge forto teme him that is wilde: and if he will noght swa conuert him, he sall be swongen in hell. bot him that hopis in god mercy sall vmgif on ilk syde, that the enmy fynde nourwhare inlate [S in—entre.] .

14. Letamini in domino & exultate iusti: & gloriamini omnes recti corde. ¶ ffaynes in lord and glades rightwis: and ioyes all right of hert. ¶ Bes now fayn in oure lord, that was first fayne in the warld: and glade be ȝe rightwis in his grace: and ioyes all right of hert, that standis noght agayns god. Krokid of hert ere tha that says that god is vnrightwis, when thai see ill men in welth, & goed men in wa.