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 XXXVI.]

NOLI emulari in malignantibus: neque zelaueris facientes iniquitatem. ¶ Will not haf dedeyn in ill willand; na luf wirk|and wickidnes. ¶ This psalme is all of amendment of maners: forthi halykirke, amonestand vs that we nother haf indignacioun that ill men floreisse here, na that we folou thaim, says. thou febil in luf, that is wont thar til, will not fra nowforthward hafe dedyn in ill willand, that is, in the bihaldynge of ill men, for that thou sees thaim in welth. na luf thaim that does wickidly. and angirs goed men. whi swa.

2. Quoniam tanquam fenum velociter arescent: & quem|admodum olera herbarum cito decident. ¶ ffor as hay swiftly sall thai dry; and as kale [S ins. 'or wortis.'] of gressis soen sall thai fall. ¶ By the hay vndirstand gentil men and lordis, that lightly comes til honurs & riches of this warld. bot thai sall swiftly drye: for all thare ioy passis as the shadow, and than ere thai til nathynge abil bot till the fire of hell: by the kale, that he says. not ere of garthis bot of gressis, that grouys bi thaim ane in the feld, as brisokis [S ins. 'or ketelokes.'] , vndirstand ill men, that falles as the kale does, that a while in somere ere grene, and witis away til noght. right swa is it of all the ill men of the warld, bath gret and smale: awhile thai doe ther likynge, in the somere, that is, in the welth that thai may get in this warld: and als tite thai wite away, swa that thare mynd is nother in heuen na in erth. forthi folow thaim noght. bot.

3. Spera in domino & fac bonitatem: & inhabita terram & pasceris in diuiciis eius. ¶ Hope in lord and doe goednes; and inwon the erth. and thou sall be fed in riches of it. ¶ Hope is entre to see that thou trowis: forthi hope and doe goed dedis, and won in haly kirke, and thou sall be fed in riches tharof, that is god. ffor nane is swa gredy that he ne may be fild with god. for thi ere couaitouse men neuer mare full, for thai haf not him.

4. Delectare in domino: & dabit tibi peticiones cordis tui. ¶ Be delitid in lord; and he sall gif til the. the askyngis of thi hert. ¶ Haf swa mykil delite in him, that thou fele the mynd of him in the soft and diletabile: for swa thi luf sall be perfit. for

the mare we luf him the mare ioy we fynd when we thynke on him. mykil luf mykel ioy. litil luf litill ioy. and he sall gif til the. the askyngis of thi hert. noght of thi fleysse, bot that thou askis skil|wisly. and that he gif,

5. Reuela domino viam tuam: & spera in eo, & ipse faciet. ¶ Shew til lord thi way; and hope in him and he sall doe. ¶ That is, shew til him what thou suffirs in this mortalite of body, and what thou will: that is, that thou wild be delyuered thar of: and hope in him, and he sall doe it. that is, brynge the out of dedly body till heuen.

6. Et educet quasi lumen iusticiam tuam, & iudicium tuum tanquam meridiem: subditus esto domino & ora eum. ¶ And he sall forth lede as light thi rightwisnes, and thi dome as mydday: be suget till lord, and pray hym. ¶ That is, he sall forth lede fra the myrknes of this warld thi rightwisnes, til light of the dome: whare thi perfeccioun sall be apertly sene, that now is hid in crist: and thi dome that thou demes, and chesis to luf & folou that thou ses not, that ill men haldis hethinge, he sall lede forth as mydday: that is, as ful clere light, that sall be till the gret honur: forthi be suget til god, boghand til his biddyngis in all thynge, and pray him, that he gif the that he hight. Lo here oure rewle: that we doe goede and ay aske.

7. Noli emulari in eo qui prosperatur in via sua: in homine faciente iniusticias. ¶ Will not haf dedeyn in him that fars wele in his way: and in man wirkand vnrightwisnessis. ¶ As wha say, haf na dedeyn thof thou see ane ill man haf welth. for he has it in his way, noght in godis. forthi when he comes at his way end he fyndes noght bot ill fare. forthi thou,

8. Desine ab ira, & derelinque furorem: noli emulari vt maligneris. ¶ Stynt of wreth and forsake woednes: willnot haf dedeyn that thou be ill willed. ¶ Loke that the ese of ill stire not the fra perseueraunce: bot stynt of wreth. that the eghe of thi hert be not druuyd: and forsake wodnes, that it be not all put out. and namly will not haf dedeyn, that thou be ill willed, as he is folouand him.

9. Quoniam qui malignantur exterminabuntur: sustin|entes autem dominum ipsi hereditabunt terram. ¶ ffor thai that ere ill thai sall be out termyd: bot suffrand lord thai sall enherite the erth. ¶ Tha that ere ill, thof thai floriesse now in

welth and ioy, sall be kasten out of the termys of the land of life: bot suffrand lord, tha ere that beris gladly all anguys. and despisis this warld, thai sall haf thaire heritage in heuen.

10. Et adhuc pusillum & non erit peccator: & queres locum eius & non inuenies. ¶ And ȝit a litel and the synful sall not be: and thou sall seke his stede and thou sall not it fynd. ¶ Suffire ȝit a litel that is at cum, that it noy the noght: for it is bot schort til the end. and than the synful sall not be. that is, his lordschip sall not be: and thou sall seke his stede & not fynd it. that is, thof thou soght it thou fand it noght. for he has lost bath him self and his stede: neuer the lattere men myght fynd his stede in hell, wha sa wild seke thare.

11. Mansueti autem hereditabunt terram: & delecta|buntur in multitudine pacis. Bot the debonur sall enherite the erth: and thai sall be delitid in mykilnes of pees. ¶ Debonur ere men withouten ire, that tholemodely beris that god lays on thaim: and thai sall won in heuen whare the mykilnes is of pees.

12. Obseruabit peccator iustum: & stridebit super eum dentibus suis. ¶ Kepe sall the synful the rightwisman: and he sall gnayst on him. with his teith. ¶ Than sall be pees. bot now is were. for the synful sall kepe, that is waite in hidils, the rightwis, for to draghe him til his life. for he dredis of accusynge: and if he may not sla his saule, he sall gnayst on him with his teth: that is, he will waite to sla him in body.

13. Dominus autem irridebit eum: quoniam prospicit quod veniet dies eius. ¶ Bot oure lord sall laghe him til hethynge: for he sees that his day comes. ¶ This is gret com|forht til cristis lufers: god sees that the wickid is not worthi bot hethynge. Alswa we, when we see ill men that ere at perische make bost, we laghe thaim til hethynge in ther presens: for thai ere as men in the rauynge, that wate not what thai doe: for god sees that his day cumes, when he will wenge him on wickid men. if the ill man sagh that, he wild dred that now is proude.

14. Gladium euaginauerunt peccatores: intenderunt arcum suum. ¶ Synful swerd out droghe; thai bent thare bow. ¶ Thaire swerd is apert shewynge of malice: thare boghe is treson and gilry, that thai bend when thaire wickidnes withouten helpis not.

15. Vt decipiant pauperem & inopem: vt trucident rectos corde. ¶ That thai desaif the pore and helples; that thai sla the

right in hert. ¶ Pore he calles the meke: helples is he that na help has bot of god.

16. Gladius eorum intret in corda ipsorum: & arcus eorum confringatur. ¶ The swerd of thaim gange intil thaire hertis: and the bogh of thaim be brokyn. ¶ That is, thare malice turn til thaim self, of whaim it come. the wit is, slaand men in body thai sla thaim self in saule: and thaire bow be brokyn; that is, thare waites be made [S. U maid.] vnnayt: that thai noy not til the rightwis|man: the whilk, thof he ware robbid, say

17. Melius est modicum iusto: super diuicias pecca|torum multas. ¶ Bettere is litil til the rightwis; abouen mykil riches of synful. ¶ ffore mare suffisaunt is a litill with rightwis|nes, than many goeds of synful men, that thai wickidly hafe getyn, and dispendis thaim noght in godis seruys.

18. Quoniam brachia peccatorum conterentur: confirmat autem iustos dominus. ¶ ffor the armes of synful sall be brokyn: bot lord festyns the rightwis. ¶ The armes, that is, the myght of synful men, that getis goed wrangwisly, sall be brokyn, that thai haf na myght to doe harm: bot oure lord festyns in luf and hope the rightwis, that he syn not in hateredyn of tyrauntis.

19. Nouit dominus dies immaculatorum: & hereditas eorum in eternum erit. ¶ Lord knew the dayes of vnfiled: and the heritage of thaim sall be withouten end. ¶ God knew, that is, he alowis and louys, the dayes, that is, the life of vnfild men with lust and lichery of fleysse: and thaire heritage, that sall be gifen til thaim for vnfiled dayes, is endles in heuen.

20. Non confundentur in tempore malo: & in diebus famis saturabuntur, quia peccatores peribunt. ¶ Thai sall not be shamed in ill tyme: and in dayes of hungire thai sall be fild. for the synful sall perische. ¶ In ill tyme, that is, in domes day, thai sall not be shamed bot honurd. for all ill men and proude than sall haf shame, for thai sall cume doun with sorow: and in dayes of hungire, that now ere in mykil nede and wrechidnes in saule, thai rightwis sall be fild in hope and in godis word and delite in cristes luf: for synful, that tharnys this fillynge, sall perische for nede: for all ther goed sall be reft tham, and thai haf noght in saule. how may thai than bot fare ill.

21. Inimici vero domini mox vt honorificati fuerint & exaltati: deficientes quemadmodum fumus deficient. ¶ The enmys sothfastly of lord, soen as thai ware honurd and heghid: fayland as reke thai sall fayle. ¶ In sothfastnes godis enmys, that ere fals cristen men, soen as thai ere honurd and heghid in myght and dignite and ioy of erth, failand assiduelly. thai sall faile in saule fra all vertu, as reke fails, that swa mykil the sonere it wanes, and the mare. that it rises heghere. swa ill men, the heghere thai klymbe in honurs and riches, the soner thai dye, and the deppere thai ere in hell.

22. Mutuabitur peccator & non soluet: iustus autem miseretur & tribuet. ¶ The synful sall borow and he sall noght quyte; bot the rightwis has mercy and he sall ȝelde. ¶ That is, the synfull takis of god body and saule & sustenaunce, and he thankis him noght, as he is halden. bot the rightwis has mercy and pite in his hert, and he sall ȝeld largely til pore men of that. that he has of god.

23. Quia benedicentes ei hereditabunt terram: male|dicentes autem ei disperibunt. ¶ ffor blissand til him sall enherite the erth; bot weriand til him sall myskary. ¶ fforthi he ȝeldis, for he wate that all blissand god. that is, that thankis hym in all thyngis and kepis his biddyngs, sall haf heuen. and weriand him with foule life sall myskary in body and saule.

24. Apud dominum gressus hominis dirigetur: & viam eius volet. ¶ Anens god the gangyng of man sall be rightid: and the way of him he will. ¶ Mannys gangynge til heuen. that is, his werkis and his willes, sall be rightid of god. and swa the way of him, that is of god, will he, man, folow. the way of syn is not hard, bot it is ful of thefis. the way of god, thof it be hard, it is clen and sykere.

25. Cum ceciderit iustus non collidetur: quia dominus supponit manum suam. ¶ When a rightwis has fallen he sall not be hurt; for lord vndirsettis his hand. ¶ That is, if a right|wisman syn venyally; god settis his help til him, that he be not hurt in dedly syn.

26. Junior fui etenim senui, & non vidi iustum dere|lictum: nec semen eius querens panem. ¶ Ȝongere .i. was, forwhi .i. eldid, and .i. sagh noght the rightwis forsakyn; na the sede of him sekand bred. ¶ I was ȝonger. that is, bigynand to

doe wele. and .i. eldid. that is, i. come til perfeccioun of life: and in all this tyme .i. sagh noght the rightwis forsakid of god, na the sede of him, that is his werkis, or his folouers, sekand brede. that is, .i. sagh thaim not hafe nede of gastly fode: for godis luf & godis worde is ay with thaim.

27. Tota die miseretur & commodat: & semen illius in benediccione erit. ¶ All day he has mercy and lennys; and the sede of him in blyssynge sall be. ¶ He has na nede: for|thi all day, whils he lifis, he has mercy, amonestand synful men: and he has pite of helples, and he lennys, lerand and gifand almusdede till pore, if he be of myght: and that is bot lennynge til god, for he sall haf heuen therfore: and swa his sede, that is, his goed werke, sall be in blissynge, that is, in multipliynge. forthi thou.

28. Declina a malo & fac bonum: & inhabita in seculum seculi. ¶ Held fra ill, and doe goed: and inwon in warld of warld. ¶ That is, doe na man harm, and doe goed till all that thou may: and swa won in warld of warld, that is, in heuen.

29. Quia dominus amat iudicium, & non derelinquet sanctos suos: in eternum conseruabuntur. ¶ ffor lord lufis dome, and he sall not forsake his halighis; withouten end thai sall be kepid. ¶ Oure lord lufis dome: that is [S. U om.] , he suffirs his halighis to be tourmentid in erth, for thaire coroun. for that is of luf: forthi luf thou that dome, and he sall not forsake his halighis. thof he suffire thaim [S. U om.] be pyned: for thai ere kepid till endles blis.

30. Iniusti punientur: & semen impiorum peribit. ¶ The vnrightwis sall be punyst: and the sede of wickid sall perische. ¶ Wickid men for thaire wickid werkis sall be punyst in hell: and thaire sede, that is ther folouers, sall peryshe with thaim, as the folouers of haly men sall be in mede with haly men.

31. Iusti autem hereditabunt terram: & inhabitabunt in seculum seculi super eam. ¶ Bot rightwis sall enherite the erth: and on it thai sall won in warld of warld. ¶ This has na nede of expounynge, for it is opon ynoghe.

32. Os iusti meditabitur sapienciam: & lingua eius loquetur iudicium. ¶ The mouth of rightwis sall thynke wis|dome; and his tonge sall speke dome. ¶ The mouth of the rightwis mannys hert sall thynke wisdome, that is, of god, and of [S ins. 'to.']

hele of saule. and his tonge, til lare of men, sall speke dome. that is, he sall speke that god biddis men doe or fle.

33. Lex dei eius in corde ipsius: & non supplantabuntur gressus eius. ¶ The lawe of his god in hert of him; and his gangyngis sall not be supplantid. ¶ The laghe of god is luf, and that he has in his hert: forthi hys gangyngs sall not be sup|plantid, that is, godis luf and godis word, that is in his hert, sall kepe him fra the gildire [S gelori.] of the deuele.

34. Considerat peccator iustum: & querit mortificare eum. ¶ The synful bihaldis the rightwis; and he sekis him to sla. ¶ That is, for the rightwismannys life is vnlike til his, he thynkis him to swyke, and waytis how he myght for doe him.

35. Dominus autem non derelinquet eum in manibus eius: nec dampnabit eum cum indicabitur illi. ¶ Bot lord sall not leue him in his hende: na he sall dampne him when he sall be demede til him. ¶ Oure lorde sall not leue the rightwisman saule in the synful mannys myght, thof he suffire him hafe pouste of his fleysse: na oure lord sall dampne the rightwis when he sall be demed till him. that is. when til the prou of him he sall be demed in the dome of crist.

36. Expecta dominum, & custodi viam eius, & exaltabit te vt hereditate capias terram: cum perierint peccatores videbis. ¶ Abide the lord, and kepe his way, and he sall heghe the, that thou in heritage take the erth: when synful perysche thou sall see. ¶ If thou be in anguys, abide oure lorde, that will lese the. and abydand kepe his way, that is charite: and swa when he comes he sall heghe the fra all wa in till endles blisse: that is, that thou take in heritage the erth of heuen, and tharwith thou sall see when synfull men perishe with the deuel: that thi ioy be the mare, and thi luf brenandere in him that saues the.

37. Vidi impium superexaltatum: & eleuatum sicut cedros libani. ¶ I saghe the wickid abouen heghid: and liftid vp as cedirs of liban. ¶ This is sayd agayns that. that men wenes, that he myspays not god that has ese of all thyngis. abouen heghid, that is, in honurs ouere mesure, and liftid vp as cedirs of liban, that is, in the fayrehed of this warld, that soen is kastyn down.

38. Et transiui & ecce non erat: quesiui eum & non est inuentus locus eius. ¶ And .i. passid, and lo he was not: .i.

soght him, and his stede is noght funden. ¶ I passid till his end|ynge in my thoght: and lo he was not myghty. for than he tynes all his ioy: .i. soght him, that is, .i. broght in mynde all his welth. and his stede is not funden. for in an houre all his myght and riches is distroyde.

39. Custodi innocenciam & vide equitatem: quoniam sunt reliquie homini pacifico. ¶ Kepe vnnoyandnes and see euenhede; for relikes ere till a pesfull man. ¶ Kepe vnnoyandnes, that thou be clene in thi selfe bifore god: and see euenhed til thi neghbure, in worde and dede: or if thou be in anguys see that it is euen. for relikes ere til a pesful man eftere this life: for all goed is left til him in heuen.

40. Iniusti autem disperibunt: simul reliquie impiorum interibunt. ¶ Bot vnrightwis sall myskary; relikes of wickid samyn sall dye. ¶ The relikes of wickid ere erthly thyngis: forthi when vnrightwis men myskaris, that is dyes, and gays till thare pyne, samen with thaim ther goedis wites away.

41. Salus autem iustorum a domino: & protector eorum in tempore tribulacionis. ¶ Bot the hele of rightwis is of lord: and hilere of thaim in tyme of tribulacioun. ¶ Of nathynge may hele of saule be bot of god. bot warldis men hopis mare in ther riches than in god. forthi thai hafe na hele, na thai ere hild fra angirs, as rightwismen ere.

42. Et adiuuabit eos dominus & liberabit eos, & eruet eos a peccatoribus: & saluabit eos quia sperauerunt in eo. ¶ And lord sall help thaim, and delyuere thaim, and he sall out take thaim fra synful: and he sall saf thaim, for thai hopid in him. ¶ Oure lord sall helpe thaim to doe goed: and delyuer thaim, that is, he sall make thaim fre and sykere as nane ware agayns thaim. swilke ere tha that lufis perfitly. and he sall take thaim out fra synfull: that is, he kepis thaim that [S at.] thai ere not hurt in the con|trariouste of the warld: & he sall saf thaim, not for thai synned neuer, bot fore thai [S thei. U om.] hopid in hym.