Wo is him þat was in wouȝ!
What is þe gode þat man ssal hab,
Vte of þis world whan he ssal go?
A sori wede [wed] — whi ssal ich gab? —
For he broȝt wiþ [wiþ fehlt bei Wr.] him no mo.
Riȝt as he com, he ssal wend
In wo, in pine, in pouerte;
Takiþ gode hede, men, to ȝure end,
For as i sigge, so hit wol be.
Ynot, whar of beþ men so prute,
Of erþe and axen, felle and bone;
Be þe soule enis vte —
A uilir caraing nis þer non.
Þe caraing is so lolich to see [folio 52]
Þat vnder erþ men mot hit [it] hide,
Boþe wif and child wol fram him fle,
Þer nis no frend þat wol him bide.
What wol men for þe sowle del?
Corne no mel, wel þou wost,
Bot wel seld at þe mele
A rowȝ bare trenchur oþer a crust.
Þe begger þat þe crust ssal hab
Wel hokirlich [hokerlich] he lokiþ þer an,
Soþ to sigge and noȝt to gabbe,
Riȝt noȝt he is ipaiid apan.
Þan seiiþ þe begger in is mode:
"Þe crust is boþe hard and touȝ, [Ms. touþ, Wr. tougth]
Þe wreche was hard þat ow þe gode,
Hard for hard is gode ynowȝ.
Moche [Moch] misanter þat for him bidde
Pater noster oþer crede,
Bot let him hab as he didde,
For of þe ȝift naþ he no mede."
Ich red, vp no man þou hab triste
No vppon non oþer,
