Erþ berriþ [beriþ, Ms. b'riþ] to erþ al is lif deden;
When erþ is in erþe, heo muntiþ [Ms. muntid, glossiert metitur] þi meden.
When erþ is in erþe, þe rof is on þe chynne;
Þan schullen an hundred wormes wroten on þe skin.
Vesta pergit uestibus super uestem vare,
Artatur et uermibus vesta pastum dare,
Ac cum gestis omnibus ad uestam migrare;
Cum uesta sit scrobibus, quis wlt [Fur. vult, Wr. wlt] suspirare?
Cum sit uesta posita, [ponita, Ms. pōita] doma tangit mentum;
Tunc in cute candida, verrunt [am Rande glossiert trahunt] uermes centum.
Erþ askiþ erþ, and erþ hir answeriþ, [Ms. answerid]
Whi erþ hatiþ [Ms. hatid] erþ and erþ erþ verriþ. [Ms. verrid]
Erþ haþ erþ, and erþ erþ teriþ;
Erþ geeþ on erþ, and erþ erþ berriþ.
Of erþ þow were bigun, on erþ þou schalt end;
Al þat þou in erþ wonne, [am Rande lucrabaris] to erþ schal hit wend.
Humus humum repetit, et responsum datur,
Humum quare negligit et humo fruatur;
Humus humum porrigit, sic et operatur,
Super humum peragit, humo quod [humoque, Ms. humo q] portatur.
Humo sic inciperis ac humo meabis;
Quod humo quesieris, humo totum dabis.
Erþ getith [Ms. get hit, darüber die Glosse lucratur] on erþ maistri [maistrie, Ms. maisti] and miȝte; [folio 63]
Al we beþ erþ, to erþ we beþ idiȝte;
Erþ askeþ carayne of king and of kniȝt;
Whan erþ is in erþ, so lowȝ he beliȝt.
Whan þi riȝt and þi wowȝ wendiþ þe bifor,
Be þou þre niȝt in a þrouȝ, þi frendschip is ilor.
Terra uimque [Fur. Wr. vincit, Ms. uīqȝ] brauivm terra collucratur,
Totus cetus hominvm de terra patratur, [Wr. patra|tur, Fur. portratur, Ms. partratur]
Ops cadauer militvm que regis [Wr. reges] scrutatur;
Cum detur in tumulvm, mox terra voratur.
