Ofte for his catel : Mon moot wake of slepe,
Line 576
Trauaylen in reyn and in snowh : Beo þe weyes neuer so depe,
ffrom toune to toune : Boþe fer and neer,
As Chapmen mote don : To heore mesteer;
Ouer þe salte séé ofte þei fare
Line 580
ffor heor Marchaundise, in gret peril and care,
And ofte and mony a tyme : [leseþ] [MS. heore] Catel and heore lyf
And makeþ vuel to fare : Boþe Chyld and Wyf.
Line 583
Oþer Men dyke and delue : And gon to þe plouh,
To Cart and to þreschynge : And oþur swynk I-nouh.
Whon he wiþ his swynk : Haþ wonne gret be-ȝete,
Euere he is afert : Þat he schal hit forleete;
And ȝif he hit leten schal : Hym is wo þerfore,
Line 588
And is so sori þenne : þat euer was he bore.
Þouȝt and drede & sorinesse : Aren Monnes fo—
He ouȝte neuere loue : Þing þat doþ hym so wo.
Ȝif he leose eny þing : And he gret good con,
Line 592
Beo-þenk hym of Iob : Þat was a good mon:
He hedde of alle richesses : Swiþe muche won
And in a luytel while : He nedde riht non;
Þo he hedde riht nouȝt : But al was a-go,
Line 596
Ne seide he for his harm : Enes 'me is wo,'
But louede [= praised] God wel : And þonkede hym þon—
He dude as þe wyse : So schulde eueri mon;—
Nolde he not for his los : Noþing sori be,
Line 600
'God,' he seide, 'hit me ȝaf : And bi-raft hit me;'
Ne grucched he nouȝt, but þonked godes sonde
And seide 'blesset be his nome, in water & in londe.' "
ÞE wikked gost onswerde þon
Line 604
And seide þat he was a folted mon.
"Þou spekest of Lecherie
And of fewe wordes makest monye;
ffalse wordes wolt þou leeue & here hem gladli—
Line 608
Þou nost what þou menest, i sigge þe sikerli!
Of luytel wit hastou Mynde:
Ne mot a Mon don his kynde?
Hit was ordeynd þorw Godes biddyng
Line 612
At þe worldes be-gynnyng.
