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Balade de bon conseyl.
FLEE fro the prees, and dwelle with sothfastnesse, | |
| Suffyce unto thy good, though hit be smal; | |
| For hord hath hate, and climbing tikelnesse, | |
| Prees hath envye, and wele blent overal; | |
| Savour no more than thee bihove shal; | 5 |
| Werk wel thy-self, that other folk canst rede; | |
| And trouthe shal delivere, hit is no drede. | |
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| Tempest thee noght al croked to redresse, | |
| In trust of hir that turneth as a bal: | |
| Gret reste stant in litel besinesse; | 10 |
| And eek be war to sporne ageyn an al; | |
| Stryve noght, as doth the crokke with the wal. | |
| Daunte thy-self, that dauntest otheres dede; | |
| And trouthe shal delivere, hit is no drede. | |
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| That thee is sent, receyve in buxumnesse, | 15 |
| The wrastling for this worlde axeth a fal. | |
| Her nis non hoom, her nis but wildernesse: | |
| Forth, pilgrim, forth! Forth, beste, out of thy stal! | |
| Know thy contree, look up, thank God of al; | |
| Hold the hye wey, and lat thy gost thee lede: | 20 |
| And trouthe shal delivere, hit is no drede. | |
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Envoy.
Therfore, thou vache, leve thyn old wrecchednesse | |
| Unto the worlde; leve now to be thral; | |
| Crye him mercy, that of his hy goodnesse | |
| Made thee of noght, and in especial | 25 |
| Draw unto him, and pray in general | |
| For thee, and eek for other, hevenlich mede; | |
And trouthe shal delivere, hit is no drede.
Explicit Le bon counseill de G. Chaucer. | |
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