Ancrene Wisse, Part Four: Notes

ANCRENE WISSE, PART FOUR: FOOTNOTES

1-2 Ne wene nan of heh lif . . . thet is reisun, Let no one (lit., none) of high life expect that she [will] not be tempted: the good, who have climbed high, are more tempted than the weak - and that is reasonable.

2-5 For se the hul is herre . . . strengre th'ron ant mare, For the higher the hill (lit., as the hill is higher), so the wind is greater on it. The higher the hill of holy and high life (lit., as the hill of holy and high life is higher), so the enemy's blasts - the winds of temptations - are stronger on it (lit., thereon) and greater.

5-6 Yef ei ancre is . . . over-swithe i-fondet, If there is any anchoress who does not feel any temptations, let her very much dread in that point (or, case) that she is excessively (lit., over-much) and very powerfully tempted.

6 For swa, For as.

7 Tunc maxime inpugnaris . . . non sentis, "You are then precisely attacked (or, under attack) when you do not feel yourself to be attacked" (cited in Jerome, Letter to Heliodorus 4 [PL 22.349]).

7-10 Sec mon haveth twa estaz . . . ear me least wene, A sick man has two conditions, [both] very frightful: the first is when he does not feel his own sickness, and for that reason does not seek a doctor (lit., leech) or healing arts, nor asks advice from anyone, and dies suddenly before one least expect[s].

10-11 the nat nawt . . . i the Apocalipse, who does not know what temptation is. To her the angel speaks in the Apocalypse.

11-12 Dicis quia dives sum . . . et pauper et cecus, "You say 'because I am rich I am in no way in need,' and you do not know that for that reason you are pitiful and naked and poor and blind" (Revelation 3:17).

12-14 "Thu seist the nis neod . . . gastelich wrecche," "You say [that] for you there is no need of medicine, but you are blind hearted, nor do [you] see how you are poor and naked of holiness and spiritually wretched."

14-16 Thet other dredfule estat . . . thet me him heale, The second fearful condition that the sick has is quite opposite [from] this. That is when he feels so much anguish that he cannot bear that one [should] handle (or, touch) his sore or that one should heal him.

16-19 This is sum ancre . . . the betere beon i-borhen, This is the anchoress who [sometimes] feels her temptations so very much and is so sorely afraid that no spiritual comfort can gladden her or make [her] understand that she can and will be the better saved (or, rescued) through them.

19-20 Ne teleth hit . . . the unwine of helle? Does it not say (lit., tell) in the Gospel that the Holy Spirit led our Lord Himself into a solitary place, to lead a solitary life in order to be tempted by the enemy of hell?

21 Ductus est Jesus . . . a diabolo, "Jesus was led into the desert by the spirit so that He might be tempted by the devil" (Matthew 4:1).

21 Ah, But.

22 the ne mahte sunegin . . . withuten, for [him] who could not sin - was external only.

23-24 Understondeth thenne . . . beoth feole-valde, Understand then (imper.) first of all, dear sisters, that [there] are two kinds of temptations, two kinds of tests - the author glosses temptatiuns, a French word, with the native fondunges) - outer and inner, and both are manifold (i.e., numerous).

24-27 Uttre fondunge is hwer-of kimeth . . . te flesch eileth, Outer (i.e., external) temptation is [that] from which (lit., whereof) pleasure or displeasure comes inside or outside (lit., without or within). [Displeasure] outside: [such] as sickness, discomfort, shame (or, humiliation), bad fortune, and each bodily suffering which ails (or, tortures) the flesh.

27-28 Withinnen . . . is pine, [Displeasure] inside: the heart's sorrow, grief - and wrath also, in the sense that she (i.e., wrath) is pain.

28-29 Licunge withuten . . . onont swucche thinges, Pleasure outside: the body's health, food, drink, enough clothes and each comfort (lit., ease) of the flesh regarding such things.

29-31 Licunge withinnen . . . mare i-don god other menske, Pleasure inside: [such] as some false rejoicing either at men's praise (lit., praise word) or if one is loved more than another, more flattered, better treated or honored (lit., more good or honor done [to her]).

31-32 This dale of this temptatiun . . . the other half, This part (or, section) of this temptation which is called "outer" is more treacherous (or, deceptive) than the other side (or, part).

32-33 Ba beoth a temptatiun . . . twa dalen, Both are one temptation and, whether inside or outside, both [are] two parts of her (i.e., temptation).

33-35 Ah ha is uttre i-cleopet . . . te uttre thing is the fondunge, But she (i.e., this kind of temptation) is called "outer" because she is always either in the things without or from things without, and the outer thing is (i.e., brings) the temptation.

35-37 Theos fondunge . . . heale alswa ant eise, This temptation comes sometimes from God, other times from man. From God: such as a friend's death, sickness - either in them (i.e., the friends) or in yourself - poverty, accident, and other such [things], prosperity also and comfort.

38-39 Of mon . . . god-dede, From man: such as various injuries - either of word or of deed, toward others, [or] toward yours (i.e., you and yours) - also praise (lit., praise-word) or good deeds.

40 middel, go-between (i.e., human agent).

40-41 Ah with alle he fondeth . . . ant luvie, But with everything He tests a man, how (or, to what extent) he fears and loves Him.

41-42 Inre fondunges beoth misliche . . . the thuncheth thah gode, Inner temptations are various vices, either desire towards them or deceptive thoughts, which seem nevertheless good.

42-43 Theos inre fondunge . . . of ure flesch other-hwile, This inner temptation comes from the devil (lit., enemy), from the world, from our flesh sometimes.

43-44 To the uttre temptatiun . . . gastelich strengthe, For (or, in the face of) outer temptation [there] is need for patience - that is, long-suffering (see glossary - the author glosses patience, a French word, with the native tholemodnesse). In the face of the inner [there] is need for wisdom and spiritual strength.

44-46 We schulen nu speoken . . . to frovrin ham-seolven, We shall now speak of the outer [temptation] and teach those who have it (lit., her), how they can with God's grace find a remedy - that is, strength against it (lit., her, outer temptation) to comfort themselves.

47-48 Beatus vir . . . Deus diligentibus se, "Blessed [is the] man who endures temptation, for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12).

48-50 "Eadi is ant seli . . . leove i-corene," "[She] is favored and blessed who has patience in temptation, for when she is proven," it says, "she will be crowned with the crown of life (te = reduced form of the after preceding -t) which God has promised to His beloved chosen."

51-52 Wel is hit i-seid . . . i the fure, It is said well, for God so proves (or, tests) His beloved chosen, as the goldsmith tests gold in the fire.

52-54 Thet false gold forwurtheth . . . as hit deth the sawle, False gold perishes in there (lit., therein); the good [gold] comes out brighter. Sickness is a burning (or, flame) hot to suffer, but nothing cleanses gold as [well as] it does the soul.

55-58 Secnesse thet Godd send . . . eveneth to martir thene tholemode, A sickness which God sends (send = reduced form of sendeth) - not [one] that someone catches through her own stupidity - does these six things: 1) washes [away] the sins which are committed before, 2) guards against those which were tending (or, coming), 3) proves (or, tests) patience, 4) keeps [one] in humility, 5) increases the reward, 6) makes the patient [one] equal to the martyr.

59-60 Thus is secnesse . . . yef secnesse hit ne lette, Thus sickness is the healing of souls, salve (or, ointment) for her wounds, a shield, so that she catch (or, receive) no more, as God sees that she would, if sickness did not prevent it.

60 mon, a man (or, one, a person).

61-62 hwet he is . . . the worldes blisse, what he is, to know himself - and, like a good teacher, [sickness] beats (beat = reduced form of beateth) in order to teach well (or, effectively) how mighty God is, [and] how vile the world's joy is.

62 thi, your.

63 the i the blisse . . . thi crune, who (or, which) in the joy of heaven [will] gild your crown.

63-65 Se the secnesse is mare . . . thurh a hwilinde wa, The greater the sickness (lit., as the sickness is more), the busier is the goldsmith - and the longer it (i.e., the sickness) lasts, the more quickly he brightens (or, shines) her to be a martyr's equal through a temporary suffering.

65-68 Hwet is mare grace . . . aa on ecnesse? What is a greater grace to those who had deserved the pains of hell, world without end? Would not one account him the stupidest of all men who would refuse a buffet (or, blow) for a spear's wound? a needle's prick for a beheading? a beating for a hanging on the gallows (lit., accursed tree) of hell, forever in eternity?

68-69 Godd hit wat . . . leaste pine, God knows (lit., God knows it), dear sisters, all the suffering of this world is compared to the least of all of hell's pain.

70-71 Al nis bute bal-plohe . . . alle worldes weattres, All [suffering in the world] is [nothing] but ball-play (i.e., a very easy and pleasant thing). All [of it] is not so much as a little drop of dew against (i.e., in comparison to) the broad sea and all the world's waters.

71-73 The mei thenne edstearten . . . seliliche mei ha seggen, Whoever can then escape that same grisly suffering, the horrific pains, through a sickness which passes, through any disease that is here [in the world] - she can call [herself] fortunate.

74-75 On other half . . . is of Godes sonde, On the other side (i.e., at the same time), learn manifold (i.e., many) comforts against the outer temptation which comes from man's evil (or, malice), for this, which I have spoken of (i.e., sickness), is of God's sending.

75-77 Hwa-se eaver misseith . . . ti ruhe of sunne, Whosoever slanders or mistreats you - pay (lit., take) attention and understand that he is your file which metal smiths (or, tinkers) have and [he] files all the rust away and your roughness of sin (ti = reduced form of thi after preceding -t).

77-78 For he fret him-seolven . . . brihteth thi sawle, For he eats himself up (or, wears himself away; fret = reduced form of fretteth), alas, as a file does, but he smoothes and brightens (or, shines) your soul.

79-80 On other wise . . . Godes yerde, In another way, think [that] whosoever harms you or does you any woe (i.e., inflicts any suffering on you), shame, anger, aggravation - he is God's rod (or, stick).

80 swa, so; muth, mouth.

81 Ego quos amo arguo et castigo, "I denounce (or, accuse) and chastise those whom I love" (Revelation 3:19).

81-83 Ne beat he nan . . . thah hit al gulte, "He does not beat any [one] but [her] whom he loves and holds (halt = reduced form of haldeth) for his daughter" (adapted from Proverbs 3:11-12 or Hebrews 12:6), no more than you would beat a strange child though it completely did wrong.

83-85 Ah nawt ne leote he wel of . . . i the fur, But [let] him who is God's rod (i.e., scourge) not think highly of [himself], for [just] as when he has beaten his child enough and has disciplined it well throws the stick in the fire, for it (lit., she, the stick) is nothing (i.e., of no use) any more, just so the Father of heaven, when he has beaten His beloved child for his [own] good with a wicked man or a wicked woman, He throws the stick - that is, the wicked [one] - into the fire of hell.

88 For-thi, For this reason; elles-hwer, elsewhere; Michi vindictam; ego retribuam, "Let vengeance be Mine; I shall repay" (Romans 12:19, see Hebrews 10:30).

88-91 "min is the wrake . . . yerde servise," "vengeance is Mine: I will repay," as though (or, if) He said, "do not avenge yourselves, nor complain or curse when [some]one does wrongs against you, but think (or, consider) at once that He is your Father's stick (or, rod) and that He will pay him for a stick's service (i.e., treat him like a stick)."

91-93 Ant nis thet child ful-itohen . . . don alswa, And is not the child ill-mannered (or, badly disciplined) who scratches against and bites on the stick? The meek (i.e., well-behaved) child, when it is beaten, if the father commands it [to do so], it kisses the stick, and you [should] do likewise, my dear sisters.

94-95 For swa hat ower feader . . . beateth, For your Father thus commands (hat = reduced form of hateth) that you [ought to] kiss, not with [your] mouth, but with love of [your] heart, those whom He thrashes you with.

95-97 Diligite inimicos vestros . . . et calumpniantibus vos, "Love your enemies. Bless those who hate you and pray for those who persecute and slander you" (Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27-28).

97-99 This is Godes heste . . . thet ow weorrith, This is God's command, which is much dearer (or, more preferable) to Him than that you [would] eat bran (i.e., coarse) bread or wear a rough hair[shirt]: "love your foe-men (i.e., enemy)," he says, "and do good if you can to those that attack you."

99-102 Yef ye elles ne mahen . . . his hali halhen, "If you cannot do otherwise (lit., else), pray earnestly for those who do you any injury or [who] slander (lit., missay) [you]." And the Apostle teaches, "do not ever pay evil for evil, but always do good [in return] for evil as did our Lord Himself and all His holy saints" (1 Thessalonians 5:15, see 1 Peter 3:9).

102-03 Yef ye thus haldeth Godes heaste . . . with i-thorschen, If you thus keep (lit., hold) God's command, then you are His gracious child and [you] kiss the stick which He has thrashed you with.

103-04 Nu seith other-h[w]ile sum . . . o nane wise, Now sometimes some[one] says, "I will love his soul - or hers - [but] his body in no way (or, on no account)."

104-05 Ah thet nis nawt to seggen, But that is not to [be] said (i.e., ought not to be mentioned).

105-06 The sawle ant te licome . . . to an i-sompnet? The soul and the body is but one man (or, person) and one judgment will befall both [of] them (tit = reduced form of tideth). Will you divide into two [that] which God has joined into one?

106 forbeot, forbids (forbeot = reduced form of forbeoteth).

107 Quod Deus conjunxit homo non separet, "What God has joined [let] no man put asunder (lit., separate)" (Matthew 19:6).

107-08 Ne wurthe nan se wod . . . the Godd haveth i-veiet, Let no one (lit., none) be so mad that he separate the thing which God has joined.

109-11 Thencheth yet thisses weis . . . stilleth hise teares, Think yet in this way: the child, if it trips on something or strikes against [it], one beats what it struck against, and the child is well pleased, forgets completely its hurt (or, knock) and stops its tears.

111 For-thi frovrith ow-seolven, For this reason, comfort yourselves.

111-12 Letabitur justus cum viderit vindictam, "The just [one] shall rejoice when he shall see vengeance (or, punishment)" (Psalm 57:11).

112-14 Godd schal o Domes-dei . . . he hit schal abuggen, God will on Doomsday do as though (or, if) He said, "Daughter, did this [one] hurt you (or, strike you)? Did he make you stumble in anger or in heart's sorrow (or, pain), in shame or in any hardship? Look, daughter, look," He says, "how he will pay for (lit., buy) it."

114-15 Ant ther ye schule seon . . . thes lives, And there you will see him bonked (bunkin = passive inf.: lit., you will see him [to be] beaten) with the devil's (thes = inflected def. art.) sledgehammers [so] that he will despair of his life (lit., woe is him of life).

115-17 Ye schulen beo wel i-paiet . . . al thet ye wulleth, You will be well pleased with that (lit., thereof), for your will and God's will will be so joined that you will desire all [things] that He ever desires, and He all [things] that you desire.

118-25 Over alle othre thohtes . . . helpeth him-seolven! Beyond all other thoughts in all your sufferings, think always to yourself (lit., inwardly) on God's pains, that the world's wielder (or, lord) wanted to suffer for His thralls (or, servants) such humiliations, mockings, buffets, spitting, blindfolding, crowning of thorns, which sunk into His head (lit., set Him in the head) so that the bloody streams flowed downwards and washed down to the earth; His sweet body bound naked to the hard pillar and beaten so that that precious blood ran (or, flowed) on every side; [think on] the poisonous drink that they (lit., one) gave Him, when He was thirsty (lit., when [it] thirsted to Him) on the Cross; [think on] the wagging of their heads (in derision) up at Him, when they in mockery cried so loud, "Look, here [is the one] who healed others! Look, [let us see] how He now heals and helps Himself!" (see Matthew 27:39-43).

126-30 Turneth th'ruppe ther ich spec . . . he ne agulte neaver, Turn [to the page] above (lit., up there) where I spoke [about] how he was tortured in all his five senses (see gloss to 2.667 ff.) and compare (imper.) all your woe (or, pain), sickness and anything else, insult of word or of deed, and everything that man may suffer to that which He suffered, and you will easily see how little it extends (i.e., how little man's suffering compares with His), especially if you consider that He was completely innocent, and that He suffered all this not for Himself (i.e., on his own account), for He never did wrong (or, sinned).

130-31 Yef ye tholieth wa . . . for ow-seolven, If you suffer pain, you have deserved worse, and everything that you suffer, all [of it] is for yourself (i.e., because of your own guilt).

132-34 Gath nu thenne gleadluker . . . death of helle, Go then more gladly along the difficult and laborious path toward the great feast of heaven, where your glad friend expects (lit., keeps) your coming, [go more gladly] than foolish (lit., dizzy) men of the world go by the green path toward the gallows (lit., criminal tree) and the death of hell.

134-35 Betere is ga sec to heovene . . . to wa with eise, [It] is better to go sick to heaven than whole (or, healthy) to hell; [it is better to go] to mirth with discomfort than to suffering with comfort.

136-37 Salomon: Via impiorum . . . duris afflictionibus, Solomon: "The path of the wicked is planted with stones" - that is, with hard sufferings (based on Ecclesiaticus 21:11).

137-38 Nawt for-thi witerliche . . . the heovene, Nonetheless (lit., not for that reason) certainly miserable worldly men [will] buy (or, pay for) hell more dearly (or, expensively) than you do heaven.

138-41 A thing to sothe wite ye . . . the world of golde, Know (imper.; lit., know you) one thing for certain (lit., as truth): an insult (lit., mis-word) that you suffer, a day's anxiety, a sickness of an hour, if one bargained (or, wanted to exchange) with you for one of these on Doomsday - that is, the reward which arises from it (lit., thereof) - you would not sell it for the (i.e., a) world of gold.

141 For thet schal beon . . . ure Laverd, For this will be your song before our Lord.

142 Letati sumus pro diebus . . . vidimus mala, "We have rejoiced for the days on which you humbled us, for the years in which we have seen evil [things]" (Psalm 89:15).

143 wel is us, [it] is well for us (i.e., we rejoice); dahes, days; lahedest us with other monne wohes, humbled (lit., lowered) us with other men's insults.

144-45 nu Laverd for the ilke yeres . . . sar ant sorhe, now Lord for the same years that we were sick in, and saw pain and sorrow.

145-47 Euch worltlich wa . . . with his laverd, Each earthly woe - it is God's message-bearer. A high (or, noble) man's messenger one must receive highly (or, lavishly) and [one must] welcome him (lit., make him glad cheer) - especially if he is intimate with his lord.

147-49 Ant hwa wes mare prive . . . athet his lives ende? And who was more intimate with the King of heaven while He lived here than was this message-bearer - that is, the world's misery, which did not come from (i.e., leave) Him until his life's end?

149 hwet teleth he ow? what does he tell you?

149-51 He frovreth ow . . . hit is halwende, He comforts you in this way: "God, since he loved me, He sent me to His dear friend. My coming and my stay (or, dwelling), though it seem poisonous (or, pestilential), it is healing.

151-53 Nere thet thing grislich . . . thet hit of come? Would that not be a grisly thing whose [mere] shadow you could not feel without pain? What would you say about the horrible creature [itself] that it (i.e., the shadow) came from?

153-54 Wite ye to sothe . . . the wa of helle, Know (imper.) for a truth that all the woe of this world is but a shadow of the woe of hell.

154 Ich, I.

155 worldes weane, the world's misery.

155-56 nedlunge ye moten other undervo . . . of schadewe, You must by necessity receive either me or the grisly suffering of which I am the shadow.

156-58 Hwa-se underveth me . . . ich am of schadewe, Whosoever receives me gladly and welcomes me (lit., makes me fair cheer), my lord sends her word that she is quit (or, free) of that thing which I am the shadow of.

158 For-thi, For this reason.

158-59 Omne gaudium . . . temptationes varias incideritis, "Consider [it] all joy, brothers, when you meet with (or, fall into) various temptations" (James 1:2).

159-60 Alle blisse haldeth hit . . . the uttre beoth i-haten, "Hold (i.e., consider) it all bliss to fall into various of these temptations," which are called outer (i.e., external).

161-62 Omnis disciplina . . . vero fructum, et cetera, "Every discipline for the present seems to be not joyful, but mournful; afterwards truly [it will yield the most peaceful] fruit, etc." (slightly altered from Hebrews 12:11).

162-64 "Alle the ilke fondunges . . . to eche blisse," "All the very temptations which we are now beaten with seem [to be] weeping not joy, but they turn afterwards into happiness (lit., weal) and into eternal joy."

165-67 The inre fondunge is twa-valt . . . limpeth to sunne, The inner temptation is twofold, just as the outer is. For the outer is (i.e., consists of) adversity and prosperity and these kindle the inner [temptations]: displeasure in adversity and in prosperity the pleasure which belongs to sin.

167-69 This ich segge . . . mislicunge for sunne, I say this because [there] is some pleasure and some displeasure which deserves much reward, [such] as pleasure in God's love and displeasure towards sin.

169-70 Nu as ich segge . . . slawthe, Now as I say, the inner temptation is two-fold: bodily (lit., fleshly) and spiritual. Bodily [temptations] - [such] as from lechery, from gluttony, from sloth. Spiritual [temptations] - [such] as from pride, from envy, and from wrath, also from covetousness.

171-73 Thus beoth the inre fondunges . . . to fot-wunde, Thus the inner temptations are the seven deadly (lit., head, or chief) sins and their foul progenies (or, offspring). The temptation of the flesh can be compared to a foot wound.

173-74 Gastelich fondunge . . . breost-wunde, A spiritual temptation, concerning which there is more fear (i.e., which is more frightening), can, because of the danger, be called a chest wound.

174-75 Ah us thuncheth . . . heo beoth eth-fele, But bodily temptations seem to us greater (or, more severe) because they are easy to feel.

175-77 The othre, thah we habben ham . . . drede the mare, The others (i.e., spiritual temptations), though we have them, often we do not know it, and [they] are nevertheless dangerous and horrific (lit., grisly) in God's eye and [they] are for that reason to be dreaded much the more.

177-79 For the othre the me feleth . . . ear me least wene, For the others which one feels well (or, clearly), seek (imper.) a doctor and medicine (lit., salve). The spiritual wounds do not seem severe (lit., sore), or do not heal themselves with confession or with penitence, and [so] lead to eternal death before one least expect[s].

180-81 Hali men ant wummen . . . to goder heale, Holy men and women are tempted by all temptations most strongly, and to their good (or, benefit - see heale in glossary).

181-82 For thurh the feht . . . i Jeremie, For through the fight (or, struggle) against them, they gain the joyful champions' crown. Lo (or, see), though, how they complain (reflex.) in Jeremiah.

182-83 Persecutores nostri . . . insidiati sunt nobis, "Our persecutors, swifter than eagles of the sky, have pursued us over the mountains; they have lain in wait for us in the desert" (Lamentations 4:19).

184-85 Ure wither-iwines swiftre then earnes . . . us to sleanne, Our enemies swifter than eagles on the hills have climbed after us, and there fought with us, and still they plotted (lit., spied) to slay us in the wilderness.

185-90 Ure wither-iwines beoth threo . . . the her-efter beoth i-nempnet, Our enemies are three: the devil (lit., fiend), the world, [and] our own flesh, as I said before. Sometimes one cannot easily know which of these three [is] attacking him, for each [one] helps the other, though the devil naturally (or, characteristically) incites to malice (lit., venomousness), [such] as to pride, to disdain, to envy and to wrath, and to their poisonous progenies (or, offspring) which are named hereafter.

190-92 The flesch sput proprement . . . luvien a schadewe, The flesh urges (sput = reduced form of sputteth) naturally toward sweetness, pleasure, and softness. The world asks one to covet the world's wealth and honor, and other such gewgaws (or, baubles) which deceive foolish men to love (i.e., into loving) a shadow.

192-93 "Theos wither-iwines . . . us mahen hearmin," "These enemies," it says, "follow us onto hills, and lie in wait (i.e., plot) in the wilderness how they can harm us."

194-95 Hul - thet is, heh lif . . . ancre wununge, A hill - that is, the high (or, spiritual) life, where the devil's assaults often are the strongest. The wilderness is the solitary life of the anchoress' dwelling (or, cell).

195-98 For alswa as i wildernes . . . thuncheth ham, For just as [there] are wild beasts in the wilderness, and [they] will not allow men's approach (or, nearing), but flee when they hear them, just so ought anchoresses above all other women to be wild in this way, and then are they over [all] others dear to our Lord, and seem sweetest to Him (lit., [He] thinks them [to be] sweetest to Him).

198-99 For of all flesches . . . leovest ant swetest, For of all meat (lit., flesh), wild animal's meat is the most beloved (i.e., sought after) and sweetest.

200-01 Bi this wildernesse wende ure Laverdes folc . . . hefde bihaten, Along this wilderness our Lord's people went, as Exodus tells, towards the blessed (or, rich) land of Jerusalem, which He had promised them.

201-03 Ant ye, mine leove sustren . . . his i-corene, And you, my dear sisters, go (or, walk) along the same path (lit., way) toward the high Jerusalem, the kingdom which He has promised His chosen [ones].

203-06 Gath, thah, ful warliche . . . heaved-sunnen, Go, however, very carefully (lit., warily), for in this wilderness there are many evil beasts: the lion of pride, serpent of venemous envy, unicorn of wrath, bear of dead[ly] sloth, fox of covetousness, sow of gluttony, scorpion with his (lit., the) tail of stinging lechery - that is, lechery (the author glosses French lecherie with the native galnesse). Here now the seven deadly sins (lit., head sins) are described (or, counted up) in a row (or, one by one).

207 The Liun of prude . . . nempni summe, The Lion of pride has very many whelps, and I will name some.

208-10 vana gloria . . . hire wil forthre, "vainglory" - that is, whosoever thinks well of anything that she does or says or has: beauty or knowledge, good acquaintance (i.e., connections) or a reputation better (lit., word more) than another, lineage or mastery (i.e., power), and [having] her wishes [advanced] further (i.e., getting her way; Savage/Watson: "more willpower").

210 Ant hwet is wlite wurth her? And what good (lit., worth) is beauty to her?

210-11 Gold ring . . . hit ofte, Acquaintance (i.e., connections) in religion - [it is a] gold ring in a sow's nose. It does mischief (lit., woe) often.

211-13 Al is vana gloria . . . as ha walde, All is vainglory (see Ecclesiastes 1:2), which (or, who) thinks at all well of [herself], and would have a reputation for that (lit., thereof), and is well-pleased if she is praised, displeased if she is not described such as she would [be].

213-15 An-other is indignatio . . . ei lahres lare, Another [whelp of pride] is "indignation" - that is, whoever thinks disdainfully of anything that she sees or hears concerning another, and despises (or, rejects) chastisement (i.e., correction), or the teaching of any lower [person].

215-16 ypocresis . . . ha is, "hypocrisy," whoever makes herself [out to be] better than she is.

216-19 The feorthe is presumtio . . . mei beon i-temptet, The fourth is "presumption," which (or, whoever) takes more in hand than she can overcome (i.e., manage), or inserts herself (i.e., meddles) in a thing which does not concern her (lit., fall to her), or is too over-confident of God's grace or of herself, too bold towards any man, who is fleshly (or, physical) as she is, and can be tempted.

219-22 The fifte hwelp hatte inobedience . . . euch lahre his herre, The fifth whelp is named "disobedience" - not only whoever does not obey (lit., bow), but whoever either does [so] grumbling, or delays too long: the child who does not obey [its] elders, an underling his superior (lit., prelate), a parishioner his priest, a maid her lady - each lower [one] his higher (or, superior).

222-24 The seste is loquacite . . . stureth lahtre, The sixth is loquacity (or, talkativeness): the person (lit., who) feeds this whelp who is of much talk, boasts, condemns others, lies sometimes, mocks, upbraids, chides, flatters (or, deceives by flattery), [or] stirs up laughter.

224 seovethe, seventh; nurrice, nurse.

224-26 the swereth greate athes . . . sith other hereth, whoever swears great oaths or curses bitterly, or blasphemes (i.e., says something amiss) about God or about His saints because of anything that he (i.e., the swearer) suffers, sees or hears.

226 eahtuthe, eighth.

227 This hwelp fet . . . in alle uveles, [She] feeds (fet = reduced form of fedeth) this whelp who is not patient in response to (lit., against) all insults and in all evils (or, illnesses).

227-30 The nihethe is contumace . . . ut of hire riote, The ninth is contumacy (i.e., stubbornness), and [she] feeds this, whosoever is stubborn in a thing which she has undertaken to do - be it good, be it evil - so that no wiser advice can bring her out of her extravagance (or, draw her off the wrong scent - see riote in glossary).

230-32 The teohethe is contentio . . . biyete the place, The tenth is "contention" - that is, the striving to overcome (i.e., come out ahead), so that the other may seem [to be] thrown underneath and defeated, and she [may seem the] master of the meeting (or, encounter, debate) and strut as the champion who has won the place (or, field).

232-34 I this untheaw . . . bivore yare amendet, In (or, along with) this vice is upbraiding and blame for all the evil that she can think of concerning the other - and the bitterer it bites, so [much the] better [it] pleases her, even though it were concerning a thing which was amended a long time before (lit., before yore).

234-37 Her-imong beoth other-hwiles . . . warinesses ant bileasunges, Along with this (lit., here-among) [there] are sometimes not only bitter words, but [there] are foul, stinking, shameless and disgraceful [ones], sometimes with great swearing, many and proud words with cursings and lies (or, slanders).

237-38 Her-to falleth evenunge of ham-seolf . . . of dede, To this (lit., here-to) belongs comparison of themselves, of their family (or, lineage), of their talk or of their deed (i.e., actions).

238-40 This is among nunnen . . . privee bonen! This is (i.e., sometimes happens) among nuns, and [they] go with such mouths afterwards, before confession has washed them, to praise God with praise-song, or pray intimate prayers to Him!

240-41 Me, thinges amansede . . . then ei rotet dogge? But, cursed things, do they [not] know that their songs and their prayers to God stink fouler to Him and to all His saints, than any rotted (or, decomposing) dog?

242-46 The ealleofte hwelp is i-fed . . . for then anes, The eleventh whelp is fed (or, nourished) with fancy airs, with appearances and with signs (or, gestures), [such ones] as bear [their] head[s] on high, proudly arch their necks (lit., swagger with the neck), look to the side (lit., sides), behold (or, look around) in disdain, purse the lips (lit., bind a purse with the mouth), with hand or with head make a taunting gesture (lit., sign), throw [one] leg over [the other] leg, sit or walk, stiff as if they were staked (i.e., tied to a stake, or impaled), love to look at a man, speak as an innocent, and lisp for the purpose (for then anes = for the nanes "for the nonce" - see nanes in glossary).

246-50 Her-to falleth of veil . . . with wete fingres, To this belongs (lit., here-to falls) too overwrought an adornment of the veil, of the head-cloth, of any other cloth (or, piece of clothing) either in coloring (or, ornamenting) or in pleating, belts and belting (or, wearing of belts) in a young lady's style (lit., way), plastering with ointments (i.e., makeup), foul flirtings, coloring the hair, painting [her] face, pinching (or, plucking) the brows or arching them upwards with wet fingers.

250-52 Monie othre ther beoth . . . of hali theawes, There are many others (i.e., signs of pride) which come from wealth, from joy, from high lineage, from beautiful clothing, from knowledge, from beauty, from strength. From a high (or, spiritual) life pride grows (i.e., can grow), and from holy virtues [as well].

252-53 Monie ma hwelpes . . . liun of prude, The lion of pride has many more whelps than I have named.

253-54 Ah abute theose . . . bute nempni ham, But concerning these, study (or, pay attention) very carefully, for I go lightly over [them], and do but name them (i.e., and merely list them).

254-55 Ah ye eaver i-hwer . . . tene other tweolve, But you always, wheresoever I go more quickly forward, linger there the longest, for there I load into one word ten or twelve (i.e., I pack one word with the meaning of ten or twelve).

255-57 Hwa-se-eaver haveth eani untheaw . . . i-schapet other i-heowet, Whosoever has any vice of those which I named here, or [vices] like them - she has pride surely, howsoever her gown is shaped or colored.

257-58 Heo is the liunes make . . . in-with hire breoste, She is the lion's mate which I have spoken of, and feeds (fet = reduced form of fedeth) her mad (or, raging) whelps within her breast (or, heart).

259-60 The Neddre of attri onde . . . foryet mid alle, The Serpent of venemous envy has seven whelps (or, offspring): "ingratitude" - [the person] breeds this offspring who does not acknowledge good deeds, but thinks little of them (lit., thereof) or forgets [them] as well.

261-63 God-dede . . . bithohte, Good deeds - I do not mean (lit., say) only that [which] someone does for him (i.e., the ungrateful person), but what God is doing for him, or has done for him - either him or her - more than she understands if she had considered (reflex.) well.

263-64 Of this untheaw . . . ayein his grace, People pay (lit., take) little attention to this vice, but [it] is nevertheless of all [vices] one [of] the most hateful to God and [the one] most against His grace.

264-65 The other cundel is rancor sive odium . . . great heorte, The second offspring is "rancor or hatred" - that is, hating a big (i.e., swollen) heart.

265-66 The bret hit i breoste . . . of othres god, To whomever breeds (bret = reduced form of bredeth) it in [his] heart everything that he ever does (lit., works) is venemous to God. The third offspring is grief (or, regret) at another's good.

266-68 the feorthe, gleadschipe . . . other scarnunge, The fourth, happiness for his evil (or, harming); the fifth, betrayal (or, denunciation); the sixth, backbiting; the seventh, upbraiding or scorning.

268-71 The eahtuthe is suspitio . . . ne thencheth, The eighth is "suspicion" - that is, false suspicion of a man or of a woman without sure evidence, to think, "she is making this face. She does or says this in order to anger, spite, or harm me" - and that [thought], when the other never thinks in that direction (lit., thitherward) [at all].

271-74 Her-to falleth falsdom . . . ha hit dude, To this belongs falsehood, which God forbids strongly (forbeot = reduced form of forbeodeth), as to think or say, "indeed, she does not love me. In this (lit., here-of) she betrayed (or, accused) me. Look, now they [are] talking about me, the two, the three, or more [of them] who sit together. She is a such and such, and she did it for evil (i.e., to cause harm)."

274-76 I thulli thoht . . . monnes domes false, In such a thought we are often misled, for often what seems evil is good, and for this reason men's judgments are false every day (i.e., constantly).

276-77 Her-to limpeth alswa . . . thurh onde, To this (lit., hereto) pertains also wicked new inventions (or, fabrications), and lies [made] loathsome by malice and by envy.

277-79 The nihethe cundel . . . Godd amanset, The ninth offspring is the sowing (or, planting) of strife, of wrath, and of discord. She who sows this devil's seed - she is cursed by God.

279-81 The teohethe is luther stilthe . . . ofte togederes, The tenth is wicked stillness (or, silence), the devil's silence, that (i.e., when) the one will not, for envy, speak about the other, and this type is also an offspring of wrath, for their progeny are often mixed together.

281-82 Hwer as ei of theos wes . . . of onde, Where any of these [characteristics] has been (lit., was), there has been the brood of the poisonous serpent of envy, or the original (lit., old) mother [herself].

283-84 The Unicorne of wreaththe . . . six hwelpes, The Unicorn of wrath, which bears on its nose the spine (or, horn - see note) with which he gores everything he can get at, has six whelps (or, colts).

284-87 The earste is chast other strif . . . ut of hire witte, The first is quarreling or strife. The second is madness (or, rage). Behold (i.e., look at) the eyes and the face when mad wrath has mounted up. Look at her behavior, look at her expressions (or, bearing, appearance), listen how the (i.e., her) mouth goes, and you might judge her [to be] well out of her wits.

287-89 The thridde is schentful up-brud . . . other on his ahte, The third is humiliating invective. The fourth is cursing. The fifth is violence (or, striking). The sixth is the desire that [something] evil may happen to him, either to himself or to his friend, or to his possessions.

289-92 The seovethe hwelp is . . . i bodi bathe, The seventh offspring is to do wrong because of wrath, or omit to do well, to go without food or drink, to avenge herself with tears if she cannot [do anything] else, and to damn her [own] head with cursings [uttered] in a rage, or in any way to harm herself both in soul and in body.

293 morthre, murder.

294-96 The Beore of hevi slawthe . . . luve of ure Laverd, The Bear of sluggish sloth has these whelps (or, cubs): "torpor" is the first: that is, a lukewarm heart - lack of desire (or, disinclination) for anything - which should blaze completely in flame for love of our Lord.

296-98 The other is pusillanimitas . . . of hire strengthe, The second is "pusillanimity" (or, faintheartedness) - that is, a heart too poor and cowardly as well to undertake any high (or, spiritual) thing in hope of God's help, and in trust of His grace, not in her [own] strength.

298-99 The thridde is cordis gravitas . . . mid an hevi heorte, The third is "heaviness of heart." [She] has this, whosoever does good and does it, however, with a dead and with a heavy heart.

300 hwa-se stut mid alle, whoever stops (or, quits) with everything (stut = reduced form of stutteth).

300-01 The fifte is heorte grucchunge . . . for sunne ane, The fifth is the heart's complaining (or, grumbling). The sixth is a dead[ly] sorrow for the loss of any worldly thing or for any offense, except for sin alone.

301-03 The seovethe is yemelesschipe . . . haveth to yemen, The seventh is inattentiveness either to say or to do (i.e., in saying or doing [something]), either watching out before[hand], or thinking afterwards, or neglecting anything that she has (or, ought) to pay attention to.

303-05 The eahtuthe is unhope . . . his unimete grace, The eighth is despair. This last bear's cub is the grimmest of all, for it chews apart and gobbles up God's mild forgiveness and His great mercy and His immeasurable grace.

306-09 The Vox of yisceunge . . . mon-slaht other-hwile, The Fox of covetousness has these whelps: treachery and guile, thievery, plundering, fining (or, extortion) and superior force, false witness or oath, secret simony, lending at interest (lit., tribute), usury (or, interest), stinginess, parsimony of gift or of loan (i.e., reluctance to either give or loan) - this is a tight-fisted heart, a vice most hateful to God who gives us all of Himself - manslaughter (or, killing) sometimes.

309-11 This untheaw is to vox . . . of worltlich biyete, This vice is compared to a fox for many reasons. I will mention (lit., say) two. Much guile is in the fox and so [also] in covetousness of worldly gain.

311-12 An-other: the vox awurieth . . . an frechliche swolhen, A second (i.e., the second reason): the fox strangles (i.e., rips the throats of) an entire flock though he can swallow but one [sheep] greedily.

312-14 Alswa yisceth a yiscere . . . a monnes dale, Just so a coveter covets that which many thousand could live on, but though his heart burst he cannot use (or, consume) by himself but one person's portion.

314-16 Al thet mon wilneth mare . . . deadlich sunne, Everything that a man - or woman - desires more than she can properly lead life (i.e., live) by - each according to what [rank or type of person] she is - all is covetousness and the root of deadly sin.

316-17 Thet is riht religiun . . . of alle hire thinges, This is right religion, that each borrow according to his state from this wicked world as little as she ever (lit., least) can of food, of clothing, of possessions, of all her (i.e., the world's) things.

317-18 Notith thet ich segge . . . is i-fetheret, Note that I say "each according to his state," for that word [i.e., "state"] is loaded [with meaning].

318-20 Ye mote makien . . . the limpeth ther-to, You must place (lit., make) great importance - you know this [very well] - on many a word, think long about [it], and by that same one word understand many [more] which pertain to it.

320-21 For yef ich schulde writen al . . . to ende? For if I should write everything, when would I come to an end?

322-23 The Suhe of yivernesse . . . "to frechliche," The Sow of gluttony has piglets named thus: the first is called "too early," the second "too pickily," the third, "too greedily."

323 hatte, is called.

324 I drunch mare then i mete . . . gris i-ferhet, In drink more than in food these piglets are farrowed (or, littered).

324-26 Ich speoke scheortliche . . . leste ye ham feden, I speak briefly (lit., shortly) about them, for I am not afraid, my dear sisters, that (lit., lest) you [will] feed (or, nurture, suckle) them.

327-29 The Scorpiun of leccherie . . . sulen cleane heorten, The Scorpion of lechery - that is, of lust - has such offspring that the name of some of them [is] not proper to name in a well-disciplined mouth, for the name alone could harm all well-trained ears and sully pure hearts.

329-32 Theo thah me mei nempnin wel . . . fleschliche other gasteliche, Nevertheless, one may well mention those whose names one knows well and are - more is the harm - all too known (or, familiar) to many: whoredom, adultery, loss of virginity (or, fornication), and incest - which is between natural (lit., fleshly) or spiritual kin (i.e., relatives).

332-38 Thet is o feole i-dealet . . . nule fenniliche fallen, That is divided into many [parts]: a foul desire for that filth with the reason's consent, helping (lit., to help) another [person] in that direction (lit., thitherward), to be spectator and witness to it, to hunt after it with wooing, with flirting, or with any enticement, with flirtatious (or, flighty - see gigge in glossary) laughter, whorish eye, any loose gestures (or, behavior), with gifts, with enticing words, or with love-talk, a kiss, indecent touching (or, caressing) which may be a capital (lit., head) sin, to love the time or place to come into such an encounter, and other forerunners (or, preliminaries) which one must needs avoid - who[ever does] not want to fall into the great filth muckily (or, vilely).

338-40 Omissis occasionibus . . . incolumis, "Having avoided occasions which usually open the entrance into sins, the conscience can be safe (or, unharmed)" (source unidentified).

340-41 "hwa-se wule hire in-wit witen . . . in sunne," "whosoever wants to keep (lit., protect) her conscience whole (or, healthy) and strong, she must flee the occasions which were wont often to open the entrance and let in sin."

341-45 Ich ne dear nempnin . . . th'rof i-temptet, I dare not name the unnatural progenies of this devil's scorpion, venomously tailed (i.e., with a poisonous tail). But she may be sorry who without a companion, or with [one], has thus fed (or, nursed) the progeny of her lust - I cannot speak about that for shame nor [do I] dare for fear, lest someone learn more evil than she knows [already] and is (lit., be) tempted by it (lit., thereof).

345-47 Ah thenche on hire ahne aweariede fundles . . . to deadlich sunne, But [let her] think of (or, consider) her own cursed invention in her lust: for howsoever it is satisfied, [while she is] waking (or, awake) and willing, with the body's pleasure, except only in wedlock, it goes (i.e., leads) to deadly sin.

347-50 I yuhethe me deth wundres . . . eche brune of helle, In youth people do wonders (i.e., astonishing things). Let her who feels herself [to be] guilty vomit it out in confession utterly, [precisely] as she did it, or she is (i.e., will be) condemned for the satisfaction of that foul burning to the eternal flame of hell.

350-51 The scorpiunes cundel . . . with deadbote, The scorpion's brood which she breeds (bret = reduced from of bredeth) in her bosom - let her shake it out with confession, and kill [it] with penance.

351-54 Ye, the of swucches nute nawt . . . i swuch beoth i-fallen, You who do not know anything of such [things] - you need not be amazed (reflex.), nor ponder what I mean, but give thanks to God that you have not experienced such impurity, and have pity on them who have fallen into such [things].

355-56 Inoh is etscene . . . to scorpiun i-evenet, [It] is sufficiently clear why I have likened pride to a lion, envy to a serpent, and all the others to those, except this last [one] - that is, why lust is likened to a scorpion.

357-58 Ah lo, her the skile th'rof . . . neddre is bihinden, But look (lit., lo!) here [is] the reason for it (lit., thereof), evident and clear: the scorpion is a kind of snake (lit., worm) which has a face - as they say - quite a bit (lit., some deal) like a woman's, and is a serpent behind, makes (or, presents) a fair appearance, and flatters with the head, and (or, but) stings with the tail.

360 deofles, devil's.

360-62 thet he leat to chepinge . . . thet feire heaved, which he leads (leat = reduced form of leadeth) to market, and to each gathering, and bargains to sell and deceives many, because they do not behold (i.e., look at) anything but the fair face or the fair head.

362-63 Thet heaved is the biginnunge . . . swithe swote, The head is the beginning of the sin of lust and [of] the pleasure - while it lasts - which seems very sweet.

363-65 The teil thet is the ende th'rof . . . of deadbote, The tail, which is the end of it, is painful regret and [it] stings her with the venom of bitter remorse (or, contrition), and of penance.

365-67 Ant seliliche mahen ha seggen . . . eche pine of helle, And they may be said (passive inf.) [to be] fortunate, who find the tail so (i.e., with remorse and repentance), for that venom goes away, but if it does not inflict pain here, the tail and the venomous end is the eternal pain of hell.

367-68 Ant nis he fol chapmon . . . thet heaved ane? And is he not a foolish tradesman (or, bargainer) who when he wants to buy a horse or an ox, if he does not want to look at [anything] but the head alone?

368-70 For-thi, hwen the deovel beodeth forth . . . schaweth forth the heaved, For this reason, when the devil offers up this animal - offers (beot = reduced form of beodeth) to sell it and asks (bit = reduced form of biddeth) your soul for it (i.e., in exchange) - he always hides (hut = reduced form of hudeth) the tail and shows off the head.

370-71 Ah thu, ga al abuten . . . i-attret, But you, go ( imper.) all around and bring the end into view (lit., reveal the end) as well - how the tail stings - and swiftly flee away from there before you are poisoned.

372-74 i the wildernesse . . . thulliche wurmes, in the wilderness where you go in with God's people towards the land of Jerusalem - that is, the kingdom of heaven - there are such beasts, such serpents.

374-75 Ne nat ich na sunne . . . to hare streones, I do not know any sin which cannot be led (or, traced) either to one of these seven (lit., them seven) or to their progeny.

375-77 Unsteathelvest bileave . . . on alle wicchecreftes, Unsteadfast (or, wavering) belief in response to God's teaching - is it not a (lit., the) species of proud disobedience? Under this heading (lit., Hereto) fall incantations, false (or, deceptive) sorcery, belief in dreams, in sneezing, and in all witchcrafts.

377-79 Neomunge of husel . . . hwuch sunne hit is? The taking of the Eucharist [while] in any capital sin, or [taking] any other sacrament - is it not the species of pride which I called "presumption" - if one knows what kind of sin it is (i.e., if one knows one's sin)?

379-80 Yef me hit nat nawt . . . thet ich "slawthe" cleopede, If one does not know it, then it is carelessness under [the heading of] idleness which I called "sloth."

380-81 The ne warneth other . . . other attri onde? Whoever is not on his guard either about his evil or about his profit - is it not sluggish (lit., slow) carelessness or venomous envy?

381-83 Teohethi mis . . . anes cunnes theofthe? To tithe falsely (or, improperly), withhold a legacy, a windfall (or, a treasure-trove; lit., something found), or loan, or do wrongly with them (lit., therewith) - is it not a species of covetousness, and theft of a kind? To withhold another's pay beyond its rightful term (i.e., time limit) - is it not blatant robbery [on the part of] whosoever can pay it, [but] who is [acting] under covetousness?

384-86 Yef me yemeth wurse . . . yemeles of slawthe? If one looks after anything loaned, or entrusted [to him/her] to protect, worse than he who owns it expects [him to] - is it not either treachery or carelessness [arising] from sloth?

386-89 Alswa is dusi heast . . . moder of the seove sunnen, Likewise (or, just so) is a foolish promise or foolishly plighted troth (i.e., faithfulness foolishly promised), to be unconfirmed for a long time, to go dishonestly (lit., falsely) to confession, or to wait too long, not to teach the Lord's prayer or the Creed [to a] godchild - these and all such [things] are traced to sloth - that is, the fourth mother of the seven [deadly] sins.

389-92 The dronc drunch . . . of galnesse awakenet? Whoever drank a drink (i.e., a potion) or did anything through which any child should not be conceived in her, or the conceived [child] should be destroyed (i.e., aborted) - is this not blatant murder, awakened (i.e., having arisen) from lechery?

392-93 Alle sunnen sunderliche . . . alle othre beoth bilokene, No one can reckon (or, count up) all the various sins by their particular names, but in those which I have mentioned (lit., said), all others are locked up.

393-95 Ant nis, ich wene . . . the beoth her i-writene, And [there] is not, I expect, anyone who cannot understand himself concerning his particular sin (i.e., identify his sins by name) under some of those same common [sins] which are written [down] here.

395-97 Of theose seove beastes . . . to fordonne, [It] has been (lit., is) mentioned up to this point (lit., hereto - i.e., the topic up to this point has been) concerning these seven beasts and their broods in the wilderness of the solitary life, [beasts] which attempt to destroy all wayfaring (or, forward-traveling) [people].

397-99 The liun of prude . . . alswa of the othre o rawe, The lion of pride slays all the proud [people], all [those] who are haughtily and disdainfully hearted (i.e., have haughty and disdainful hearts); the venomous serpent [slays] the envious and the evil thoughted (or, wicked minded); the unicorn [slays the] wrathful; likewise with the others in order.

399-401 To Godd ha beoth i-sleine . . . the him to falleth, They are slain (i.e., dead) to God, but they live to the fiend and are completely in his hand[s] and serve him in his court, each with the skill (or, job) that falls (or, belongs) to him.

402-04 The prude beoth . . . to schawin hare orhel, The proud are his trumpeters, [they] draw wind inward with worldly praise (lit., praise-words), and puff it back out (lit., outward) with empty boasting as trumpeters do, make noise and loud sound to display their pride.

404-08 Ah yef ha wel thohten . . . dimluker bemin, But if they thought (or, considered) well about God's trumpeters, about the trumpets of angels, which will in the four corners (lit., sides) of the world blow terrifyingly (lit., grisily) before the horrific judgment, "Arise, [you] dead! Arise! Come to the Lord's judgment to be judged!" where no proud trumpeter will be saved - if they considered this well, they would readily enough trumpet more dimly (or, faintly) in the devil's service.

409 Onager solitarius . . . ventum amoris sui, "A wild ass alone in the desire of his heart drew in (or, snuffed) the wind of love" (Jeremiah 2:24).

409-10 Of the wind . . . as ich seide, Concerning the wind, "drawing [it] in for love of praise," [Jeremiah] says just as I have said.

411-12 Summe juglurs beoth . . . with ehnen, [There] are certain jugglers (or, entertainers) who can perform no other entertainment but to make faces, wrench their mouths askew, squint (or, look askance) with [their] eyes.

412-13 Of this meoster . . . ondfule laverd, In this capacity (or, skill, job) the wretched envious [people] serve in the devil's court, to bring to laughter their envious lord.

413-16 Yef ei seith wel . . . schuleth mid either, If any[one] speaks well or does well, they (i.e., the envious) cannot in any way look in that direction (lit., thither) with the right eye of a good heart, but wink (i.e., close the eye) on that side and look to the left [to see] if there is anything (lit., aught) to blame, or [they] look askance in that direction with both [eyes] fiercely (or, disgustingly).

416-17 Hwen ha i-hereth . . . eaver wid open, When they hear the good (i.e., something good), [they] clap [their] ears down (i.e., shut), but the hearing (MS: "left ear" - see textual note) is always wide open towards evil.

417-19 Thenne he wrencheth the muth . . . to wurse, Then he twists [his] mouth when he turns good into evil, and if it is [already] somewhat evil, through more blame [he] twists it to [something] worse.

419-22 Theos beoth forecwidderes . . . i the pine of helle, These [people] are foretellers, their own prophets. These [people] prophesy before[hand] how the gruesome devils will ultimately terrify (lit., aghast) them with their grinning (or, grimacing), and how they will themselves grin and wrinkle up their noses, and make a sour face because of [their] great anguish in the torment of hell.

422-23 Ah for-thi ha beoth . . . makien grim chere, But for this reason they are the less to be lamented (passive inf.), that (or, since) they learn their occupation of making (lit., to make) grim face[s] beforehand.

424-25 The wreathfule bivore the feond . . . upon his tunge, The wrathful [one] juggles (or, fences) with knives before the fiend and is his knife-thrower, and plays (or, performs) with swords, carries them on his tongue by the sharp point.

425-30 Sweord ant cnif . . . keorvinde pinen, Sword and knife are (i.e., represent) both sharp and cutting words that he throws from himself and juggles (or, tosses) toward others, and he (i.e., the thrower) prophesies (i.e., foretells) how the devils will sport with him with their sharp awls, juggle (or, throw) about with him, and toss [him] like a ragged cloak each to the other, and gore him throughout [his body] with hell's swords - those are the sharp and horrific and cutting tortures.

431-32 The slawe lith ant slepeth . . . al thet he wule, The slow (i.e., lazy) [one] lies and sleeps in the devil's lap as his dear darling, and the devil lays his pursed lips down to his ear and whispers to him all that he wants.

432-34 For swa hit is . . . underveth luveliche his lare, For, certainly, so it is for whomsoever is idle for good (or, useless for good): the fiend talks eagerly [to him, her], and the idle (or, useless) receive lovingly his teaching.

434-36 Idel ant yemeles . . . echeliche wakien, Idle and careless is the sleep of this devil's child, but he will get up (i.e., start out of his sleep) grimly on Doomsday with the dreadful blast (or, din) of the angels' trumpets, and wake (or, stay awake) eternally in hell's misery.

436-37 Surgite! . . . ad judicium Salvatoris, "Arise!" they say, "O [you] dead, arise and come to the Judgment of the Savior" (see Ephesians 5:14 and Pseudo-Jerome, Monks' Rule 30 [PL 30.417]).

438-41 The yiscere is his eskibah . . . muche to rikenin, The covetous [person] is his hearth-tender (lit., ash-stirrer - see glossary), [who] lives (lit., fares) amidst ashes and busily bestirs himself to heap together many and huge piles; [he] blows into them (lit., therein) and blinds himself, pokes them and makes figures of calculations (i.e., scratchings which look like calculations - see note) in them, as these account-keepers (lit., reckoners) do who have much to reckon (or, calculate).

441-42 This is al the canges blisse . . . thet he bersteth, This is all the fool's joy, and the fiend (or, enemy) looks at this entertainment and laughs [so] that (i.e., until) he bursts.

442-44 Wel understont . . . in heorte prude, Each wise man understands well that both gold and silver, and each earthly possession is [nothing] but earth and ashes which blind each person who blows into them - that is, who puffs himself [up] through them in heart's pride.

444-46 Ant al thet he rukeleth . . . tadden ant neddren, And everything that he piles up (or, amasses) and gathers together and holds back (or, saves) of anything which is but ashes more than is necessary (lit., it needs) - [all these things] will in hell change into toads and serpents for him.

446-48 Ant ba, as Ysaie seith . . . ne schruden, And "both his blanket and his sheet," as Isaiah says, "will be [made] of worms (or, serpents)," who[ever did] not want to sustain (see feden in glossary) or clothe the needy with them (i.e., his coverings).

448-49 Subter te sternetur . . . tuum vermis, "Beneath you the moth will be spread, and your covering (or, blanket) will be of worm[s]" (Isaiah 14:11, slightly altered).

450-52 The yivere glutun . . . the crohhe, The voracious glutton is the fiend's manciple (or, food procurer), but he always hangs around in (or, sticks to) the cellar or in the kitchen. His heart is in the dishes, his thought completely in the mugs, his life in the barrel, his soul in the pot (lit., crock).

452-53 Kimeth bivoren his laverd . . . in his other, [He] comes before his lord besmutted (lit., stained) and besmeared, a dish in his one hand, a drinking cup in his other.

453-54 Meatheleth mis wordes . . . ant te deovel lahheth, [He] says his words amiss (i.e., slurs his words), staggers (lit., wiggles) like a drunk man who is about to fall, looks at (bihalt = reduced form of bihaldeth) his huge stomach - and the devil laughs (or, perhaps, [the devil] looks at his huge stomach and he laughs).

455 Theose threatith . . . Ysaie, God warns these [gluttons] through Isaiah, thus.

455-56 Servi mei comedent . . . et cetera, "My servants will eat and you will be hungry, etc." (Isaiah 65:13).

456-57 schulen eoten . . . buten ende, will eat, and you will always be hungry (lit., [it] will always hunger, be hungry for you), and you will be the fiend's food world without end (i.e., forever and ever).

457-58 Quantum glorificavit . . . luctum, "As much as [she] has glorified herself and has been (i.e., lived) in delights (or, pleasure), so much give (imper.) her torment and mourning" (Revelation 18:7).

458-59 In Apocalipsi . . . miscete ei duo, "In the Apocalypse: Against (i.e., In return for) one cup which she mixed (or, prepared), mix her two" (Revelation 18:6).

459-60 Yef the kealche-cuppe . . . he swelte in-with, Give the tosspot (or, drunkard) boiling brass to drink; pour [it] into his wide throat, [so] that he [might] die inside.

460 "Ayein an, yef him twa," "For one, give him two."

460-61 Thullich is Godes dom . . . i the Apocalipse, Such is God's judgment in the Apocalypse against gluttons and drunkards (lit., [people] desirous of drink).

462-64 habbeth riht hare ahne nome . . . vilainie wurchen, have, rightly, their own name (i.e., they keep their own name), for in this great court, one calls those [people] lechers who have so lost [their] shame that [there] is no whit of shame [in] them, but [on the contrary they] seek how they may carry out (lit., work) the greatest villainy (or, shameful wrongs).

464-67 The lecchur . . . eani swote rechles, The lecher in the devil's court befouls (i.e., dirties) himself disgustingly and all his comrades, stinks from that filth and pleases well his lord better with that stinking breath (or, stench) than he would with any sweet incense.

467-69 Hu he stinke to Godd . . . to biburien! How he might stink to God the angel in The Lives of the [Desert] Fathers showed, who held his nose when the proud lecher came riding and not (i.e., but did not hold his nose) because of the rotted corpse that he helped the holy hermit to bury!

470-71 fuleste meoster . . . i the put of helle, the foulest (or, most disgusting) occupation in the fiend's court, who thus befoul themselves. And he will befoul them, torture them with eternal stench in the pit of hell.

472-75 Nu ye habbeth ane dale i-herd . . . to heatien ant to schunien, Now you have heard one section [of this book], my dear sisters: [the section] on those which people call the seven mother sins, and about their broods, and in which occupations these same men serve in the devil's court who have had sex with (or, married) these seven hags, and why they are [to be] intensely hated and avoided (passive inf.).

475-76 Ye beoth ful feor from ham . . . i-thoncket! You are very far from them, our Lord be thanked!

476-78 Ah thet fule breath . . . ower heortes nease, But the foul stench (lit., breath) of this last vice - that is, of lechery - stinks so very far, for the fiend scatters it and blows [it] around everywhere (lit., over all), that I am somewhat (lit., some deal) afraid lest it leap sometime into your heart's nose.

478-80 Stench stiheth uppart . . . temptatiuns, A stench climbs upwards, and you have climbed high where the wind is great (or, powerful) with strong temptations.

481-82 Sum weneth thet . . . i the other th'refter, Some [anchoress] expects that she will be most strongly tempted in the first year that she began the anchoress' life, and in the second [year] after that.

482-84 Ant hwen ha efter feole yer . . . habbe hire al forwarpen, And when she after many years feels them strongly, [she] is very surprised (reflex.) and is frightened lest God might have thrown her over (i.e., abandoned her) completely.

484 Nai, nawt nis hit swa! No, it is not so!

484-85 I the forme yeres . . . bi a forbisne, In the first years [it] is [nothing] but ballplay to many men in [holy] order[s]. But pay (lit., take) attention how it goes (lit., fares) with an example (i.e., exemplum).

485-86 Hwen a wis mon neowliche . . . of hire maneres, When a wise man has recently led [his] wife home (i.e., married), he pays attention very quietly (lit., all softly) to her manners (or, way of behaving).

487-88 Thah he seo bi hire . . . in hire heorte, Though he see in her [something] that displeases him, he lets [it] be for the time being (lit., yet), is very kind to her (lit., makes her fair cheer - see glossary under chere), and is [aiming in] every way that she [should] love him inwardly in her heart.

489-91 Hwen he understont wel . . . as he ham nawt nuste, When he understands well that her love is truly fastened on him, then he can confidently chastise her openly about her faults (or, vices), which he tolerated before, as though he did not know them.

491-92 Maketh him swithe sturne . . . toward him unfestnin, [He] makes himself very stern, and turns (went = reduced form of wendeth) the grim tooth towards [her] (i.e., snarls, grimaces at her), in order to test further if he [might] be able to unfasten (or, shake) her love towards him.

492-96 Alest hwen he understont . . . thet he wel i-cnaweth, At last, when he understands that she is well trained, nor for anything that he does to her [does she] love him the less, but [loves him] more and more - if she can (i.e., if such a thing is possible) - then he shows her that he loves her sweetly, and does everything that she wants, as for her whom he knows well.

496-97 Thenne is al thet wa . . . ow neaver wunder, Then all that suffering (lit., woe) has turned (lit., has become) into joy. If Jesus Christ, your spouse, does also (i.e., the same) with you, my dear sisters, never let it seem strange to you.

497-99 I the frumthe . . . forbeoren ow leasse, In the beginning there is [nothing] but flattery (or, blandishments) in order to draw [one] into love. But [as] soon as he ever understands that he is quite informed (lit., acquainted) he will forbear (i.e., show patience toward) you less.

499-500 Efter the spreove . . . the muchele joie, After the testing, at the end then is great joy.

500-03 Al o this ilke wise . . . ant hare fan alle, Exactly in this same way, when He wanted to lead His people out of servitude, out of Pharaoh's hand, out of Egypt, He did for them all that they wanted, miracles many and splendid, dried up the Red Sea, and made them a free path through it (lit., her, the Red Sea), and there they went dry-footed, [and He] drowned Pharaoh and all their foes.

503-05 I the desert forthre . . . weorren muchele ant monie, Later in the desert when He had led them far into the wilderness, He let them experience suffering (lit., woe) enough: hunger, thirst, and great travail, and wars great and many.

506 ant alle weole . . . eise ant este, and all prosperity and joy, all their heart's desire, and the comfort and delight of the flesh (i.e., physical comforts).

507 Terram fluentem lacte et melle, "A land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:17, 13:5, 33:3, etc. - a common Old Testament phrase).

507-10 Thus ure Laverd speareth . . . weane to tholien, In this way our Lord spares at first the young and the feeble and draws them out of this world, sweetly and with skill (or, cunning). [As] soon as He sees them harden (or, toughen), He lets (let = reduced form of leoteth) war awaken and [He] teaches them to fight and to endure misery.

510 swinc, travail, struggle.

511 ear ha, before they.

511-12 Ant thuncheth thenne swa god . . . thuncheth se swote! And then [it] seems so good, rest after the struggle; great comfort after the great discomfort (or, suffering) seems so sweet!

513-16 Nu beoth i the Sawter . . . as is ther understonden, Now, in the Psalter [there] are under [the heading of] the two temptations that I mentioned before - those are the outer and the inner, which give birth to all the others - four parts (or, categories), divided thus: minor (lit., light) and hidden (lit., secret) temptation, minor and obvious (lit., open) temptation, severe (lit., strong) and hidden temptation, severe and obvious temptation, as is [to be] understood (passive inf.) here.

516-18 Non timebis a timore nocturno . . . demonio meridiano, "You will not be afraid of night-time terror, of an arrow flying during the day, of trouble (or, business) walking in darkness, [nor] of an attack, or of the mid-day demon" (Psalm 90:5-6).

518 Of fondunge liht ant dearne . . . theose wordes, Concerning minor and hidden temptation, Job says these words.

518-19 Lapides excavant aque . . . terra consumitur, "Waters hollow out rocks, and the earth (or, ground) is little by little eaten up by the ebb and flow [of water]" (Job 14:19).

519-21 Lutle dropen . . . a treowe heorte, Little drops which often fall thereon pierce the flint, and minor, hidden temptations of which one is not aware falsify (or, deceive) a true heart.

521 Of the lihte, openliche . . . he seith alswa, Concerning the minor, obvious [temptations] about which he says also.

521-22 Lucebit post eum semita, "The path will be clear (or, shining) after him (i.e., the Leviathan)" (Job 41:23).

522-23 nis nawt se muche dute . . . thet Job meaneth, there is not so much doubt (or, fear). Concerning severe temptation which is nevertheless hidden is also what Job bemoans.

523-24 Insidiati sunt michi . . . qui adjuvaret, "They have lain in wait against me and have grown strong (or, prevailed), and there was not [anyone] who would help" (adapted from Job 30:13).

524-25 "mine fan weitith me . . . nes hwa me hulpe," "my foes lie in wait (lit., wait) for me with treachery and treason, and they prevailed (i.e., used force) upon me and there was not [anyone] who [would] help me."

525-26 Ysaias: Veniet malum super te . . . ortum ejus, Isaiah: "Evil will come over you, and you will not know its source (or, rising)" (Isaiah 47:11).

526 "Wa schal cumen on the . . . hweonne," Woe (or, suffering) will come [up]on you, and you will not know from where (lit., whence).

526-28 Of the feorthe fondunge . . . ant seith, Concerning the fourth temptation - that is, severe and obvious - he, the holy Job, makes his moan (or, complaint) about his foes and says.

528-29 Quasi rupto muro . . . super me, "As if through a breached wall and an open door, they rushed in on me" (Job 30:14).

529-30 "ha threasten in up-o me . . . te yeten opene," "they rushed (or, poured) in upon me as though the wall were broken down and the gates open."

530-32 The forme ant te thridde fondunge . . . for-thi to felen, The first and the third temptation of these four are all mostly under [the heading of] the inner [temptations]. The second and the fourth fall under the outer [temptations] and are all mostly physical (lit., fleshly) and easy to feel.

532-34 The othre twa . . . mare to dreden, The other two are spiritual, from spiritual vices (or, faults), and are often hidden and secret when they harm the most, and are therefore to be feared (passive inf.) much more.

534-35 Moni thet ne weneth nawt . . . of hwucche Osee seith, Many [a person] who does not imagine it, breeds (bret = reduced form of bredeth) in her breast some lion's cub, some serpent's brood, which gobbles up (or, devours) the soul, concerning which Hosea says.

536 Alieni comederunt . . . ipse nesciuit, "Strangers ate up his strength and he himself did not know" (Hosea 7:9).

536-37 "Unholde forfreten the strengthe . . . nawt nuste," "Unfriendly [ones] gobbled up the strength of his soul and he did not know it."

537-39 Yet is meast dred of . . . to deadlich sunne, Yet there is most to fear for when the traitor (or, deceiver) of hell incites to a thing that seems very good perhaps, and is nevertheless the soul's murderer (or, slayer), and the path to deadly sin.

539-40 Swa he deth as ofte . . . his strengthe, So he does as often as he cannot make known his strength with obvious (or, evident) evil.

540-45 "Na," he seith . . . thet te sawle asteorve, "No," he says, "I cannot make this [woman] sin through gluttony, and (i.e., but) I will, like the wrestler, wrench (or, twist) her in the direction to which (lit., as) she most tends to (lit., pulls), and throw her on that side and fling [her] suddenly down, before she least expects," and [he] incites her to so much abstinence that she is the weaker (lit., unstronger) in God's service, and [incites her] to lead so hard a life, and to so mortify (lit., pain) the body, that the soul [may] die.

545-46 He bihalt an-other . . . is hire heorte, He beholds (or, observes - bihalt = reduced form of bihaldeth) another whom he cannot in any way make evil minded (lit., thoughted), so loving and compassionate is her heart.

546-49 "Ich chulle makien hire" . . . hire softe heorte, "I will make her," he says, "entirely too compassionate. I will do so much to her that she will love possessions, think less about God, and lose her fame (or, good reputation)," and then [he] puts some such thought in her soft heart.

549-53 Seinte Marie! . . . to huse-wif of halle, "St. Mary! [does not] this (lit., the) man or this woman have discomfort (i.e., a hard life), and no one wants to do anything for them. People would [help] me if I asked, and so I could help them and bestow (lit., do) alms on them" - [the devil] leads (lit., brings) her on to gather (or, save), and give all, first to the poor, later to other friends, finally to make feasts and become completely worldly, transformed (or, degenerated) from an anchoress [in]to a housewife (i.e., lady) of a hall.

553-56 Godd wat . . . leapeth in orhel, God knows, such feasting makes some a whore (or, makes a whore of some). [She] imagines that she does well, as stupid and silly [people] make her understand, flatter her for [her] generosity, praise and raise up (or, exalt) the charity that she does, how widely she is known. And she thinks well of [this] and leaps into pride.

556-57 Sum seith inoh-reathe . . . beon i-robbet, Some[one will] say readily enough that she [is] gathering a hoard - so that (i.e., and the result will be that) her house and she too (lit., both) may be robbed.

557-58 Reowthe over reowthe! . . . leve ye him neaver, Pity beyond pity! Thus the traitor of hell makes himself a true advisor (note the heavy irony)! Do not believe him ever.

559-60 Davith cleopeth him . . . angelum lucis, David calls him "mid-day demon," "bright, shining devil" (Psalm 90:6), and St. Paul, [calls him the] "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14).

560-62 For swuch ofte he maketh him . . . bute his gile, For he often makes himself such and shows himself to many. No marvel (or, vision) that you see, either in a dream or waking, consider (imper.) [anything] but deception, for it is [nothing] but his guile.

562-64 He haveth wise men . . . efter herbearhe, He has misled wise men of holy and high (or, exalted) life often thus, like him whom he came to in woman's likeness in the wilderness, said she had gone in error (i.e., astray, was lost) and wept like a destitute thing (or, wretched creature) for lodging.

564-67 Ant te other hali mon . . . on ende, And the other holy man whom he made (i.e., caused to) believe that he was an angel, and concerning his father, that he was the devil, and made him slay his father - so often before this he (i.e., the devil) had always told him the truth, in order to deceive him pitifully in the end.

567-70 Alswa of the hali mon thet he makede cumen . . . in heaved sunne, Likewise [there is the story] of the holy man that he made (or, forced to) come home in order to distribute his father's money to the needy and to the poor, so long (i.e., he stayed at home so long), that he sinned mortally with (lit., on) a woman, and so fell into despair, and died in capital sin.

570-71 Of mon the speketh with ow . . . ne bichearre, From the person who recites to you such tales (i.e., the author?), hear (imper.) how you ought to protect yourselves against this devil's wiles, so that he does not deceive you.

572-74 Sum of ow sum-chearre . . . then rihtwisnesse, He made some of you sometimes believe that it were (i.e., would be) flattery if she spoke politely, and if she humbly complained of her needs, if she thanked a person (or, man) for his good deed - and [yet this] was more disdain (lit., over-highness) to extinguish love, than [it was] righteousness.

575-76 Sum he is umben to makien . . . thet ha dotie, He is after another (lit., some) to make [her] so quickly flee men's comfort that she [will] fall into deadly sorrow - that is, despair - or into deep thought so that she goes out of her wits (or, does foolish things - see dotie in glossary).

576-79 Sum heateth swa sunne . . . of his brethren, A certain [one] hates sin so [much] that she has disdain towards another who falls - [she] who should weep for her, and should sorely dread for such a [thing] with respect to herself, and [who ought to] say as the holy man who sighed and wept and said, when they told him [about] the fall of one of his brothers.

579-80 "Ille hodie, ego cras," "He today, I tomorrow" (The Lives of the Desert Fathers 7.16).

580-81 "Wei-la-wei . . . fallen to-marhen," "He was severely tempted before he fell so. As he fell today, I may," he said, "also fall tomorrow."

582-83 ow i-nempnet . . . with i-temptet, named for you under [the headings of] the seven sins - not, though, the thousand-fold [ones] that one is tempted with.

583-84 Ne mahte - ich wene . . . nempnin, No one - I expect - could name them specifically (lit., namely).

584-86 Ah i theo the beoth i-seid . . . other-hwile i-temptet, But in those which are mentioned (lit., said), all are locked (i.e., contained). There are few in this world, or none perhaps, who are not tempted by some of them sometime (hare = genitive pl., dependent on sum).

586-89 He haveth se monie . . . on ende undervo, He has so many boxes full of his medicines, the wicked doctor (lit., leech) of hell - whoever refuses one, he offers another up straight-away, the third, the fourth, and so on (lit., ever further) until he comes upon such [a medicine] that is accepted in the end (lit., which one accepts).

589-91 Ant he thenne with thet birleth . . . th'refter the salve, And he then plies him often with that - think (imper.) here of the number of his ampoules (or, phials)! Hear now, as I promised, [about] the many kinds of comfort against all temptations, and with God's grace (i.e., and if God gives me the ability), after that the remedy.

592-93 Siker beo of fondunge . . . mare windes, Let her be sure of temptation (i.e., sure that she will be tempted), whoever stands (stont = reduced form of stondeth) in the high life - and this is the first comfort. For the higher the tower, the more winds [it] has (lit., for ever so higher the tower, so [it] has more winds).

593-95 Ye beoth tur ow-seolven . . . of ow to other, You are tower[s] yourselves, my dear sisters, but do not fear (lit., dread) while you are so securely and firmly cemented with the lime (i.e., mortar) of resolute love, each of you to the other.

595-97 For na deofles puf . . . thurh the feond wursi, For you need fear no devil's puff (or, blast) unless the mortar fails - that is to say, unless love between you worsens because of the enemy (or, fiend).

597-99 Sone se ei unlimeth hire . . . sum suti sunne, As soon as anyone uncements (or, unsticks) herself, she is (or, will be) immediately swept away; unless (lit., but if) the others hold her, she will be immediately cast down as is the loose stone from the tower's summit (or, crown - see tur in glossary) into the deep ditch of some sooty (or, filthy) sin.

600-01 Nu an-other elne . . . ha beoth i-wunnen, Now another strength ought to comfort you much when you are tempted: the tower is not attacked (lit., assailed), nor castle nor city, when (i.e., after) they are won.

601-03 Alswa the helle weorrur . . . he naveth nawt, Likewise, the warrior of hell does not assail any[one] with temptation whom he has in his hand (i.e., power), but does [so to] those whom he does not have [in his power].

603-04 For-thi, leove sustren . . . beo biwunnen, For this reason, dear sisters, whosoever is not attacked, she may be sorely afraid lest (i.e., in case) she be conquered.

605-07 The thridde cunfort is . . . into fondunge, The third comfort is that our Lord Himself in the Paternoster (i.e., Lord's prayer) teaches us to pray, "And lead us not into temptation" (Matthew 6:13, Luke 11:4) - that is, "Lord Father, do not allow the fiend to lead us (lit., that he lead us) entirely into temptation."

607-10 Lo, neometh yeme! . . . with skiles yettunge, Look, pay (lit., take) attention! He does not want that we pray that we not be tempted, for that (i.e., temptation) is our purgatory, our cleansing fire, but [he wants us to pray] that we not be completely brought into it (lit., therein) with the consent of [our] heart, [or] with the reason's permission.

611 The feorthe frovre . . . ayein, The fourth comfort is confidence of God's help in the fighting against (i.e., resistance).

612-13 Fidelis est Deus . . . quam pati possumus, set et cetera, "God is faithful, who does not allow us to be tempted more than we can bear, but" etc. (adapted freely from 1 Corinthians 10:13).

613-14 Nule he neaver suffrin . . . we mahen tholien, He will never allow that the devil tempt us over that [which] he sees well that we can bear.

615 he haveth i-set . . . mearke, He has set the devil a limit.

616-17 Ant swa feor he yeveth . . . gan a pricke, And so far (i.e., up to this point) He gives her strength to withstand; the enemy cannot go one prick (or, jot) further.

618 frovre, comfort; don, do to.

619-20 Thet wes wel i-schawet . . . ant seiden, That was well revealed (lit., shown) as the Gospel tells, when the devils which our Lord cast out of a man begged and said.

620 Si eicitis nos hinc . . . in porcos, "If you drive us out from here, send us into the pigs" (adapted from Matthew 8:31, see also Mark 5:12 and Luke 8:33).

621-22 "Yef thu heonne drivest us . . . yettede ham," "'If you drive us away from here (lit., hence), put us in these swine here,' who were wandering (lit., went) there as one herd. And he granted [it] to them."

622-23 Lo, hu ha ne mahten nawt . . . adrenchen ham-seolven, Look, how they could not harass [even] filthy pigs without His permission. And the pigs immediately ran a gallop (or, ran violently) to the sea to drown themselves.

624-26 Seinte Marie! . . . nimeth neaver yeme! St. Mary! he (i.e., this demon) stank so to the pigs that [it] was preferable to them to drown themselves than to bear (or, carry) him, and a wretched sinful [person], bears God's likeness in his breast (or, heart) and never pays [the least] attention!

626-28 Al thet he dude . . . deofles neddre, For everything that he (i.e., the devil) did to Job, he always got permission for it from our Lord. See (i.e., Make sure) that you know the story in [Gregory's] Dialogues, how the holy man was wont (i.e., accustomed) to speak to the devil's serpent.

628-29 Si licenciam accepisti, ego non prohibeo, "If you have received permission, I do not forbid you" (Gregory, Dialogues 3.16 [PL 77.257]).

629-30 do sting yef thu maht . . . yef bileave him trukede, "make a sting (i.e., sting - imper.) if you can" - and [he] offered up his cheek. But he (i.e., the serpent) did not then have any (i.e., any permission) except to frighten him, [to see] if [his] belief would fail him.

630-32 Ant hwen Godd yeveth him leave . . . grevi sare? And when God gives him (i.e., the devil) permission [to perpetrate temptations] on his beloved children, why is it except for their great benefit, [even] though it grieves (or, agonizes) them sorely?

633 tholeth, allows.

634-37 flith from him ant hut hire . . . ehnen, flies away from him (or, it) and hides (hut = reduced form of hudeth) herself, and lets him sit alone and look longingly (or, yearningly) about, lets him cry, "Mother! Mother!" and [lets him] weep a while - and then with arms spread [wide she] leaps out laughing, hugs and kisses [him] and wipes his eyes.

637-40 Swa ure Laverd let us ane i-wurthen . . . for muche luve, Just so, our Lord lets us be alone sometimes, and withdraws His grace, His comfort, and His strength, so that we [can] find sweetness in nothing that we do well, nor savor (i.e., relish) of heart, and nevertheless in that very situation our Lord does not love us any the less, but does it because of great love.

641 tha, when; Non me derelinquas usquequaque, "Do not forsake me utterly" (Psalm 118:8).

641-42 "Allunge . . . leaf thu me nawt," "Completely," he said, "[O] Lord, do not leave me."

642-43 Lo, hu he walde . . . other-hwiles, Look (lit., lo!) how he wanted Him to leave him (lit., that He [should] leave him), but not completely. And note six reasons why God withdraws himself for our good sometimes.

643-45 An is thet we ne pruden . . . ure wacnesse, The first (lit., one) is so that we not become proud; a second [reason], that we know our own feebleness, our great lack of strength and our weakness.

645 swithe muche god, a very great good.

646 Magna perfectio . . . inperfectionis cognitio, "Great perfection is the recognition of one's imperfection" (not found in Gregory's known works).

647 to cnawen wel his wrecchehead ant his wacnesse, to know well his wretchedness and his weakness.

647-48 Ecclesiasticus: Intemptatus qualia scit? Ecclesiasticus: "What kind of things does the untempted (or, untested) person know?" (adapted from Ecclesiasticus 34:9).

648 "Hwet wat he . . . the thet is unfondet?" "What does he know, says Solomon, he who (lit., who that) is untempted?"

649-51 Melior est animus . . . et terrarum fundamenta, "The spirit to which its own weakness is known (i.e., which knows its own weakness) is better than [the spirit] which examines the heights of the heavens and the foundations of the earth" (Augustine, Concerning the Trinity 4.1 [PL 42.885, 887]).

651-52 "Betere is the the truddeth . . . hu deop the eorthe," "Better is he who tracks down and seeks out his own feebleness effectively, than he who measures how high heaven is and how deep the earth."

653-54 Hwen twa beoreth a burtherne . . . hu hit weieth, When two [people] carry a burden, and the second [one] leaves it (i.e., lets it go), then he who holds it up can feel how [much] it weighs.

654-57 Alswa, leove suster . . . yef he is to longe, Just so, dear sister, while (or, as long as) God carries your temptation with you, you never know how heavy it is, and for this reason sometimes He leaves you alone, so that you may understand your own feebleness and call for His help, and cry loudly for Him if He is [away] too long.

657-59 Hald hit wel the hwile up . . . he is to edwiten, Hold it (i.e., the burden of temptation) up well in the meantime, [even though] it torment you [ever] so sorely (i.e., however badly it taxes you). Whosoever is sure (or, confident) of help, which will come soon to him (i.e., whoever is confident that help will come soon to him), and yields up (yelt = reduced form of yeldeth) nevertheless his castle to his enemies - he is very much to blame (or, be blamed).

660 fondunge, temptation.

660-62 seh bi west . . . bi esten! saw in the west so great an army of devils [coming] against him, and lost, because of [his] great fear, the strength of his belief, until the other [one] said to him, "Look," he said, "to the east!"

662 Plures nobiscum sunt quam cum illis, "There are many more with us than with them" (The Lives of the Desert Fathers 5.18).

662-63 "we habbeth ma . . . on ure halve," "we have more than they are (i.e., have) to help on our side."

663-65 ne beo al siker . . . streonith inobedience, [should] never be completely confident, for confidence breeds carelessness and arrogance, and both these breed disobedience.

665-66 The feorthe acheisun . . . efter his moder, There is a fourth reason why our Lord hides (hut = reduced form of hudeth) Himself - so that that you should seek Him more eagerly and call and weep for Him as the little baby does for its (or, his) mother.

667-69 thet tu his yein-cume . . . his leofmon, that you receive His return (lit., again-coming) the more gladly. The sixth - that you afterwards may guard (or, keep) Him the more wisely when you have caught Him, hold [Him] the more firmly, and say with His leman (i.e., lover).

669 Tenui eum nec dimittam, "I have held Him fast, nor will I give [Him] up (or, let Him go)" (Song of Songs 3:4).

670-71 beoth under the seste frovre . . . ayeines fondunge, are under [the heading of] the sixth comfort which you can have, my dear sisters, against temptation.

672-73 alle the hali halhen . . . ure Laverd, all the holy saints were furiously tempted. Take one of the highest [saints] first of all (alre = genitive pl.): our Lord said to St. Peter.

673-74 Ecce, Sathan expetivit vos . . . sicut triticum, et cetera, "Lo, Satan desires [to have] you so that he may sift you like wheat," etc. (Luke 22:31).

675-76 yeorne abuten for-te ridli the . . . allunge ne trukie, eagerly about [his work] to sift you out from my chosen [ones]. But I have besought (i.e., interceded, prayed) for you so that your belief may not completely fail.

676-77 Seint Pawel hefde . . . pricunge, St. Paul had, as he says himself, a pricking of [his] flesh (i.e., a thorn in his flesh).

677 Datus est michi stimulus carnis mee, "A goad (or, sting) in my flesh was given to me" (2 Corinthians 12:7).

677-78 ant bed ure Laverd . . . ah seide, and [he] asked our Lord eagerly that He [might] take it from him, and He would not, but said.

678-79 Sufficit tibi gratia mea: virtus in infirmitate perficitur, "My grace is sufficient for you: strength is perfected in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

679 wite the . . . overcumen, protect you [so] that you [will] not be overcome.

680 mihte, might (or, power).

680-81 Alle the othre beoth i-crunet . . . feht of fondunge, All the other [saints] are crowned through (or, by means of) the struggle against temptation (lit., fight of temptation).

681-84 Seinte Sare . . . ah this wes hire bone, St. Sarah - was she not tempted for fully thirteen years in her flesh (or, body)? But because she knew that in great anguish, great reward would arise (lit., arose), she did not want ever once to beseech our Lord that He would completely deliver her of it (lit., thereof), but this was her prayer.

684 Domine, da michi virtutem resistendi, "Lord, give me strength of resisting (i.e., to resist)" (see The Lives of the Desert Fathers 5.10-11); yef, give.

685-88 Efter threottene yer . . . mi Laverd, After thirteen years the accursed spirit which had tempted her came, black as a Moor (lit., black man), and began to wail, "Sarah, you have overcome me!" And she answered him, "you lie," she said, "foul thing! Not I, but Jesus Christ my Lord has [overcome you]."

688-90 Lo, the sweoke . . . to Godes strengthe, Look, the traitor (or, deceiver), how he wanted to make her leap into pride at last (or, in the end). But she was well aware of that (lit., thereof) and turned (i.e., assigned) all the triumph (lit., mastery) to God's strength.

690 witen, know.

691-92 i-pruvede to treowe champiuns . . . crune, tried (or, proven) as true champions, and so by right [they] deserved the crown of champions.

693-94 Ant this is the eahtuthe elne . . . fur of fondunge, And this is the eighth strength (or, comfort) - that just as the goldsmith purifies gold in the fire, just so does God [purify] the soul in the fire of temptation.

695-98 greveth the sare . . . sunne, tortures you grievously, you torture him a hundred times more grievously (lit., sorely) when you stand against [him], for three reasons particularly. The first is that he loses, as Origen says, his strength to tempt thereafter ever again with such manner [of] sin.

698-703 The other is thet . . . murhthen, The second is that he further increases his punishment (or, pain). The third gnaws at his heart with terrible anger and vexation that he, damn his teeth (i.e., despite himself), increases your reward in the temptation which you stand against, and instead of (lit., for) the punishment that he expected to draw you toward, [he] weaves (lit., braids) you a crown of bliss - and not only one or two, but as many times as you overcome him, [he weaves] as many crowns - that is to say, so many honors of various joys.

703 swa, thus, so.

704 Quotiens vincis, totiens coronaberis, "As often as you conquer, so often you will be crowned" (Bernard, Sermons for Quadragesima 5.3 [PL 183.179]).

704-07 The tale i Vitas Patrum . . . slep swithe! The story in The Lives of the [Desert] Fathers witnesses (or, confirms) the same [thing], [the story] of the disciple who sat before his master and his master fell (lit., became) asleep while he taught him and slept until midnight when he awoke: "Are you," he said, "still here? Go and sleep at once (lit., quickly)!"

707-10 The hali mon, his meistre . . . this ilke niht ofsarvet, The holy man, his master, fell back asleep at once like a person who had been before that (lit., there-before) on a great vigil (i.e., one who had been awake for a long time), and [he] saw a very beautiful place and [saw] a throne set out, and on it seven crowns, and [there] came a voice and said: "your disciple has earned this seat and these crowns this very night."

710-12 Ant te hali mon abreaid . . . sete bivore me? And the holy man started [out of his sleep] and called him to him. "Tell [me]," he said, "how it went (lit., stood) [with] you while you sat before me as I slept?"

712-14 "Ich thohte, " . . . nalde bute leave,
" "I often thought," he said," that I would wake you up, but (lit., and) because you slept [so] sweetly, I could not [wake you] for pity. And then I thought to go away to sleep, for [it] pleased me (or, I wanted to), but (lit., and) did not want to without permission."

714-15 "Hu ofte, " . . . seide he, "How often," said his master, "did you thus overcome your thought (or, intention)?" "Seven times," he said.

715 Tha, Then.

716-17 seove cunne blissen . . . him-seolven, seven kinds of joy that his disciple had earned on each single occasion that he opposed (or, contradicted) the fiend, and overcame (or, mastered) himself.

718 Al thus, leove sustren . . . the biyete, Exactly in this way (lit., completely thus), dear sisters, in wrestling (or, struggling) with temptation, a benefit mounts up for you.

718-19 Nemo coronabitur . . . certaverit, "No one will be crowned unless he has properly struggled" (slightly altered from 2 Timothy 2:5).

719-21 "Ne schal nan . . . the feond of helle," "None will be crowned," says St. Paul, "except whoever strongly and truly (or, faithfully) fights against the world, against himself, [and] against the fiend (lit., enemy) of hell."

721-24 Theo fehteth treoweliche . . . ne prokie hit se swithe, They fight faithfully who, howsoever they are attacked with these three adversaries - especially by the flesh - whatever the desire [may] be, the more furious it is (lit., so it is more furious), the more firmly [they] struggle against [it], and deny the granting of (or, giving in to) it with a resolute heart, [even if] it goad [them] ever so powerfully.

724-25 Theo the thus doth . . . honginde o rode, Those who do (or, act) thus are Jesus Christ's comrades, for they do as He did [while He was] hanging on the Cross.

726 Cum gustasset acetum, noluit bibere, "When he had tasted the vinegar, he did not want to drink" (based on Matthew 27:34).

726-27 "he smahte thet bittre drunch . . . ofthurst were," "He tasted that bitter drink and drew Himself back immediately, and did]not want to drink it though he was very thirsty."

727-29 Heo is, the swa deth . . . his healewi to drinken, She, who does so (i.e., acts like this), is with God on His Cross, [even] though she thirst in desire (lit., [it] thirsts to her in the desire), and the devil offers her his sweet medicine to drink.

729-30 Understonde ant thenche . . . to beon i-attret, Understand and think nevertheless that there is gall under[neath] (i.e., hidden in with the sweet medicine). And though it is (lit., be) a torture, [it] is better to suffer thirst than to be poisoned.

730-32 Let lust overgan . . . bitterliche smeorten, Let desire pass over, and it will please you (i.e., you will be satisfied) afterwards. While the itching lasts it seems good to rub (i.e., scratch), though afterwards (lit., thereafter) one feels it smarting (lit., to smart) bitterly.

732-35 Wei-la-wei! . . . ne nimeth neaver yeme, Alas! And many a one is so very, very thirsty because of the great heat, moreover, that while she drinks that drink, be it ever so bitter (i.e., no matter how bitter it may be), she does not ever detect it, but gulps [it] in greedily (lit., gluttonously), nor [does she] ever notice it (lit., take care, notice).

735-37 Hwen hit is al over . . . beste thenne, When it is all gone (lit., over), [she] spits (spit = reduced form of spitteth) and shakes [her] head, starts to wrinkle her nose and make a terrible face - but [it is] too late then! Nevertheless, after evil, penitence is good. It is the best [thing] then.

737-38 Speowen hit anan ut . . . wule death breden, Spew (or, vomit - imper.) it out immediately in confession to the priest. For, [if you] leave it within, it will breed death.

738-40 For-thi, mine leove sustren . . . secheth theose salven, For this reason, my dear sisters, be aware (or, wary) before[hand], and after the comforts for all temptations which are written (or, described) here seek (imper. - i.e., you will find) these remedies (or, medicines).

741-44 ant nomeliche ayein fleschliche . . . thet hire stont stronge, and especially against fleshly (or, carnal) [temptations] - [there are] cures and remedies under God's grace: holy meditations, heartfelt (lit., inward) and continual, and anguished prayers, strong belief, reading, fasts, vigils, and physical toil (lit., bodily toils), the comfort of another [person] to talk to in the very moment that things are going badly (lit., [it] stands strongly or severely to her).

744-46 Eadmodnesse . . . beon i-wundet, Humility, generosity of heart, and all good virtues are arms (or, weapons) in this fight, and constancy of love above all the others. Whoever throws his weapons away wants to be wounded (lit., [it] pleases him to be wounded).

747-48 Hali meditatiuns . . . mine leove sustren, Holy meditations are contained (or, embraced) in a verse that was taught to you a long time ago, my dear sisters.

749-50 Mors tua, mors . . . figantur mente fideli, "[May] your death, the death of Christ, the disgrace of sin, the joys of heaven, / The terror of judgment be fixed in the [your] faithful mind" (source unidentified).

752-57 Thench ofte with sar . . . his god deden, Think often with sorrow on your sins, / Think of hell's misery, of heaven-kingdom's joys, / Think of your own death, of God's death on the Cross - / Remember (or, call to mind) often the grim judgment of Doomsday. / Think how false the world is, what sort are her (i.e., the world's) rewards, / Think what you owe God for His good deeds.

758 Euch-an of theose word . . . wel i-openet, Each one of these words would want (i.e., require) a long time to be well opened (i.e., explained).

759-62 Ah yef ich hihi forth-ward . . . schaweth ham forth as schadewe, But if I rush (lit., hie) forward, you [should] pause the longer. I [will] say one word (i.e., thing): after your sins, whensoever you think of hell's misery, and of heaven-kingdom's joys, understand that God wanted in some way to show them to men in this world by [means of] worldly pains and worldly joys, and [He] shows them forth (i.e., reveals them) as a shadow.

763-64 For na lickre ne beoth . . . hit is of schadewe, For they are no more like (lit., liker unto) the joy of heaven, or to the misery of hell than is a shadow like the thing of which it is a shadow.

764-66 Ye beoth over this worldes sea . . . the hehe brugge, You are over the sea of this world, upon the bridge of heaven - look [to it] that you be not like the skittish horse which is terrified (or, shies) because of a shadow, and falls down into the water from the high bridge.

766-68 To childene ha beoth . . . bute schadewe, They are too childish who flee [from] a painting which seems to them grisly and horrific to look at. Misery and joy in this world - all is [nothing] but painting, all is [nothing] but shadow.

769-73 Nawt ane hali meditatiuns . . . arearet i the heorte, Not only holy meditations - such as [those] on our Lord, and on all His works, and on all His words, on the dear Lady and on all holy saints - but other thoughts have helped sometimes in continual temptations; four kinds especially, [are helpful] to those who are assailed by the temptations of the flesh continually: 1) fearful, 2) wonderful (or, astounding), 3) joyful, and 4) sorrowful [thoughts] - [thoughts] voluntarily raised up in the heart without compulsion.

773-75 As thenchen hwet tu waldest don . . . i the fondunge, Think (as not translated) what you would do if you saw the devil of hell (then = declined def. art. - see glossary) stand openly before you and gaping wide upon you, as he does secretly (or, in a concealed way) in the temptation.

775-77 Yef me yeide . . . dredfule thohtes, [What would you do] if [some]one yelled, "Fire! Fire!" that the church was burning (lit., burned). [What would you do] if you heard burglars break [down] your walls - these and other such dreadful thoughts.

777-79 Wunderfule ant gleadfule . . . thet tu withstode, Wonderful (or, astounding) and joyful [thoughts]: as if you saw Jesus Christ and heard Him ask you what would be most desirable to you - after your salvation and [that of] your dearest friend - of things in this life, and [heard Him] offer you to choose provided that you withstood.

780-81 Yef thu sehe al witerliche . . . bihalde the ane, If you saw quite plainly the inhabitants of heaven and the inhabitants of hell watching you alone in [your] temptation.

781-82 Yef me come ant talde the . . . alle othre swucche, If they (lit., one) came and told you that the man that is dearest to you (te = reduced form of the), by some miracle, [such] as by the voice of heaven, were elected to Pope - and all other such [thoughts].

783-85 Wunderfule ant sorhfule . . . in hare hus forbearnde, Astounding and sorrowful [thoughts]: as if you heard tell that the man who is most dear to you were suddenly drowned, killed, or murdered, that your sisters were burned up in their house.

785-86 Thulliche thohtes ofte . . . of the othre earre, Such thoughts often wrench out (or, drive away) fleshly (or, carnal) temptations in fleshly souls sooner than some of the other earlier [thoughts do].

786-89 In-warde, ant meadlese, ant ancrefule . . . duteth ham swithe, Deeply felt (lit., Inward) and continuous and anchor-like prayers soon win succor (i.e., aid) and help from our Lord against the flesh's temptations - be they ever so (i.e., no matter if the prayers are) anguished or [on the other hand] so badly executed, the devil of hell is afraid of them very much.

789-90 For teke thet ha draheth adun sucurs . . . bindeth him ant bearneth, For besides [the fact] that they draw down aid against him, and God's [helping] hand from heaven - they do him two injuries: bind and burn him.

791-95 Lo, her preove . . . thider ten dahes fulle, Look, here [is the] proof of both: Publius, a holy man, was in his prayers and the fiend came flying through the air and was supposed to (lit., should) [go] toward the extreme western part of the world, by Julian's [the emperor's] command, and (i.e., but) was bound tightly by the holy man's prayers, which overtook him as they flew upwards toward heaven, [so] that he could not [go] hither or thither (i.e., to or fro) for fully ten days.

795-97 Nabbe ye alswa of Ruffin . . . wes i benen, Do not you also have [the story] of Ruffin the devil, Belial's brother, in your English book of St. Margaret? Concerning the second [devil] (i.e., Belial), one reads that he cried out loudly to St. Bartholomew who was much in prayers.

797-98 Incendunt me orationes tue! "Your prayers are burning me!" (see Pseudo-Bede, "Concerning St. Bartholomew," Homilies 2.90 [PL 94.490-91]).

798 wa me! woe [is] me!; Thine beoden forbearneth me! Your prayers are burning me up!

798-800 Hwa-se mei thurh Godes yeove . . . for swa we redeth, Whosoever can by God's gift have tears in [her] prayers, she can do with God all that she ever wants, for so we read.

800 Oratio lenit . . . illa pungit, "Prayer softens, tears (lit., a tear) compel; the former soothes (lit., anoints), the latter stings" (source unidentified).

801-03 Eadi bone softeth . . . al thet ha easkith, "A holy prayer softens and pleases our Lord, but tears do Him violence. Prayers anoint (or, soothe) Him with soft flattery (or, persuasion), but tears prick Him," nor do [they] ever give Him peace before He grants them all that they ask.

803-06 Hwen me asa[i]leth burhes . . . thet Davith segge bi the, When one assails (or, attacks) towns or a castle, those within pour out scalding water, and thus protect the walls. And you do likewise (imper.) as often as the fiend assails your castle and your soul's town (or, city): with inward (i.e., heartfelt) prayers cast out upon him scalding tears, [so] that David may say concerning you.

807 Contribulasti capita draconum in aquis, "You have crushed the heads of dragons in the waters" (Psalm 73:13).

807-08 thu havest forscaldet . . . hate teares, "You have scalded the dragon's head badly with boiling water" - that is, with hot tears.

808-09 Thear as this weater is . . . he beo forscaldet, Wherever (as not translated) this water is, surely the fiend flees lest (or, for fear that) he be badly scalded.

809-10 Eft an-other . . . ayeines his unwines, Yet another [example]: the castle which has a ditch around [it], and water is in the ditch - the castle is quite without fear (lit., careless) against its enemies (lit., unfriends).

810-12 Castel is euch god mon . . . ye beoth strong castel, Every good man that the devil attacks (lit., wars against) is a castle. But [if] you have a deep ditch of deep humility and wet tears besides (lit., thereto), you are a strong castle.

812-14 The weorrur of helle . . . schineth the schenre, The warrior of hell may assail you long and lose his time (or, effort). Again one says (i.e., they say), and it is true, that a great wind subsides (lit., lies down) with a little rain, and the sun shines afterwards (lit., thereafter) the brighter.

814-16 Alswa a muche temptatiun . . . to the sawle, Likewise, a great temptation - that is, the fiend's gust (or, blast) - falls down (or, dies down) with one soft rain from the tears of one little word (i.e., prayer), and the true sun shines afterwards more brightly to the soul.

816-18 Thus beoth teares gode . . . ha beoth to luvien, Thus tears with deeply felt (lit., inward) prayers are good, and if you understand (i.e., have been paying attention), I have spoken concerning them here four great efficacies (or, powers), for which reason they are to [be] loved (passive inf.).

818-19 In alle ower neoden . . . toward h[e]ovene, In all your difficulties, send quickly at once this messenger (i.e., tearful prayers) toward heaven.

819-20 Oratio humiliantis se penetrat nubes, et cetera, "The prayer of one humbling himself pierces the clouds," etc. (adapted from Ecclesiasticus 35:21).

820-21 "the eadmodies bone thurleth the weolcne," "the humble [person]'s prayer pierces the clouds (lit., the welkin)."

821 Ant ter, And here (ter = reduced form of ther after preceding -t).

821-22 Magna est virtus . . . ubi caro pervenire nequit, "Great is the power of a pure conscience, which enters to God and carries through [her] commands (or, errands) where the flesh cannot come" (source unidentified).

822-26 O muchel is the mihte . . . al thet ha easketh, "Oh, great is the might of bright and pure prayer, which flies up and comes in before almighty God" - and does the errand so well that God has written all that she says into the book of life, as St. Bernard bears witness, [and He] keeps her with Himself, and sends (sent = reduced form of sendeth) down His angel to do all that she asks.

826 Nule ich her of bone segge na mare, Here I do not want to say any more about prayer.

827 Hardi bileave . . . witneth Sein Jame, Stout belief puts (lit., brings) the devil to flight immediately - St. James bears witness to that.

828 Resistite diabolo et fugiet a vobis, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

828-29 Edstont ane the feond . . . thurh hwet strengthe? "Only withstand the fiend, and he [will] put himself in flight (i.e., will flee)." Withstand - with what strength?

829-30 Cui resistite fortes in fide, "Resist him, firm in faith" (1 Peter 5:9).

830-31 beoth hardi of Godes help . . . bute of us-seolven, be sure (lit., hardy) of God's help and know how he (i.e., the devil) is weak, who has no power over us except from ourselves (i.e., unless we ourselves grant it to him).

831-33 Ne mei he bute schawin forth . . . bugge th'rof, Nor can he [do anything] but show forth (i.e., display) a certain amount of his ape wares, and cajole (or, flatter) or threaten [so] that people may buy from them (lit., thereof).

833-35 Hwether se he deth . . . o fluht swithe, Whichever he does, scorn him, laugh the old ape loudly to scorn through true faith, and he [will] hold (or, count) himself disgraced and [will] put himself to flight (lit., will flee) quickly.

835 Sancti per fidem vicerunt regna, "The saints conquered [entire] kingdoms through faith" (adapted from Hebrews 11:33).

835-37 the hali halhen . . . thurh sunne ane, "all the holy saints overcame through belief the devil's rule (or, sway)," which is [nothing] but sin, for he rules in no one except by sin alone.

837-38 Neometh nu gode yeme . . . On earst nu of prude, Pay (lit., take) good attention now how all the seven deadly sins may be put to flight through true belief. At first now, [let us say something] about pride.

839-40 Hwa halt him muchel . . . a povre meidenes breoste? Who holds (or, considers) himself great, as the proud [person] does, when he sees how small the great Lord made Himself inside a poor virgin's breast?

840-43 Hwa is ontful . . . dealde of his god, Who is envious who sees with eyes of belief how Jesus God - not for His good, but for others' good - acted and spoke, and suffered all that He suffered? The envious [person would] not desire that any[one should] share in his good (or, good things).

843-44 Ant Godd almihti yet . . . the god thet he hefde, And almighty God still, after all the other [acts], descended down to hell to seek out comrades and to share with them the good (or, good things) that He had.

844-46 Lo, nu hu frommard . . . hire bileave ehe, Look, now, how opposite (or, different) the envious are [from] our Lord. The anchoress who [would] deny a quire (i.e., a small, unbound book) to another as a loan - she [would] have the eye of her belief far away from here.

847-48 Hwa halt wreaththe . . . mon ant engel? Who keeps (or, harbors - halt = reduced form of haldeth) wrath, who sees that God descended to earth to make a threefold reconciliation (or, peace): between man and man, between God and man, betwee