|
Thenketh hou noble, as seith Valerius, |
| Was thilke Tullius Hostillius, |
| That out of poverte roos to heigh noblesse. |
| Reedeth Senek, and redeth eek Boece, |
| 1175 | Ther shul ye seen expres that it no drede is, |
| That he is gentil that dooth gentil dedis. |
| And therfore, leeve housbonde, I thus conclude: |
| Al were it that myne auncestres weren rude, |
| Yet may the hye God, and so hope I, |
| 1180 | Grante me grace to lyven vertuously. |
| Thanne am I gentil whan that I bigynne |
| To lyven vertuously, and weyve synne. |
| And ther as ye of poverte me repreeve, |
| The hye God, on whom that we bileeve, |
| 1185 | In wilful poverte chees to lyve his lyf. |
| And certes every man, mayden or wyf, |
| May understonde that Jesus, hevene kyng, |
| Ne wolde nat chesen vicious lyvyng. |
| Glad poverte is an honeste thyng, certeyn, |
| 1190 | This wole Senec and othere clerkes seyn. |
| Who so that halt hym payd of his poverte, |
| I holde hym riche, al hadde he nat a sherte. |
| He that coveiteth is a povre wight, |
| For he wolde han that is nat in his myght; |
| 1195 | But he that noght hath, ne coveiteth have, |
| Is riche, although ye holde hym but a knave. |
| Verray poverte, it syngeth proprely; |
| Juvenal seith of poverte myrily: |
| `The povre man, whan he goth by the weye, |
| 1200 | Bifore the theves he may synge and pleye.' |
| Poverte is hateful good, and, as I gesse, |
| A ful greet bryngere out of bisynesse; |
| A greet amender eek of sapience |
| To hym that taketh it in pacience. |
| 1205 | Poverte is this, although it seme alenge, |
| Possessioun, that no wight wol chalenge. |
| Poverte ful ofte, whan a man is lowe, |
| Maketh his God and eek hymself to knowe. |
| Poverte a spectacle is, as thynketh me, |
| 1210 | Thurgh which he may hise verray freendes see. |
| And therfore, sire, syn that I noght yow greve, |
| Of my poverte namoore ye me repreve. |
|
|
Think how noble, as says Valerius, |
| Was that same Tullius Hostilius, |
| Who out of poverty rose to high estate. |
| Seneca and Boethius inculcate, |
| 1175 | Expressly (and no doubt it thus proceeds), |
| That he is noble who does noble deeds; |
| And therefore, husband dear, I thus conclude: |
| Although my ancestors mayhap were rude, |
| Yet may the High Lord God, and so hope I, |
| 1180 | Grant me the grace to live right virtuously. |
| Then I'll be gentle when I do begin |
| To live in virtue and to do no sin. |
| And when you me reproach for poverty, |
| The High God, in Whom we believe, say I, |
| 1185 | In voluntary poverty lived His life. |
| And surely every man, or maid, or wife |
| May understand that Jesus, Heaven's King, |
| Would not have chosen vileness of living. |
| Glad poverty's an honest thing, that's plain, |
| 1190 | Which Seneca and other clerks maintain. |
| Whoso will be content with poverty, |
| I hold him rich, though not a shirt has he. |
| And he that covets much is a poor wight, |
| For he would gain what's all beyond his might, |
| 1195 | But he that has not, nor desires to have, |
| Is rich, although you hold him but a knave. |
| "True poverty, it sings right naturally; |
| Juvenal gaily says of poverty: |
| 'The poor man, when he walks along the way, |
| 1200 | Before the robbers he may sing and play.' |
| Poverty's odious good, and, as I guess, |
| It is a stimulant to busyness; |
| A great improver, too, of sapience |
| In him that takes it all with due patience. |
| 1205 | Poverty's this, though it seem misery - |
| Its quality may none dispute, say I. |
| Poverty often, when a man is low, |
| Makes him his God and even himself to know. |
| And poverty's an eye-glass, seems to me, |
| 1210 | Through which a man his loyal friends may see. |
| Since you've received no injury from me, |
| Then why reproach me for my poverty. |
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