Balade de Bon Conseyl (Ballade of Good Council)
Tempest thee noght al croked to redresse
In trust of hir that turneth as a bal;
Gret reste stant in litel besinesse.
Be war therfore to sporne ayeyns an al,
Stryve not, as doth the crokke with the wal.
Daunte thyself, that dauntest otheres dede,
And trouthe thee shal delivere, it is no drede.
The wrastling for this world axeth a fal.
Her is non hoom, her nis but wildernesse:
Forth, pilgrim, forth! Forth, beste, out of thy stal!
Know thy contree, look up, thank God of al;
Hold the heye wey and lat thy gost thee lede,
And trouthe thee shal delivere, it is no drede.
Envoy
Therfore, thou Vache, leve thyn old wrecchednesse;
Unto the world leve now to be thral.
Crye him mercy, that of his hy goodnesse
Made thee of noght, and in especial
Draw unto him, and pray in general
For thee, and eek for other, hevenlich mede;
And trouthe thee shal delivere, it is no drede.
Explicit Le bon counseill de G. Chaucer. (Here ends the good counsel of G. Chaucer.)
Truth
Ballade of Good Counsel
Flee from the crowd and dwell with truth;
Be happy with your possessions, though they are small,
For avarice has hate, and climbing instability,
The crowd has envy, and are blind overall.
Savor no more than you shall behold,
Rule yourself well so that other folk can see,
And truth you shall deliver, there is no reason to fear.
Don't trouble yourself with fixing things that are wrong
That are in the trust of Fortune and her wheel;
Much rest stands in little work.
Beware therefore of again kicking an awl (that will wound your foot if you kick it),
Strive not as the crock does with the wall (the crock will break if it strikes a wall).
Rule yourself, and overcome others' deeds,
And truth you shall deliver, there is no reason to fear.
What you are sent, recieve with obedience;
The fighting over this world is for nothing.
This is not your home, this is nothing but wilderness:
Forth, pilgrim, forth! Forth, beast, out of your stall!
Stick to the high road and let your spirit lead you,
And truth you shall deliver, there is no reason to fear.
Envoy
Therefore, Sir Philip de la Vache, leave your old wretchedness;
Leave this world from which you are enslaved.
Cry mercy to Him, that of his goodness
Made thee out of nothing, and especially
Draw to him, and pray in general
For yourself, and also for others, heavenly rewards;
And truth you shall deliver, there is no reason to fear.
Here ends the good counsel of G. Chaucer.