32
MISERIES OF THE BRAHMANS.
Þat man-kinde haþ y-mad · on molde to be vsed?
840Ȝif hit be soþ þat ȝe sain · hit semeþ , by ȝoure dedes,
Þat ȝe no giuen of no gome · no none godus trowe,
Ye are envious. Or ȝe en[u]ye to hem han · & hatien hur sondus,
For to libbe in ȝour land · as ludus aboute.
844Many wondurful wonus · wisli we knowen,
Þat ȝe amongus ȝou men · in ȝour march vsen.
Ye say that ye plough not. Ȝe telle vs þat ȝe tende nauht · to tulye þe erþe,
Ne place erie wiþ plow · no plaunte winus,
848nor build. Ne bulde boldus an hih · for burnus to wonye,
Ne non erthely note · nedfully wirchen.
In þat þou leredest me, lud, þat ȝe no land erien,
Ye have no iron. Ȝe ben exkused echon · for iren ȝou wantus,
852Where-wiþ mihte ye men · maken any boldus,
Or tren plaunten in place · or any plow dryue.
Ye have no tools. Whan ȝe mow take no tol · to tilien on erþe,
No swiche werkus to swinke · as oþur swainus vsen,
856Ye must live hard. For-þii bi-houus ȝou, haþel · harde to libbe,
& wo drie in þis word · for wante & for nede!
So mowe ȝe · ludus, ȝour lif · leden as bestus,
In gret mischef of mete · as ȝe mote nede.
860A hungry wolf must eat the earth. Ȝe witen wel, whan a wolf · wanteþ [h]is fode,
Þat he ne fundeþ no flech · to feden him vppe,
Of þe erþe he et · for ellus he scholde
863Be wiþ hungur y-holde · & happily sterue.
Þanne mowe ȝe weies to þe wolf · ful wel ben y-likned;
Ye have to do the same. Þat, for ȝe finde no fode · as oþur folk vsen,
Swich hungur as ȝe han · by houus ȝou þolie,
840Ȝif hit be soþ þat ȝe sain · hit semeþ , by ȝoure dedes,
Þat ȝe no giuen of no gome · no none godus trowe,
Ye are envious. Or ȝe en[u]ye to hem han · & hatien hur sondus,
For to libbe in ȝour land · as ludus aboute.
844Many wondurful wonus · wisli we knowen,
Þat ȝe amongus ȝou men · in ȝour march vsen.
Ye say that ye plough not. Ȝe telle vs þat ȝe tende nauht · to tulye þe erþe,
Ne place erie wiþ plow · no plaunte winus,
848nor build. Ne bulde boldus an hih · for burnus to wonye,
Ne non erthely note · nedfully wirchen.
In þat þou leredest me, lud, þat ȝe no land erien,
Ye have no iron. Ȝe ben exkused echon · for iren ȝou wantus,
852Where-wiþ mihte ye men · maken any boldus,
Or tren plaunten in place · or any plow dryue.
Ye have no tools. Whan ȝe mow take no tol · to tilien on erþe,
No swiche werkus to swinke · as oþur swainus vsen,
856Ye must live hard. For-þii bi-houus ȝou, haþel · harde to libbe,
& wo drie in þis word · for wante & for nede!
So mowe ȝe · ludus, ȝour lif · leden as bestus,
In gret mischef of mete · as ȝe mote nede.
860A hungry wolf must eat the earth. Ȝe witen wel, whan a wolf · wanteþ [h]is fode,
Þat he ne fundeþ no flech · to feden him vppe,
Of þe erþe he et · for ellus he scholde
863Be wiþ hungur y-holde · & happily sterue.
Þanne mowe ȝe weies to þe wolf · ful wel ben y-likned;
Ye have to do the same. Þat, for ȝe finde no fode · as oþur folk vsen,
Swich hungur as ȝe han · by houus ȝou þolie,
contra nos. Dixistis siquidem; Non aratis, non funditis semina, et non scinditis vites aut arbores plantatis. Edificia fabricare non vultis. Manifesta ratio est, quia ferramenta quibus laborare possetis penitus indigetis. Unde laborare, nauigare, construere, et seminare uobis, [ed. nobis] omni modo [ed. mode] denegatur. Ideo pascentes herbas oportet vot vt pecora vitam ducere aridam et agrestem, quia frumenta, nec carnes, nec pisces, habere potestis. Nonne lupi hoc faciunt, qui cum nequeunt carnibus saturari de terre penuria saturabuntur? Quot si liceret vobis ingredi terram nostram,
