| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| Anonymous. c. 1300 |
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| 5. This World's Joy |
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| WYNTER wakeneth al my care, | |
| Nou this leves waxeth bare; | |
| Ofte I sike ant mourne sare | |
| When hit cometh in my thoht | |
| Of this worldes joie, hou hit goth al to noht. | 5 |
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| Nou hit is, and nou hit nys, | |
| Al so hit ner nere, ywys; | |
| That moni mon seith, soth hit ys: | |
| Al goth bote Godes wille: | |
| Alle we shule deye, thah us like ylle. | 10 |
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| Al that gren me graueth grene, | |
| Nou hit faleweth albydene: | |
| Jesu, help that hit be sene | |
| Ant shild us from helle! | |
| For y not whider y shal, ne hou longe her duelle. | 15 |
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GLOSS: this leves] these leaves. sike] sigh. nys] is not. al so hit ner nere] as though it had never been. soth] sooth. bote] but, except. thah] though. faleweth] fadeth. albydene] altogether. y not whider] I know not whither. her duelle] here dwell. |
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