Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/250



The wind beneath heaven,    then soon wax

The flowers of the field,    fain to be able.

But the stiff storm-wind,    when it strongly blows

From out of the north-east,    how soon it nips

The rose's beauty! By the northern blast

The spacious ocean    is helpless spurned

Till strongly heaving    it strikes the beach.

Alas, that in the world    nothing wears

Firm and lasting    long on this earth.

VII
Then did Wisdom    follow her wont,

Glee-words chanted,    changed song for speech,

Of tales of sooth    sang yet another:

'Never on high hill    had she ever heard

That any of men    might make to stand

A roof-fast hall;    nor need any hope

To have the wit    to mingle wisdom,

To put it together    with pride overweening.

Heard you ever    that any of mortals

On hills of sand    his house could establish

Firm to last him? Nor can any mortal

Build up wisdom,    where the hill-side

Is spread with covetise. Quickly the rain

Is sucked by the sand;    so do the great ones,

With their bottomless greed    of goods and glory.

They drink to the dregs    this dross so fleeting,

Yet the thirst of their craving    is never cooled.