Page:King Alfred's Version of the Consolations of Boethius.djvu/269



He the sun lends,    light out of heaven,

To moon and stars;    on earth He made men,

And brought to the body    in the beginning

The soul in union;    under the sky

Folk He created    all fully equal.

Why are you therefore    yourselves over others

Placing ever,    proud without reason,

When none you are able    to meet not noble?

Why are you boasting    now of your birth?

In the mind only    of every man lies

The real nobility    whereof I reason,

Not in the flesh    of the folk of earth.

But every mortal    that is utterly,

Merely subject    to his sinful ways,

Soonest leaves    life's Creator;

Nor does he heed    his own high nature,

No, nor the Father    that first him fashioned.

For this the Almighty    removes his honour,

So that henceforth    here in the world

He goes dishonoured,    nor comes to glory.

XVIII
Alas! that wrongful    unrighteous desire,

Frenzied lewdness    leads to this,

That of all mankind    it amazes the mind,

Of each and all men,    nearly utterly.

Lo! the wild bee    is wise of nature,

Yet must perish    all in a moment,