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Of Him who rules earth, sea, and sky;

Who her, moreover, gloriously

Endowed with power to rescue men

From rash and foolish actions, when

To her wise word they lend their ears.

Seeing mine eyes suffused with tears,

With kindly voice thus Reason spake:

“Fair friend, ’tis youth and folly wake

Tears in thine eyes, and gladsome May

’Twas led thy tender heart astray.

Alas the chance that fell on thee,

When Idleness, who bears the key

Of these fair gardens, oped the gate,

Glad welcome gave, and sealed thy fate.

Except for her, thy heart had not

Been wrecked by love, nor in this spot

Had Mirth’s bright eyes of thee been seen.

Thy folly know’st thou now, I ween,

And while ’tis time, I charge thee turn

Thy face against it, and unlearn

The counsel that hath been to thee

As poison. Though thou foolishly

Herein hast done, thy fault is not

A thing to marvel at, God wot!

With youth ’tis aye the same. But give

To me thine ear, if thou wouldst live

Thy days in peace.

Thou must forget

Love and his wiles, which do but fret

And waste thy life.