Pearl - Mediaeval Baebes

The dubberment dere of down and dales

Of wode and water and wlonk plaines

Bilde in me bliss, abated my bales

Forbidden my stress, destroyed my paines

Down after a strem that drightly hales

I bowed in bliss, bredful my branes

The firre I folwed those floty vales

The more strength of joye myn herte straines

As fortune fares theras ho fraines

Whether solace ho sende other elles sore

The wye to wham hir wille ho waines

Hittes to have ay more and more

More of wele was in that wise

Than I couth telle thagh I tom hade

For erthly herte might not suffise

To the tenthe dole of tho gladness glade

For thy I thoght that paradise

Was there other gain tho bonkes brade

I hoped the water were a devise

Between mirthes by meres made

Beyonde the brook, by slent other slade

I hoped that mote inerked wore

Bot the water was depe, I dorst not wade

And ever me longed ay more and more

More and more and yet well mare

Me liste to see the brook beyonde

For if hit was fair there I can fare

Well loveloker was the firre londe

Aboute me con I stote and stare

To finde a forth faste con I fonde

Bot wothes mo ywis there ware

The firre I stalled by the stronde

And ever me thoght I shokle not wonde

For wo there weles so winne wore

Thenne newe note me com on honed

That meved my minde more and more

Translation:

The rich splendour of the downs and dales

The woods, the rivers and the fertile fields

Baised within me, joy and on to my sorrows

They dispelled my grief and destroyed my pain

I followed the fast flowing stream

My mind overflowing with exultation

And the deeper I went into those watery gorges

The more my heart pounded with

The strength of overwhelming joy

For as fortune tends, whatever she sends

To repay first circumstance in dividends

Yet moreover and more

Given all the time in the world

I could not explain all the delight I found there

A human heart has not room enough

To feel even a tenth of those joyous pleasures

Therefore I thought that paradise

Was only on the broad bank opposite

And I thought the water was only a diversion

Between two pleasure gardens made my waters

I suppose the celestial city lay

Across the brook on the other side of the sloping valley

But the water was deep and I dared not wade over

Although I longed to get across yet moreover and more

More and more and yet moreover

I yearned to see beyond the brook

For though it was beautiful where I walked

The other side was lovlier by far

I stopped and sought for a safe place to cross

But the further I looked the more dangers I found

I knew I should not hesitate

Because of any difficulty

Where joys were so intensely delightful

Then something new came to my judgement

And the wonder in my mind grew

Yet moreover and more