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'Deme now thyself if thou con dayly
As man to God wordes schulde heve.
Thou says thou schal won in this bayly;
Me think the burde fyrst aske leve,
And yet of graunt thou myghtes fayle.
Thou wylnes over thys water to weve;
Er moste thou cever to other counsayl:
Thy corse in clot mot calder keve.
For hit was forgarte at Paradys greve;
Oure yorefader hit con mysseseme.
Thurgh drwry deth bos uch man dreve,
Er over thys dam hym Dryghtyn deme.'

'Demes thou me,' quod I, 'm swete,
To dol agayn, thenne I dowyne.
Now haf I fonte that I forlete,
Schal I efte forgo hit er ever I fyne ?
Why schal I hit both mysse and mete ?
My precios perle dos me gret pyne.
What serves tresor bot gares men grete,
When he hit schal efte wyth tenes tyne ?
Now rech I never for to declyne,
Ne how fer of folde that man me tleme.
When I am partles of perle myne,
Bot durande doel what may men deme ?'

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'Judge for yourself if, as a man,
Such words to God you e'er should say.
You think to dwell here, if you can,
First you must needs ask if you may.
And you will learn there is a ban;
To cross this stream without delay
Offends against the heavenly plan.
First, you must sink into the clay;
In Eden, man dared disobey
Because he lacked humility;
Now man through death must make his way
For God so judged. 'Tis his decree.

Am I then judged,' I said, 'my sweet,
To grieve again? Then I must pine;
To find, then lose, is loss complete.
Must I accept, my life consign
To loss and death? It is not meet
That you, my pearl, make me repine;
Gain that brings tears is mere deceit.
If I must now myself resign,
I care not how low I decline
Nor how far hence I now must flee;
My pearl is lost that once was mine,
Such judgement sorrow must decree.


Judge for yourself whether you should speak as a man such words to God. You say that you will dwell in this dominion. I think you should first ask leave, and such leave you might fail to get. You wish to pass over this stream. First you must achieve another purpose. Your body must sink cold into the ground. It was first forfeited in the Garden of Eden; our ancestors failed to guard it. Through cruel death it behoves every man to make his way, before God allows him over the water.'

Do you condemn me,' I said, 'my sweet, to grief again? Then I shall pine away. Now I have found what I had lost must I again forego it before I end [my life]? Why must I both find and lose it ? My precious pearl causes me much pain. What purpose [does] treasure serve if it causes a man to weep when he must later lose it in torment? Now I do not care how low I fall, nor how far from the land I am banished. When I am deprived of my pearl, what can that be called but lasting sorrow?

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