Geoffrey Chaucer

“ Water! Water! Help, for Goddes herte!"
"Help! Water! Water! Help, for God's heart!"
3816
This carpenter out of his slomber sterte,
This carpenter woke suddenly out of his slumber,
3817
And herde oon crien "water!" as he were wood,
And heard someone cry "water!" as if he were crazy,
3818
And thoughte, "Allas, now comth Nowelis flood!"
And thought, "Alas, now comes Nowell's flood!"
3819
He sit hym up withouten wordes mo,
He sits up without more words,
3820
And with his ax he smoot the corde atwo,
And with his ax he smote the cord in two,
3821
And doun gooth al ”

“ To climb by the rungs and the uprights
3626
Unto the tubbes hangynge in the balkes,
Unto the tubs hanging in the beams,
3627
And hem vitailled, bothe trogh and tubbe,
And provisioned them, both trough and tub,
3628
With breed, and chese, and good ale in a jubbe,
With bread, and cheese, and good ale in a jug,
3629
Suffisynge right ynogh as for a day.
Sufficing just enough for a day. ”

“ This Nicholas anon leet fle a fart
This Nicholas immediately let fly a fart
3807
As greet as it had been a thonder-dent,
As great as if it had been a thunder-bolt,
3808
That with the strook he was almoost yblent;
So that with the stroke he was almost blinded;
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And he was redy with his iren hoot,
And he was ready with his hot iron,
3810
And Nicholas amydde the ers he smoot. ”

“ I may nat ete na moore than a mayde."
I can eat no more than a maiden."
3708
"Go fro the wyndow, Jakke fool," she sayde;
"Go from the window, you idiot," she said;
3709
"As help me God, it wol nat be `com pa me.'
"So help me God, it will not be `come kiss me.'
3710
I love another -- and elles I were to blame --
I love another -- and else I were to blame --
3711
Wel bet than thee, by Jhesu, Absolon.
Well better than thee, by Jesus, Absolon.
3712
Go forth thy wey, or I wol caste a ston,
Go forth thy way, or I will cast a stone,
3713
And lat me slepe, a twenty devel wey!" ”

“ Very fair and thick are the laces set.
3323
And therupon he hadde a gay surplys
And over that he had a gay surplice
3324
As whit as is the blosme upon the rys.
As white as is the blossom upon the branch.
3325
A myrie child he was, so God me save.
A merry lad he was, so save me God.
3326
Wel koude he laten blood, and clippe and shave,
Well could he draw blood, and cut hair and shave,
3327
And maken a chartre of lond or acquitaunce. ”

“ Thanne kysse me, syn it may be no bet,
Then kiss me, since it can be no better,
3717
For Jhesus love, and for the love of me."
For Jesus' love, and for the love of me."
3718
"Wiltow thanne go thy wey therwith?" quod she.
"Wilt thou then go thy way with that?" said she.
3719
"Ye, certes, lemman," quod this Absolon.
"Yes, certainly, sweetheart," said this Absolon.
3720
"Thanne make thee redy," quod she, "I come anon."
"Then make thee ready," said she, "I come right now." ”

“ That if thou betray me, thou shalt go mad."
3508
"Nay, Crist forbede it, for his hooly blood!"
"Nay, Christ forbid it, for his holy blood!"
3509
Quod tho this sely man, "I nam no labbe,
Said then this hapless man, "I am no blabbermouth,
3510
Ne, though I seye, I nam nat lief to gabbe.
And, though I say it, I do not like to gab.
3511
Sey what thou wolt, I shal it nevere telle
Say what thou will, I shall never tell it
3512
To child ne wyf, by hym that harwed helle!"
To child nor wife, by Him that rescued souls from hell!"
3513
"Now John," quod Nicholas, "I wol nat lye ”

“ For it is Goddes owene heeste deere.
For it is God's own dear command.
3589
"Thy wyf and thou moote hange fer atwynne,
"Thy wife and thou must hang far apart,
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For that bitwixe yow shal be no synne,
So that between yow shall be no sin,
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Namoore in lookyng than ther shal in deede.
No more in looking than there shall be in deed.
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This ordinance is seyd. Go, God thee speede!
This ordinance is said. Go, God give thee success! ”

“ And said, "I am a lord in every way;
3725
For after this I hope ther cometh moore.
For after this I hope there comes more.
3726
Lemman, thy grace, and sweete bryd, thyn oore!"
Sweetheart, thy grace, and sweet bird, thy mercy!"
3727
The wyndow she undoth, and that in haste.
The window she undoes, and that in haste.
3728
"Have do," quod she, "com of, and speed the faste,
"Get done with it," said she, "come on, and hurry up,
3729
Lest that oure neighebores thee espie."
Lest our neighbors espy thee." ”

“ Lo, which a greet thyng is affeccioun! ”

“ What! Thynk on God, as we doon, men that swynke."
What! Think on God, as we do, men who work."
3492
This Nicholas answerde, "Fecche me drynke,
This Nicholas answered, "Fetch me drink,
3493
And after wol I speke in pryvetee
And after will I speak in private
3494
Of certeyn thyng that toucheth me and thee.
About a certain matter that concerns me and thee.
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I wol telle it noon oother man, certeyn."
I will tell it to no other man, certainly." ”

“ And seyde, "Abyd, Robyn, my leeve brother;
And said, "Wait, Robin, my dear brother;
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Som bettre man shal telle us first another.
Some better man shall first tell us another.
3131
Abyd, and lat us werken thriftily."
Wait, and let us act properly."
3132
"By Goddes soule," quod he, "that wol nat I;
"By God's soul," said he, "that will not I;
3133
For I wol speke or elles go my wey."
For I will speak or else go my way."
3134
Oure Hoost answerde, "Tel on, a devel wey!
Our Host answered, "Tell on, in the devil's name!
3135
Thou art a fool; thy wit is overcome."
Thou art a fool ”

“ And sitten there, abidyng Goddes grace.
And sit there, awaiting God's grace.
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Go now thy wey; I have no lenger space
Go now thy way; I have no more time
3597
To make of this no lenger sermonyng.
To make of this any longer preaching.
3598
Men seyn thus, `sende the wise, and sey no thyng.'
Men say thus, `send the wise, and say nothing.'
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Thou art so wys, it needeth thee nat teche.
Thou art so wise, one needs not teach thee. ”

“ Very true is this proverb, it is no lie,
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Men seyn right thus: "Alwey the nye slye
Men say right thus: "Always the nearby sly one
3393
Maketh the ferre leeve to be looth."
Makes the distant loved one to be disliked." ”

“ Tasseled with silk and perled with latoun.
Tasseled with silk and ornamented with latten "pearls."
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In al this world, to seken up and doun,
In all this world, to seek up and down,
3253
There nys no man so wys that koude thenche
There is no man so wise that he could imagine
3254
So gay a popelote or swich a wenche. ”

“ And to himself he said, "I shall pay thee back."
3747
Who rubbeth now, who froteth now his lippes
Who rubs now, who now scrubs his lips
3748
With dust, with sond, with straw, with clooth, with chippes,
With dust, with sand, with straw, with cloth, with chips,
3749
But Absolon, that seith ful ofte, "Allas!"
But Absolon, who says very often, "Alas!"
3750
"My soule bitake I unto Sathanas,
"My soul I entrust to Satan,
3751
But me were levere than al this toun," quod he,
If I would not rather than (have) all this town," said he,
3752
"Of this despit awroken for to be. ”

“ I woot right wel I nam but deed," quod she.
I know right well I am as good as dead," said she.
3297
"Ye moste been ful deerne, as in this cas."
"You must been very secret in this matter."
3298
"Nay, therof care thee noght," quod Nicholas.
"No, care thee not about that," said Nicholas.
3299
"A clerk hadde litherly biset his whyle,
"A clerk had badly wasted his time (studying) ,
3300
But if he koude a carpenter bigyle." ”

“ Go now thy wey, and speed thee heer-aboute.
Go now thy way, and speed thee on this business.
3563
"But whan thou hast, for hire and thee and me,
"But when thou hast, for her and thee and me,
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Ygeten us thise knedyng tubbes thre,
Got us these three kneading tubs,
3565
Thanne shaltow hange hem in the roof ful hye,
Then shalt thou hang them in the roof very high,
3566
That no man of oure purveiaunce espye.
In a way that no man may espy our preparations. ”

“ And seyde, "Is ther no remedie in this cas?"
And said, "Is there no remedy in this case?"
3526
"Why, yis, for Gode," quod hende Nicholas,
"Why, yes indeed, by God," said clever Nicholas,
3527
"If thou wolt werken after loore and reed.
"If thou will act in accordance with learning and (good) advice.
3528
Thou mayst nat werken after thyn owene heed;
Thou mayst not act according to thine own ideas ”

“ And koude a certeyn of conclusiouns,
And he knew a certain (number of) of astronomical operations,
3194
To demen by interrogaciouns,
To determine by scientific calculations,
3195
If that men asked hym, in certein houres
If men asked him, in specific (astronomical) hours
3196
Whan that men sholde have droghte or elles shoures,
When men should have drought or else showers,
3197
Or if men asked hym what sholde bifalle
Or if people asked him what should happen
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Of every thyng; I may nat rekene hem alle.
Concerning every thing; I can not reckon them all. ”

“ And therefore, knowest thou what is best to do?
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This asketh haste, and of an hastif thyng
This needs haste, and of a hasty thing
3546
Men may nat preche or maken tariyng.
Men may not preach nor make tarrying. ”

“ And said, "Alas! go forth thy way quickly,
3608
Help us to scape, or we been dede echon!
Help us to escape, or we are dead each one of us!
3609
I am thy trewe, verray wedded wyf;
I am thy faithful, truly wedded wife;
3610
Go, deere spouse, and help to save oure lyf."
Go, dear spouse, and help to save our lives."
3611
Lo, which a greet thyng is affeccioun!
Lo, what a great thing is emotion!
3612
Men may dyen of ymaginacioun,
One can die of imagination,
3613
So depe may impressioun be take.
So deeply may a mental image be taken. ”

“ And dressed alle thyng as it sholde be.
And prepared everything as it should be.
3636
And shortly, up they clomben alle thre;
And shortly, up they climbed all three;
3637
They seten stille wel a furlong way.
They sat still a good two and one-half minutes.
3638
"Now, Pater-noster, clom!" seyde Nicholay,
"Now, Pater-noster, quiet!" said Nicholay,
3639
And "Clom!" quod John, and "Clom!" seyde Alisoun.
And "Quiet!" said John, and "Quiet!" said Alisoun. ”

“ Of col-blak silk, withinne and eek withoute.
With coal-black silk, within and also without.
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The tapes of hir white voluper
The ribbons of her white cap
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Were of the same suyte of hir coler;
Were of the same color as her collar;
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Hir filet brood of silk, and set ful hye.
Her headband broad of silk, and set very high. ”