Classic Poem

Man, hef in mind and mend thy mis,
Whil thou are heir in lif livand,
And think apone this warldis blis,
Sa oftsyis is variand.
For Fortonis wheill is ay turnand,
Whil to weil and whil to wa,
Whil oup, whil downe, I onderstand—
Memor esto novissima.

Thou seis thy sampil everilk day,
And thou tak heid, withouten les,
How sone that thou may pas away:
For bald Hector and Achilles,
And Alexander the proud in pres,
Hes tane thare leif, and mony ma,
That Ded hes drawene onetil his des—
Memor esto novissima.

Thidder thou com, nakit and bair,
As bannyst man of kith and kine:
So thee behuvis hine to fair,
For all the riches thou ma wine.
Is na defens, be craft na gine,
That ma defend thee fra thy fa,
Bot cherite be thee within—
Memor esto novissima.

This day thocht thou were hail and feir,
As berne baldast, ore king with crowne,
The morne thou may be brocht one beir,
For all thy castalis, towre and towne:
Thay may nocht all mak thy ransone
Fra Ded becumin that is so thra:
Thou art his pra, but radempsione—
Memor esto novissima.

When thou art ded and laid in laime,
And thy ribbis ar thy ruf tre,
Thou art than brocht to thy lang haime:
Adew, all warldis dignite!
Than is too lait, forsucht, think me,
When wormis gnawis thee to and fra.
Now mind thy mis in all degre—
Memor esto novissima.

Sen it is sa that thou man fair,
And knawis nocht the wayis richt
Out of this warld, withouten mare,
Whether to Hel or Hevene so bricht,
Thou pray to hime, most is of micht,
That he thee fra the devillis ta,
And shild thee fra the Fendis plicht—
Memor esto novissima.