Quod mundus stabili fide
Concordes variat vices,
Quod pugnantia semina
Foedus perpetuum tenent,
Quod Phoebus roseum diem
Curru prouehit aureo,
Ut quas duxerit Hesperos
Phoebe noctibus imperet,
Ut fluctus auidum mare
Certo fine coerceat,
Ne terris liceat vagis
Latos tendere terminos,
Hanc rerum seriem ligat
Terras ac pelagus regens
Et caelo imperitans amor.
Quod mundus stabili fide uariat concordes uices.
Suspensio. Táz tiu uuérlt kemísselichôt mít féstên tríuuôn dîe gehéllen hértâ quatuor temporum. Súmer únde uuínter . lénzo únde hérbest . sínt fóne díu mísselîh . uuánda íro nehéin ándermo gelîh neíst. Únde sínt tóh kelîh . uuánda íro nehéin daz ánder írret.
Quod pugnantia semina tenent perpetuum foedus.
Et hic. Táz tíu míssehéllen quatuor elementa . díu állero corporum sâmo sínt . êuuiga gezúmft hábent. Síu sínt uuíderuuártîg . únde sínt tóh sáment in állen corporibus.
Quod phoebus curru aureo prouehit roseum diem.
Et hic. Táz tiu súnna ûfen scônero réito rîtentíu den tág récchet.
Ut quas duxerit Hesperos . Phoebe noctibus imperet.
Táz áber sîn suéster luna uuálte déro náht . tîa der âbent-stérno récchet.
Ut auidum mare . s. ad egrediendum . coerceat fluctus certo fine . ne uagis . s. fluctibus liceat tendere latos terminos in terris.
Táz óuh ter mére . dér gérno ûzkîenge . eruuénde ze guíssero márcho . sîne únstâten uuéllâ . nóh ín . íh méino dîen sélbên uuéllôn . nehénge férrôr stádôn ûz . án daz lánt.
Hanc seriem rerum ligat amor . regens terras . ac pelagus . et imperitans cȩlo.
Depositio. Súslicha ordinem dero díngo . féstenôt tíu mínna . díu dia érda . únde den mére ríhtendo . duuínget . únde in hímele uuáltesôt. Uuélíu íst tíu ? Táz íst sélber gót.
That the world with stable feith varieth acordable chaunginges,
that the contrarious qualitee of elements holden among hem-self aliaunce perdurable;
that Phebus the sonne with his goldene chariet bringeth forth the rosene day;
that the mone hath commaundement over the nightes, which nightes Hesperus the evesterre hath brought;
that the see, greedy to flowen, constreyneth with a certein ende hise flodes, so that it is nat leveful to strecche hise brode termes or boundes up-on the erthes , that is to seyn, to[ ]covere al the erthe:—
al this acordaunce of thinges is bounden with Love, that governeth erthe and see, and hath also commaundements to the hevenes.
That world with stable trust
the changing seasons turnes,
And diuers sedes stil holdes league,
That ɸebus the ruddy daye
With Golden Car bringes furthe,
that Mone may rule the night
Wiche Hesperus broght,
The gridy Sea her Streome
In Certaine limites kipt,
That Lawful be not to wide world
to bancke her spatius boundz :
Al this hole molde ties
in ruling erthe and Sea
Loue ruling heuens.
Complete text
Book I: THE SORROWS OF BOETHIUS