Jesus appeals to Man by the Wounds

My “translation” of a poem from the fourteenth century

As before, I’ve cleaned up the spelling and modernized some of the words of the middle English, while attempting to maintain the syllables per line and rhyme scheme. A link to the original, posted by

Peregrinus

, is included at the end. ¹

Dorchester Abbey: Crucifixion wall painting in the People's Chapel by Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Jesus appeals to Man by the Wounds

There are eight stanzas, one for each of the seven deadly sins, and a final stanza.

Sharp the thorns and dreadful keen,
That crowned my head, as can be seen; 
Down ran the blood along my cheek,
So proud man, yoke thee, and be meek.

Should angry lust for vengeance reach thee,
Here's the lesson I would teach thee:
Right hand shows the nail's through path,
So then, forgive and cool thy wrath.

While thirsty hung I on the cross, 
The drink I got was bitter dross,
Gall and vinegar was that drink;
On that, I counsel, glutton, think.

Of a maiden pure, so I was born,
To save mankind that was forlorn,
To suffer death for mankind's rot.
Then lecher, make thy lust to stop.

My left hand through they drove the nail - 
This ponder that thy life not fail,
And help with alms and deeds the poor,
Wish thou in heaven to gain reward.

I willed that spear, so cruel and sharp,
For love of man should pierce my heart,
So dear to me, my love of man;
Who envies, learn thou what love can.

Get up, oh slothful, from thy bed.
Behold my feet, to bloodless bled.
My feet nailed fast upon the tree,
And give me thanks, all done for thee.

Then Jesus, by these wounds, these five,
You keep them well for all their lives
Who'd take advice these lessons give,
To feed their souls that they may live.

1. Here is the original from the substack of Peregrinus:

Middle English Poetry