Thursday, June 10, 2010
To Be Merry Is Best
Richard Maitland (1496-1586), Advyce to Lesom Mirriness, lines 1-16:
1 quhen = when
2 warldis = world's
3 brukill = brittle, slidder = slippery
7, 13 thairfoir = therefore
14 thocht = thought
15 thocht (should be thoch?) = though, murne = mourn, nicht = night
16 nocht = nought
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Quhen I haive done considerlesom = lawful
This warldis vanitie,
Sa brukill and sa slidder,
Sa full of miserie;
Then I remember me 5
That heir thair is no rest;
Thairfoir appeirentlie,
To be mirrie is best.
Let us be blyth and glaid,
My friendis all I pray; 10
To be pensive and sad
Na thing it help us may.
Thairfoir put quyt away
All heviness of thocht;
Thocht we murne nicht and day 15
It will availl us nocht.
1 quhen = when
2 warldis = world's
3 brukill = brittle, slidder = slippery
7, 13 thairfoir = therefore
14 thocht = thought
15 thocht (should be thoch?) = though, murne = mourn, nicht = night
16 nocht = nought
