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The dubbement dere of doun and dales,
Of wod and water wlonk playnes.
Bylde in me blys, abated my bales,
Forbidden my stresse, dystryed my paynes
Doun after a strem that dryyly hales
I bowed in blys, bredful my braynes,
The fyrre I folwed those floty vales,
The more strenghthe of joye myn herte straynes.
As fortune fares, ther as ho fraynes,
Whether solace ho sende other elles sore,
The wyy to wham her wylle ho waynes
Hyttes to have ay more and more.

More of wele was in that wyse
That I cowthe telle thagh I tom hade,
For uthely herte myght not suffyse
To the tenth dole of tho gladnes glade.
Forthy I thoght that Paradyse
Was ther over gayn tho bonkes brade.
I hoped the water were a devyse
Bytwene myrthes by meres made.
Beyonde the broke, by slente other slade,
I hoped that mote merked wore.
Bot the water was depe, I dorst not wade,
And ever me longed ay more and more.

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The splendour of those downs and dales,
Of woods and water, lovely plains
Increased my joy, soothed my travails,
Removed all stress, destroyed all pains.
Beside a stream that never fails
In bliss I travel; naught restrains
My onward journey through those vales;
The greater joy my heart contains.
As fortune at her whim constrains,
And solace sends, or trials sore,
So he who profits from these gains
Desires her favours more and more.

And still more joy came in a trice
Than I, though had I time, could say
For earthly heart would not suffice
One tenth my pleasure to convey;
Because it seemed that Paradise
Perchance beyond those mountains lay;
I thought the stream a mere device
To join the pools and gardens gay;
Beyond the stream, in some strange way,
Some city lay spread out before.
The stream was deep; fear bade me stay,
Yet longing filled me more and more

The splendid adournment of hill and dale, of woods and stream and lovely meadows increased my joy, lessened my grief, removed my anguish, destroyed my sorrow. Down beside the stream that endlessly flowed I went on joyfully, my mind brimful. The further I followed those stream filled valleys, the more intensely joy filled my heart. Just as fortune behaves, whenever she puts a man to the test, [she] sends him solace or else pain [so] the man to whom she directs her favours seeks always to have more and more.

There was more joy of that kind than I could relate even if I had time, for earthly heart would not suffice [to describe] the tenth part of those glad joys. Wherefore I thought that Paradise was there beyond the opposite wide banks. I thought the stream [might be] a device to link the pleasure-gardens to the pools, [and that] beyond the stream, somewhere or other, I thought that a walled city might be situated. But the water was deep, I durst not wade, and I longed still more and more.