And seide hem soothly, · "_Septies in die cadit justus_".
"Sevene sithes,[30] seeth the book · synneth the rightfulle;
And who so synneth," I seide, · "dooth yvele, as me thynketh;
And Do-wel and Do-yvele · mowe noght dwelle togideres.
Ergo he nis noght alway · among you freres:
He is outher while ellis where · to wisse the peple."
"I shal seye thee, my sone" · seide the frere thanne,
"How seven sithes the sadde man, · on a day synneth;
By a forbisne"[31] quod the frere, · "I shal thee faire showe.
Lat brynge a man in a boot, · amydde the brode watre;
The wynd and the water · and the boot waggyng,
Maketh the man many a tyme · to falle and to stonde;
For stonde he never so stif, · he stumbleth if he meve,
Ac yet is he saaf and sound, · and so hym bihoveth;
For if he ne arise the rather, · and raughte to the steere,
The wynd wolde with the water · the boot over throwe;
And thanne were his lif lost, · thorough lackesse of hymselve[32].
And thus it falleth," quod the frere, · "by folk here on erthe;
The water is likned to the world · that wanyeth and wexeth;
The goodes of this grounde arn like · to the grete wawes,
That as wyndes and wedres · walketh aboute;
The boot is likned to oure body · that brotel[33] is of kynde,
That thorough the fend and the flesshe · and the frele worlde
Synneth the sadde man · a day seven sithes.
Ac[34] dedly synne doth he noght, · for Do-wel hym kepeth;
And that is Charité the champion, · chief help ayein Synne;
For he strengtheth men to stonde, · and steereth mannes soule,
And though the body bowe · as boot dooth in the watre,
Ay is thi soul saaf, · but if thou wole thiselve
Do a deedly synne, · and drenche so thi soule,