William Dunbar: Memento, homo, quod cinis es


Pages	Line number	Line
120	1	Memento, homo, quod cinis es
	2	Think, man, thow art bot erd and as.
	3	Lang heir to dwell na thing thow pres,
	4	For as thow come sa sall thow pas.
	5	Lyk as ane schaddow in ane glas
	6	Hyne glydis all thy tyme that heir is.
	7	Think, thocht thy bodye ware of bras,
	8	Quod tu in cinerem reuerteris.
	9	Worthye Hector and Hercules,
	10	Forcye Achill and strong Sampsone,
	11	Alexander of grit nobilnes,
	12	Meik Dauid and fair Absolone
	13	Hes playit thair pairtis and all are gone,
	14	At will of God, that all thing steiris.
	15	Think, man, exceptioun thair is none,
	16	Sed tu in cinerem reuerteris.
	17	Thocht now thow be maist glaid of cheir,
	18	Fairest and plesandest of port,
	19	#it may thow be within ane #eir
	20	Ane vgsum, vglye tramort.
	21	And sen thow knawis thy tyme is schort,
	22	And in all houre thy lyfe in weir is,
	23	Think, man, amang all vthir sport
	24	Quod tu in cinerem reuerteris
	25	Thy lustye bewte and thy #outh
	26	Sall feid as dois the somer flouris,
	27	Syne sall the swallow with his mouth
121	28	The dragone Death, that all devouris.
	29	No castell sall the keip, nor touris,
	30	Bot he sall seik the with thy feiris.
	31	Thairfoire remembir at all houris
	32	Quod tu in cinerem reuerteris
	33	Thocht all this warld thow did posseid,
	34	Nocht eftir death thow sall possess
	35	Nor with the tak, bot thy guid deid,
	36	Quhen thow dois fro this warld the dres.
	37	Go speid the, man, and the confes,
	38	With humill hart and sobir teiris,
	39	And sadlye in thy hart inpres
	40	Quod tu in cinerem reuerteris.
	41	Thocht thow be taklit nevir so sure,
	42	Thow sall in deathis port arryve.
	43	Quhair nocht for tempest may indure,
	44	Bot ferslye all to speiris dryff,
	45	Thy ransonner with woundis fyve
	46	Mak thy plycht anker and they steiris
	47	To hald thy saule with him on lyve,
	48	Cum tu in cinerem reuerteris.

