William Dunbar: Quhom to sall I compleine my wo

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171	1	Quhom to sall I compleine my wo
	2	And kythe my cairis, ane or mo?
	3	I knaw not amang riche or pure,
	4	Quha is my freind, quha is my fo,
	5	For in this warld may none assure.
	6	Lord, how sall I my dayis dispone?
	7	For lang seruice rewarde is none,
	8	And schort my lyfe may heir indure,
	9	And losit is my tyme bygone:
	10	In to this warld may none assure.
	11	Oft Falsatt rydis with a rowtt,
	12	Quhone Treuthe gois on his fute about,
	13	And laik of spending dois him spure.
	14	Thus quhat to do I am in doutt:
	15	In to this warld may none assure.
	16	Nane heir bot rich men hes renown,
	17	And pure men ar plukit doun,
	18	And nane bot iust men tholis iniure,
	19	Swa Wit is blyndit and Ressoun,
	20	For in this warld may none assure.
	21	Vertew the court hes done dispys.
	22	A rebald to renoun dois rys,
	23	And carlis of nobillis hes the cure,
	24	And bumbardis brukis benefys:
	25	So in this warld may none assure.
	26	All gentrice and nobilite
	27	Ar passit out of hie degre.
172	28	On Fredome is led foirfalture,
	29	In princis is thair no petie:
	30	So in this warld may none assure.
	31	Is none so armit in to plait
	32	That can fra trouble him debait.
	33	May no man lang in welthe indure,
	34	For wo that lyis euer at the wait:
	35	So in this warld may none assure.
	36	Flattrie weiris ane furrit govn,
	37	And Falsate with the lordis dois rovn,
	38	And Trewthe standis barrit at the dure,
	39	Exylit is Honour of the toun:
	40	So in this warld may none assure.
	41	Fra everie mouthe fair wordis procedis,
	42	In everie harte deceptioun bredis,
	43	Fra euerie e gois lukis demwre,
	44	Bot fra the handis gois few gud deidis:
	45	Sa in this warld may none assure.
	46	Towngis now ar maid of quhite quhale bone,
	47	And hartis ar maid of hard flynt stone,
	48	And eyn ar maid of blew asure,
	49	And handis of adamant, laithe to dispone:
	50	So in this warld may none assure.
	51	#it hart and handis and body all
	52	Mon anser Dethe quhone he dois call
	53	To compt befoir the iuge future.
	54	Sen all ar deid or than de sall,
	55	Quha sould in to this warld assure?
	56	No thing bot deithe this schortlie cravis,
	57	Quhair Fortoun ever as fo dissavis,
173	58	Withe freyndlie smylingis lyk ane hure,
	59	Quhais fals behechtis as wind hyne wavis:
	60	So in this warld may none assure.
	61	O quho sall wild the wrang possessioun,
	62	Or gold gadderit with oppressioun,
	63	Quhone the angell blawis his bugill sture,
	64	Quhilk onrestorit, helpis no confessioun?
	65	In to this warld may none assure.
	66	Quhat help is thair in lordschip sevin,
	67	Quhone na hous is bot hell and hevin,
	68	Palice of lycht or pit obscure,
	69	Quhair #owlis ar with horrible stevin?
	70	In to this warld may none assure.
	71	Vbi ardentes anime
	72	Semper dicentes sunt, Ve, Ve!
	73	Sall cry, allacem that women thame bure.
	74	O quante sunt iste tenebre!
	75	In to this warld may none assure.
	76	Than quho sall wirk for warldis wrak,
	77	Quhone flude and fyre sall our it frak
	78	And frelie frustir feild and fure,
	79	With tempest keyne and thwndir crak?
	80	In to this warld may none assure.
	81	Lord, sen in tyme sa sone to cum
	82	De terra surrecturus sum,
	83	Rewarde me with na erthlie cure;
	84	Bot me ressaue in regnum tuum,
	85	Sen in this warld may none assure.

