Chaucer on Truth

Some good advice from Chaucer, not a man one generally associates with principled solitude and the flight from ambition...

By the way, 'trouthe' in Middle English can't simply be translated as 'truth' except in the broadest sense: since it encompasses honour and faithfulness as well as honesty (see here the Middle English Dictionary on the subject), perhaps 'integrity' would be the best translation.


Fle fro the pres, and dwelle with sothefastnesse,
Suffise thin owen thing, thei it be smal;
For horde hath hate and climbing tykelnesse,
Pres hath envye, and wele blent overal.
Savour no more thanne thee behove schal;
Reule weel thiself, that other folk canst reede;
And trouthe schal delivere, it is no drede.

[Flee the crowd, and dwell with truth; let what you have be sufficient for you, though it be small, for greed breeds hate and ambition instability. The crowd is envious, and prosperity blinds more than anything else. Enjoy no more than is proper for you; govern yourself, if you would govern others, and truth shall set you free, there is no doubt.]

Tempest the nought al croked to redresse,
In trust of hire that tourneth as a bal;
Myche wele stant in litel besynesse;
Bywar therfore to spurne ayeyns an al;
Strive not as doth the crocke with the wal.
Daunte thiself, that dauntest otheres dede;
And trouthe shal delivere, it is no drede.

[Do not distress yourself in righting every wrong, or trusting to Fortune who turns like a spinning ball. Much joy resides in little trouble. Beware therefore of kicking against a spike; do not strive like a pot against a wall. Control yourself, if you would control others' actions; and truth shall set you free, there is no doubt.]

That thee is sent, receyve in buxumnesse;
The wrestling for the worlde axeth a fal.
Here is non home, here nys but wildernesse.
Forth, pylgryme, forth! forth, beste, out of thi stal!
Know thi contre! loke up! thonk God of al!
Hold the heye weye, and lat thi gost the lede;
And trouthe shal delivere, it is no drede.

[Whatever is sent to you, receive it obediently; wrestling for the world is just asking for a fall. Here there is no home, here is nothing but a wilderness; forth, pilgrim, forth! forth, beast, out of your stall! Know your own country, look up! thank God for everything. Keep to the highway, and let your soul lead you; and truth shall set you free, there is no doubt.]

Therfore, thou Vache, leve thine olde wrechednesse;
Unto the world leve now to be thral.
Crie hym mercy, that of hys hie godnesse
Made the of nought, and in especial
Draw unto hym, and pray in general
For the, and eke for other, hevenelyche mede;
And trouthe schal delivere, it is no drede.

[Therefore, Vache, leave your former misery; cease to be a slave to the world. Beg him for mercy who for his great goodness made you out of nothing, and most of all draw towards him, and pray for heavenly reward both for yourself and for others. And truth shall set you free, there is no doubt.]