Classic Poem

My sone, in court gif thow pleisis remane,
This my counsal into thy mind imprent.
In thy speiking luik that thow be nocht vane;
Behald and heir; and to the king tak tent.
Be no lear, or ellis thow art schent;
Found thé on treuth, gif thow wald weil betyd.
To governe all and reull be nocht our bent.
He reulis weil that weil in court can gyd.

Be nocht ane scornar, nor fenyat flattorar;
Nor yet ane rounder of inventit talis;
Of it thow heirs be nocht ane clatterar.
Fall nocht in plie for thyng that lytil valis:
Have nocht to do with uther mennis falis.
Fra wickit men thow draw thee far on syde.
Thow art ane fule gif thow with fulis dalis.
He reulis weil that weil in court can gyd.

Bewar quham to thy counsal thow reveil,
Sum may seim trew, and yit dissemblars be.
Be of thy promeis and conditioun leil.
Waist nocht thy guid in prodigalitie;
Nor put thyne honour into jeopardie:
With folk difamit nouther gang nor ryde.
With wilful men to argue is folie.
He reulis weil that weil in court can gyd.

Be na dysar, nor playar at the cairtis,
Bot gif it be for pastyme, and small thing.
Be nocht blawin with windis of all airtis,
Constance in gude of wisdome is ane sing.
Be wyse, and tentie, in thy governing;
And try thame weil in quhame thow wilt conside:
Sum fair wourdis will gif, wald se ye hing.
He reulis weil that weil in court can gyd.

Attour all thing ay to thy prince be trew
In thocht, and deid; in wourde, in werk, and sicht:
Fra tressonabil company eschew;
Thy prince profit, and honour at thy micht.
Set ay forward the puïr, day and nicht.
And lat na thing the commoun weil elyde;
And at all tyme mainteine justice and richt.
He reulis weil that weil in court can gyd.

Thoch thou in court be with the hiest placit,
In honour, office, or in dignitie,
Think that sumtyme thow may be fra it chassit;
As sum hes bein befoir, and yet may be.
Neidful it is thairsoir to gang warlie,
That rakleslie thow snapper nocht, nor slyd.
Ken ay thyself best in prosperitie.
He reulis weil that weil in court can gyd.

Press nocht to be exaltit above uther,
For, gif thow do, thow sall be sair invyit;
Grit peral is to tak on hand the ruther,
Quhil first that thy experience be tryit.
Think, at the last thy doing will be spyit,
Thoch thow with slicht wald cover it and hyd;
And all thy craft sall at the croce be cryit.
He reulis weil that weil in court can gyd.

Bewar in giffing of ane hie consale,
In maters grit, and doutsum, speciallie;
Quhilk, be the wirking of the warld, may fail,
Thoch it seem never sa apparentlie.
Behald the warldis instabilitie,
That never still into ane stait dois byd;
Bot changeand ay, as dois the mone and see.
He reulis weil that weil in court can gyd.

Gif with the peple thow wald luisit be,
Be gentil, lawlie, and meik in thyn estait,
For an thow be uncourtés, proude, and hie,
Than all the warld sal thé detest and hait.
Flie feinying, flattering, falsheid, and dissait.
Invent nathing that may the realme divyd;
Or sall occasioun trouble, and debait.
He reulis weil that weil in court can gyd.

Grund all thy doing upon suthfastnes;
And hald thé ay gud cumpany amang.
Gadder na geir with wast and wretchitnes;
Preis nocht to conqueis ony thing with wrang:
Evil-gottin gudis lestys never lang.
Thoch all war thyne, within this warld sa wyd,
Thow sall fia st, or it fra thee sall gang.
He reulis weil that weil in court can gyd.

Above all thing, I thee exhort and pray,
To pleis thy God set all thy bissie cuire,
And syn thy prince serve, luif weil, and obey:
And, as thow may, be helpand ay the puire.
Sen erdie thingis will nocht ay endure,
Thairsoir in hevin ane place for thé provyd;
Quhair thair is joy, rest, gloir, and all plesour;
Onto the quhilk eternal God us gyd.