Look well about you who lovers be,

let not your lusts lead you to dotage.

Be not enamored with all things that you see:

Samson the strong and Solomon the sage,

deceived were for all their great courage.

Men deem it right that they see with eye,

but ever beware: the blind swallows many a fly!

I mean of women, for all their sexy looks,

trust not too much; their truth is oft lacking.

The fairest outer they can well-construct.

Their steadfastness lasts only a season;

they feign friendliness and work at treason.

And since they are changeable naturally,

beware, therefore: the blind swallows many a fly.

Though all this world does its anxious work

to make women stand in stableness,

it may not be; it is against nature.

The world has doubt when they lack doubleness.

They laugh and love not; men know this in fullness.

In them to trust — it is but fantasy.

Therefore, beware: the blind swallows many a fly.

Some man in love who trusted on their faces,

shall have at last his payback and his wages.

They shave nearer than do razor or shears.

All is not gold that glitters, men take heed!

Their bile is hid under a sugared weed;

it is quite hard their fantasies to descry.

Beware, therefore: the blind swallows many a fly.

Women by kind have conditions three:

the first is they be full of deceit,

to spin also is their tendency,

and women have a wonderful conceit:

they weep often, and all is but a sleight.

And when they desire, the tear is in the eye.

Therefore, beware: the blind swallows many a fly.

In truth to say, though all the earth so ashen

were parchment smooth, white, and writable,

and the great sea, called ocean,

were turned to ink, blacker than is sable,

each stick a pen, each man a writer able,

they all couldn’t write women’s treachery.

Beware, therefore: the blind swallows many a fly!

——–

{ Loke wel aboute, ye that lovers be;

Lat nat your lustes lede you to dotage;

Be nat enamoured on al thing that ye see.

Sampson the fort, and Salamon the sage

Deceived were, for al hir gret corage;

Men deme hit is right as they see at y;

Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly.

I mene, in women, for al hir cheres queinte,

Trust nat to moche; hir trouthë is but geson;

The fairest outward ful wel can they peinte,

Hir stedfastnes endureth but a seson;

For they feyn frendlines and worchen treson.

And for they be chaungeáble naturally,

Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly.

Though al the world do his besy cure

To make women stonde in stablenes,

Hit may nat be, hit is agayn nature;

The world is do whan they lak doublenes;

For they can laughe and love nat; this is expres.

To trust in hem, hit is but fantasy;

Bewar therfore; the blind et many a fly.

What wight on-lyve trusteth in hir cheres

Shal haue at last his guerdon and his mede;

They can shave nerer then rasóurs or sheres;

Al is nat gold that shyneth! Men, take hede;

Hir galle is hid under a sugred wede.

Hit is ful hard hir fantasy t’aspy;

Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly.

Women, of kinde, have condicions three;

The first is, that they be fulle of deceit;

To spinne also hit is hir propertee;

And women have a wonderful conceit,

They wepen ofte, and al is but a sleight,

And whan they list, the tere is in the y;

Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly.

What thing than eyr is lighter and meveable?

The light, men say, that passeth in a throw;

Al if the light be nat so variable

As is the wind that every wey [can] blow;

And yet, of reson, som men deme and trow

Women be lightest of hir company;

Bewar therfore; the blind et many a fly.

In short to say, though al the erth so wan

Were parchëmyn smothe, whyte and scribable,

And the gret see, cleped the occian,

Were torned in inke, blakker then is sable,

Ech stik a penne, ech man a scriveyn able,

They coud nat wryte wommannes traitory;

Bewar therfore; the blinde et many a fly. }