285: A clerk ther was of oxenford also,
A Clerk from Oxenford was there also,
286: That unto logyk hadde longe ygo.
Who studied philosophy long ago.
287: As leene was his hors as is a rake,
As lean was his horse as is a rake,
288: And he nas nat right fat, I undertake,
And he too was not fat as I take,
289: But looked holwe, and therto sobrely.
But he looked emaciated, moreover, abstemiously.
290: Ful thredbare was his overeste courtepy;
Very worn was his overcoat ;
291: For he hadde geten hym yet no benefice,
For he had gotten no benefice,
292: Ne was so worldly for to have office.
Nor was he worldly to accept secular office.
293: For hym was levere have at his beddes heed
For he would rather have at his beds head
294: Twenty bookes, clad in blak or reed,
Twenty books bound in black or red,
295: Of aristotle and his philosophie,
Of Aristotle and his philosophy,
296: Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrie.
Than rich robes, a fiddle, or gray psaltery.
297: But al be that he was a philosophre,
But all he was was a philospher in base,
298: Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre;
He had very little gold in his suitcase;
299: But al that he myghte of his freendes hente,
But all that he might borrow from a friend,
300: On bookes and on lernynge he it spente,
On books and learning he would quickly spend.
301: And bisily gan for the soules preye
And then he'd pray diligently for the souls
302: Of hem that yaf hym wherwith to scoleye.
Of those who gave him the resources to attend school.
303: Of studie took he moost cure and moost heede,
He took utmost care and heed for his study,
304: Noght o word spak he moore than was neede,
Not a word he spoke was more than necessary,
305: And that was seyd in forme and reverence,
And that was said with formality and dignity,
306: And short and quyk and ful of hy sentence;
And short and lively, full of high morality;
307: Sownynge in moral vertu was his speche,
Filled with moral virtue was his speech,
308: And gladly wolde he lerne and gladly teche.
And gladly would he learn and gladly teach.