1. My longing for the life I had,
With blessings for others, not for me,

2. A spare tent and some goats, cheaply bought,
And birds, a murmuring jar filled up,

3. Telling tales of monks in the monastery,
A wide loose coat, a fine embroidered gown,

4. A gray mare, fast and smooth in her gait,
Taking me swiftly through the lands,

5. A full wineskin with old wine,
Why recall what pains me now?

6. A house in the best part of town,
Known for good and ill fortune,

7. A friend who stays with me always,
As close as a purse tied to a belt,

8. One whose understanding pleases me,
High-minded in doing good,

9. How many a lad mature in appearance
Is duller in a gathering than a blind man!