57v Li Diz de la voie de Tunes

even though he has had many
troubles and afflictions.
But just as God found
Saint Andrew^{1Saint Andrew is a patron saint of the crusades, so Rutebeuf is encouraging his audience to follow his example.} to be benevolent^{2debonaire is a term that has its own sense in French, but suggests nobility, gentility, kindness, and generosity of spirit.}
so too does he find King Thibaut
well-intentioned and kind.

The two sons of the king
and their first cousin—
that is the Count of Artois
who is in no way the lesser—
are themselves going into the desert
to labor with their hands.
For they are going by sea to attack
the Saracens and Cumans.

Although for me, they are
late and slow to do the right thing,
nonetheless my heart
aches with pity for them.
But what comforts me
and why would I hide it,
is that by their journey they
go on the wing to paradise.

Saint John, eschewing the
company of men,
in his turn made a servant
of his flesh.
He loved the desert
more than gold or silver
and he avoided [the sin of] Pride^{*Rutebeuf seems to be personifying pride here, which may track with the contemporary work, the Roman de la Rose}, lest
it mar his life.

He who can serve God
must love his own body
so that he can merit paradise
and honor.
The one who loves comfort too much
allows his soul to be in servitude,
such that it will be a slave^{3phonetically, a French speaker would have heard a word that sounded like "serf," which had its own connations of labor and service. Modern French may still translate this as "serve," which translates into English as "female serf"} in Hell
because of his foolish disservice.

Here is a very beautiful appeal^{*attn to use of sermon}:
the king is going overseas
to serve that King
in whom there is no bitterness.
Whoever wishes to serve
and love these two kings.
may he take the cross himself and go after them;
he can sow no better seed.

He, the one who
endured shame and ugliness for us, says:
he is not worthy of Me who
does not leave everything behind for Me.
He who wishes to follow to Me,
may he take the cross and not delay.
He who does not go towards God
was nourished with the milk of evil.

Vavasors, young knights
full of great ignorance,
do you think you have gained honor
over here on this side?
You will allow yourself to die
and your fortunes rot,
and if you are dying,
God will pay no heed.

Tell me, do you have a guarantee
of a long life?
I see some rich men
who build houses for themselves.
When the work is complete
someone makes another for them,
at little cost.^{3 a coffin?}