The Book of Chess

In all your counsel
then? in good advice, Amen.
It? may lead toward all goodness;
It may also benefit all things,
If they endure correction
And maintain patience therein.
What the letters advise them The "letters" or "briefs" refer to the written authority of historical texts and scripture.—
Many a book-letter is found there—
Which Valerius Valerius Maximus, a 1st-century Roman author whose collection of historical anecdotes was a standard textbook for moral instruction in the Middle Ages. writes for us,
A master still known by that name,
Concerning a proud rich king? original: "rinc ding"; likely a scribal error or dialectal variant for "richen künig" (rich king).
Who knew well how to grasp and embrace [power],
And was noble and distinguished.
He taught his lord him The gloss "him" clarifies that the philosopher or master is the one providing the instruction to the ruler.
That it was King Alexander,
The Great, of high renown,
Who prepared himself from Greece
To take [the lands] of the men he encountered.
Very often, those he changed The text suggests Alexander altered the lives or laws of the people he conquered.
In a way that did not befit a king.
He had them all at work
To subdue them entirely with his hand,
So that they were subject to him;
And he wished that no one should leave him.
He allowed that same counsel,
And held them to his commands.
Corrected and punished? as one,
And [a philosopher] spoke: "Noble King, I have
Considered a thing that seems to me,
In my mind certainly,
[To be true]; and our gods would gladly..."

"Since the body [is in great need],
And thereafter, because his [ambition] is so great,
[Though] he will join the worms in the grave original: "In grubent rube genos"; likely referring to the "rest" of the grave or the "companionship" of the earth.,
Could one find more in the wide world?
In physical size, as one sees,
[If you were as large as your greed],
He would reach with his right hand
To the ends of the world over all lands,
Until where the sun rises,
And with his left hand reach
To where the sun sets—that is [the West]—
In Scythia? and into Persia.
Since now your body is not so large
That you might encompass so much,
In your greatness, you must be one of [three things].
Hear, King, and [listen] under your power:
You are either a god,
Or else a beast original: "meste"; likely a variation of "meiste" or "bestie," referring to a monstrous or animalistic nature in contrast to the divine.,
Or else a man, without mockery.
It must be one of these things.
Now take note, my dear lord:
If you are a god, then you should act
As a god [is known to do] in private counsel.
The gods are of such a mind
That they give good things to people
And grant many rich gifts.
You also have three things like them.
But if you take from the people
So that they have the greatest shame,
Despite your divine name,
If you have only shame for yourself,
Then [how] might you live upon the earth?"