Learn English through classic literature • Five-line readings • Clear US narration
VELMORA ACADEMY
Academy of Archival Languages & Memory Studies
Menu Close
The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems
The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems

Chapter XXIX · Chapter 29

Chapter 29 of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems is here in full — 228 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems
Context Illustration Reading 1/45 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
4.
Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.
20-22), Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”
5.
I have lost everything - my time and my work.”
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems

Chapter XXIX · Chapter 29

Chapter 29 of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems is here in full — 228 sentences across 46 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/45 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
4.
Line 2
Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.
/dʒʌst bɪˈfɔːr ðə ˈpɑːrsən hæd ˈsaɪtəd ðə wɜːrdz ʌv dʒɑːb tuː ɡɑːd dʒɑːb eks/
Line 3
20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”
Line 4
5.
Line 5
I have lost everything - my time and my work.”
/aɪ hæv lɔːst ˈevriθɪŋ maɪ taɪm ənd maɪ wɜːrk/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

cited verb US /ˈsaɪtəd/

past form of “cite” — make reference to

From this reading “Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.”

dread noun US /dred/

fearful expectation or anticipation

From this reading “20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.””

grisly adjective US /ˈɡrɪzli/

shockingly repellent; inspiring horror

From this reading “20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.””

Job noun US /dʒɑːb/

the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money

From this reading “Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.”

ordinance noun US /ˈɔːrdənəns/

an authoritative rule

From this reading “20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.””

Parson noun US /ˈpɑːrsən/

a person authorized to conduct religious worship

From this reading “Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.”

returning adjective US /rɪˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

tending to return to an earlier state

From this reading “20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.””

weep verb US /wiːp/

shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain

From this reading “20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.””

All words in this reading · 57

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

20

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

22

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

4

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading 4.

5

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading 5.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.

bewailverb

regret strongly

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

citedverbUS /ˈsaɪtəd/

past form of “cite” — make reference to

From this reading Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.

coveredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌvərd/

overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

darknounUS /dɑːrk/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

darknessnounUS /ˈdɑːrknəs/

absence of light or illumination

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

deathnounUS /deθ/

the event of dying or departure from life

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

dreadnounUS /dred/

fearful expectation or anticipation

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

ereconjunctionUS /er/

an old word for “before”

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

everadverbUS /ˈevər/

at any time

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

everythingpronounUS /ˈevriθɪŋ/

all things; all of a situation

From this reading “I have lost everything - my time and my work.”

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

GodnounUS /ɡɑːd/

the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.

grislyadjectiveUS /ˈɡrɪzli/

shockingly repellent; inspiring horror

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “I have lost everything - my time and my work.”

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

JobnounUS /dʒɑːb/

the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money

From this reading Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.

JustadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.

landnounUS /lænd/

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

LordnounUS /lɔːrd/

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/

no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered

From this reading “I have lost everything - my time and my work.”

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

misease

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading “I have lost everything - my time and my work.”

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

norconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.

ordernounUS /ˈɔːrdər/

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

ordinancenounUS /ˈɔːrdənəns/

an authoritative rule

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

ParsonnounUS /ˈpɑːrsən/

a person authorized to conduct religious worship

From this reading Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.

returningadjectiveUS /rɪˈtɜːrnɪŋ/

tending to return to an earlier state

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

SufferverbUS /ˈsʌfər/

undergo or be subjected to

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading “I have lost everything - my time and my work.”

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.

weepverbUS /wiːp/

shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/

during the time that

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

withoutprepositionUS /wɪˈθaʊt/

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading 20-22), “Suffer, Lord, that I may a while bewail and weep, ere I go without returning to the dark land, covered with the darkness of death; to the land of misease and of darkness, where as is the shadow of death; where as is no order nor ordinance, but grisly dread that ever shall last.”

wordsnounUS /wɜːrdz/

the words that are spoken

From this reading Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading “I have lost everything - my time and my work.”

xnounUS /eks/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system

From this reading Just before, the Parson had cited the words of Job to God (Job x.

Chapter 29 of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems by Geoffrey Chaucer holds 228 sentences, grouped into 46 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 29 of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems contain?

Chapter 29 holds 228 sentences of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems, unabridged, divided into 46 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 29 of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems by Geoffrey Chaucer exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 228 sentences, grouped into 46 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 29 of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems?

Work through the 46 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 46 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 29 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 29 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems

Common questions about reading The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems by Geoffrey Chaucer on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems?

Yes. All 9557 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #2383 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #2383, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1912 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems section by section

How to work through The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Canterbury
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Tales
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Other
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Poems
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.