# The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church/XXVII

| II. KAL. JUL. | JUNE XXX. |
| NATALE SCI PAULI APOSTOLI. | THE NATIVITY OF ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE. |
| Godes gelaðung wurðað þisne dæg ðam mæran apostole Paule to wurðmynte, forðam ðe he is gecweden ealra ðeoda láreow: þurh soðfæste lare wæs ðeah-hwæðere his martyrdóm samod mid ðam eadigan Petre gefremmed. Hé wæs fram cildháde on ðære ealdan ǽ getogen, and mid micelre gecnyrdnysse on ðære begriwen wæs. Æfter Cristes ðrowunge, ðaða se soða geleafa aspráng þurh ðæra apostola bodunge, ða ehte he cristenra manna þurh his nytennysse, and sette on cwearterne, and eac wæs on geðafunge æt ðæs forman cyðeres Stephanes slege: nis ðeah-hwæðere be him geræd, þæt hé handlinga ænigne man acwealde. | The church of God celebrates this day in honour of the great Apostle Paul, for he is called the teacher of all nations: though his martyrdom, for true doctrine, was accomplished with the blessed Peter's. He had from childhood been bred up in the old law, and by great diligence was therein deeply imbued. After Christ's passion, when the true faith had sprung up through the preaching of the apostles, he persecuted christian men through his ignorance, and set them in prison, and was also consenting to the slaying of the first martyr Stephen: it is not, however, read of him that he killed any man with his own hands. |
| "He nam ða gewrit æt ðam ealdor-biscopum to ðære byrig Damascum, þæt hé moste gebindan ða cristenan ðe hé on ðære byrig gemette, and gelædan to Hierusalem. Þa gelamp hit on þam siðe þæt him com færlice to micel leoht, and hine astrehte to eorðan, and he gehyrde stemne ufan þus cweðende, Saule, Saule, hwí ehtst ðu mín? Yfel bið ðe sylfum þæt ðu spurne ongean ða gáde. He ða mid micelre fyrhte andwyrde þære stemne, Hwæt eart ðu, leof Hlaford? Him andwyrde seo clypung þære godcundan stemne, Ic eom se Hælend þe ðu ehtst: ac arís nu, and far forð to ðære byrig; þær ðe bið gesǽd hwæt ðe gedafenige to donne. Hé arás ða, ablendum eagum, and his geferan hine swa blindne to ðære byrig gelæddon. And he ðær andbidigende ne onbyrigde ætes ne wætes binnan ðreora daga fæce." | "He took then letters of the high priests for the city of Damascus, that he might bind the christians that he found in the city, and lead them to Jerusalem. Then it happened on the journey that a great light came suddenly on him, and prostrated him on the earth, and he heard a voice from above thus saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Evil will it be to thee to spurn against the goad. He then in great fright answered the voice, Who art thou, dear Lord? The calling of the divine voice answered him, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: but arise now, and go forth to the city; there shall it be said unto thee what it befitteth thee to do. He arose then with blinded eyes, and his companions led him thus blind to the city. And there abiding he tasted neither meat nor drink for a space of three days." |
| "Wæs ða sum Godes ðegen binnan ðære byrig, his nama wæs Annanías, to ðam spræc Drihten ðysum wordum, Annanía, arís, and gecum to minum ðeowan Saulum, se is biddende minre miltsunge mid eornestum mode. He andwyrde ðære drihtenlican stemne, Min Hælend, hu mæg ic hine gesprecan, seðe is ehtere ðinra halgena, ðurh mihte ðæra ealdor-biscopa? Drihten cwæð, Far swa ic ðe sæde, forðan ðe hé is me gecoren fætels, þæt hé tobere minne naman ðeodum, and cynegum, and Israhela bearnum; and he sceal fela ðrowian for minum naman. Annanías ða becom to ðam gecorenan cempan, and sette his handa him on-uppan mid þisre gretinge, Saule, min broðor, se Hælend, þe ðe be wege gespræc, sende me wið ðín, þæt þu geseo, and mid þam Halgan Gaste gefylled sy. Þa, mid ðisum wordum, feollon swylce fylmena of his eagum, and he ðærrihte gesihðe underfeng, and to fulluhte beah. Wunode ða sume feawa daga mid þam Godes ðeowum binnan ðære byrig, and mid micelre bylde þam Iudeiscum bodade, þæt Crist, ðe hí wiðsocon, is ðæs Ælmihtigan Godes Sunu. Hí wurdon swiðlice ablicgede, and cwædon, La hú, ne is ðes se wælhreowa ehtere cristenra manna: húmeta bodað he Cristes geleafan? Saulus soðlice micclum swyðrode, and ða Iudeiscan gescende, mid anrædnysse seðende, þæt Crist is Godes Sunu." | "There was then a servant of God within the city, his name was Ananias, to whom the Lord spake in these words, Ananias, arise, and go to my servant Saul, who is praying for my mercy with earnest mind. He answered the divine voice, My Saviour, how may I speak to him who is the persecutor of thy saints, through the power of the chief priests? The Lord said, Go as I have said to thee, for he is to me a chosen vessel, to bear my name to nations, and to kings, and to the children of Israel; and he shall suffer much for my name. Ananias went then to the chosen champion, and set his hands upon him with this greeting, Saul, my brother, Jesus, who spake to thee on the way, hath sent me to thee, that thou mayest see, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Then with these words there fell as it were films from his eyes, and he straightways received sight, and submitted to baptism. He continued then some few days with the servants of God within the city, and with great boldness preached to the Jews, that Christ, whom they had denied, is the Son of Almighty God. They were greatly astonished, and said, What! is not this the cruel persecutor of christian men: how preacheth he the faith of Christ? But Saul increased much in strength, and shamed the Jews, with steadfastness verifying that Christ is the Son of God." |
| "Hwæt ða, æfter manegum dagum gereonodon ða Iudeiscan, hú hí ðone Godes cempan acwellan sceoldon, and setton ða weardas to ælcum geate ðære ceastre. Paulus ongeat heora syrwunge, and ða cristenan hine genamon, and on anre wilian aleton ofer ðone weall. And he ferde ongean to Hierusalem, and hine gecuðlæhte to ðam halgan heape Cristes hiredes, and him cydde hú se Hælend hine of heofenum gespræc. Syððan, æfter sumum fyrste, com clypung of ðam Halgan Gaste to ðam geleaffullan werode, þus cweðende, Asendað Paulum and Barnaban to ðam weorce ðe ic hí gecoren hæbbe. Se halga heap ða, be Godes hæse and gecorennysse, hí asendon to lærenne eallum leodscipum be Cristes to-cyme for middangeardes alysednysse." | "Then after many days the Jews deliberated how they might kill the champion of God, and set wards at every gate of the city. Paul got knowledge of their machination, and the christians took him, and let him down over the wall in a basket. And he went again to Jerusalem, and announced himself to the holy fellowship of Christ's family, and made known to them how Jesus had spoken to him from heaven. After some time a voice came from the Holy Ghost, to the faithful company, thus saying, Send Paul and Barnabas to the work for which I have chosen them. The holy fellowship then, by God's command and election, sent them to teach all countries concerning the coming of Christ for the redemption of the world." |
| "Barnabas wæs ða Paules gefera æt ðære bodunge to langum fyrste. Ða æt nextan wearð him geðuht þæt hi ontwa ferdon, and swa dydon. Paulus wearð þa afylled and gefrefrod mid þæs Halgan Gastes gife, and ferde to manegum leodscipum, sawende Godes sæd. On sumere byrig he wæs twelf monað, on sumere twa gear, on sumere ðreo, and gesette biscopas, and mæsse-preostas, and Godes ðeowas; ferde siððan forð to oðrum leodscipe, and dyde swa gelice. Asende þonne eft ongean ærend-gewritu to ðam geleaffullum ðe he ær tæhte, and hí swa mid þam gewritum tihte and getrymde to lifes wege." | "Thus was Barnabas Paul's companion in preaching for a long time, when at last it seemed good to them to go apart, and they did so. Paul was then filled and comforted with the grace of the Holy Ghost, and went to many countries, sowing God's seed. In one city he was twelve months, in one two years, in one three, and appointed bishops, and mass-priests, and servants of God; he went afterwards to another country, and did in like manner. But he sent back letters to those whom he before had taught, and so by those letters stimulated and confirmed them in the way of life." |
| We willað nu mid sumere scortre trahtnunge þas rædinge oferyrnan, and geopenian, gif heo hwæt digles on hyre hæbbende sy. Paulus ehte cristenra manna, na mid niðe, swa swa ða Iudeiscan dydon, ac he wæs midspreca and bewerigend þære ealdan ǽ mid micelre anrædnysse: wende þæt Cristes geleafa wære wiðerwinna ðære ealdan gesetnysse: ac se Hælend ðe gesette ða ealdan ǽ mid mislicum getacnungum, se ylca eft on his andweardnysse hí awende to soðfæstnysse æfter gastlicre getacnunge. Þa nyste Paulus ða gastlican getacnunge ðære ǽ, and wæs forði hyre forespreca, and ehtere Cristes geleafan. God Ælmihtig, þe ealle ðing wát, geseah his geðanc, þæt hé ne ehte geleaffulra manna ðurh andan, ac ðurh ware ðære ealdan ǽ, and hine ða gespræc of heofonum, ðus cweðende, "Saule, hwí ehtst ðu mín? Ic eom seo Soðfæstnys ðe ðu werast; geswic ðære ehtnysse: derigendlic bið ðe þæt þu spurne ongean þa gáde. Gif se oxa spyrnð ongean ða gáde, hit dereð him sylfum; swa eac hearmað þe ðin gewinn togeanes me." He cwæð, "Hwí ehtst ðu mín?" forðan ðe he is cristenra manna heafod, and besargað swa hwæt swa his lima on eorðan ðrowiað, swa swa he ðurh his witegan cwæð, "Se ðe eow hrepað, hit me bið swa egle swylce he hreppe ða seo mines eagan." He wearð astreht, þus cweðende, "Hwæt eart ðu, Hlaford?" His modignes wearð astreht, and seo soðe eadmodnys wearð on him aræred. He feoll unrihtwis, and wearð aræred rihtwis. Feallende he forleas lichamlice gesihðe, arisende he underfeng his modes onlihtinge. Þry dagas he wunode butan gesihðe, forðan ðe he wiðsóc Cristes ærist on ðam ðriddan dæge. | We will now run over this reading with a short exposition, and explain any obscurity there may be contained in it. Paul persecuted christian men, not with hate, as the Jews did, but he was a partizan and defender of the old law with great steadfastness: he thought that the faith of Christ was an adversary to the old covenant: but Jesus who had established the old law by divers miracles, the same afterwards by his presence changed it to truth, according to its ghostly signification. Now Paul knew not the ghostly signification of that law, and was therefore its advocate, and a persecutor of the faith of Christ. God Almighty, who knows all things, saw his thoughts, that he did not persecute faithful men from rancour, but for the defence of the old law, and spake to him from heaven, thus saying, "Saul, why persecutest thou me? I am the Truth which thou defendest; cease from persecution: hurtful will it be to thee to spurn against the goad. If the ox spurneth against the goad, it hurteth himself; so also harmeth thee thy warfare against me." He said, "Why persecutest thou me?" because he is the head of christian men, and bewails whatsoever his limbs suffer on earth, as he said through his prophet, "He who toucheth you, it shall be to me as painful as if he touched the sight of my eye." He was prostrated, thus saying, "Who art thou, Lord?" His pride was prostrated, and true humility was raised up in him. He fell unrighteous, and was raised righteous. Falling he lost bodily sight, rising he received his mind's enlightening. Three days he continued without sight, because he had denied the resurrection of Christ on the third day. |
| Annanias is gereht, on Hebreiscum gereorde, 'scép.' Þæt bilewite scép ða gefullode ðone arleasan Saulum, and worhte hine arfæstne Paulum. He gefullode ðone wulf and geworhte to lambe. He awende his naman mid ðeawum; and wæs ða soðfæst bydel Godes gelaðunge, seðe ær mid reðre ehtnysse hi geswencte. He wolde forfleon syrewunge Iudeiscre ðeode, and geðafode þæt hine man on anre wilian ofer ðone weall nyðer alét: na þæt hé nolde for Cristes geleafan deað þrowian, ac forði he forfleah ðone ungeripedan deað, forðan ðe he sceolde ærest menigne mann mid his micclum wisdome to Gode gestrynan, and syððan mid micelre geðincðe to martyrdome his swuran astreccan. Micele maran witu he ðrowode siððan for Cristes naman, ðonne he ǽr his gecyrrednysse cristenum mannum gebude. Saulus se arleasa beswáng ða cristenan, ac æfter ðære gecyrrednysse wæs se arfæsta Paulus for Cristes naman oft beswungen. Æne hé wæs gestæned oð deað, swa þæt ða ehteras hine for deadne leton, ac ðæs on merigen hé arás, and ferde ymbe his bodunge. He wæs gelomlice on mycelre frecednysse, ægðer ge on sǽ ge on lánde, on westene, betwux sceaðum, on hungre and on ðurste, and on manegum wæccum, on cyle, and on næcednysse, and on manegum cwearternum: swa hé onette mid þære bodunge, swylce hé eal mennisc to Godes ríce gebringan wolde: ægðer ge mid láre, ge mid gebedum, ge mid gewritum hé symle tihte to Godes willan. He wæs gelæd to heofonan oð ða ðriddan fleringe, and þær hé geseh and gehyrde Godes digelnysse, ða hé ne moste nanum men cyðan. Hé besargode mid wope oðra manna synna, and eallum geleaffullum hé æteowde fæderlice lufe. Mid his hand-cræfte he teolode his and his geferena forðdæda, and ðær-to-eacan nis nan ðing tocnawen on soðre eawfæstnysse þæt his lareowdom ne gestaðelode. Þa oðre apostoli, be Godes hæse, leofodon be heora láre unpleolice; ac ðeah-hwæðere Paulus ana, seðe wæs on woruld-cræfte teld-wyrhta, nolde ða alyfdan bigleofan onfón, ac mid agenre teolunge his and his geferena neode foresceawode. His lára and his drohtnunga sind ús unasmeagendlice, ac se bið gesælig þe his mynegungum mid gecneordnysse gehyrsumað. | Ananias signifies in the Hebrew tongue, sheep. The gentle sheep then baptized the impious Saul, and made him the pious Paul. He baptized the wolf and made him a lamb. He changed his name with his character; and he was then a true proclaimer of God's church, who had before afflicted it with fierce persecution. He would flee from the machination of the Jewish people, and consented to be let down in a basket over the wall: not because he would not suffer death for the faith of Christ, but because he would flee from immature death; for he had first to gain many a man to God by his great wisdom, and afterwards with great honour stretch out his neck to martyrdom. Much greater torments he suffered afterwards for Christ's name, than he had ordered for christian men before his conversion. Saul the impious scourged the christians, but after his conversion the pious Paul for the name of Christ was often scourged. Once he was stoned almost to death, so that his persecutors left him for dead, but in the morning he arose and went about his preaching. He was frequently in great peril, both by sea and by land, in the waste, among thieves, from hunger and from thirst, and from many watchings, from cold, and from nakedness, and from many prisons: he so hastened with his preaching, as though he would bring all mankind to God's kingdom: as well with precepts as with prayers and with letters, he ever stimulated to the will of God. He was led to heaven as far as the third flooring, and there he saw and heard God's secret, which he might not make known to any man. He bewailed with weeping the sins of other men, and to all the faithful he showed fatherly love. By his handicraft he toiled for his own and his companions' support, and in addition thereto there was nothing known in true piety which his instruction did not confirm. The other apostles lived, by God's command, by their teaching, free from danger; but, nevertheless, Paul alone, who by worldly craft was a tent-wright, would not receive the sustenance allowed, but by his own toil provided for his own and his companions' need. His precepts and his acts are to us inscrutable, but happy will he be who obeys his admonitions with diligence. |
| EUANGELIUM. | GOSPEL. |
| Dixit Simon Petrus ad Iesum: et reliqua. | Dixit Simon Petrus ad Jesum: et reliqua. |
| "He forlét ealle woruld-ðing, and ðam Hælende anum folgode," swa swa ðis godspel cwyð, ðe ge nú æt ðisre ðenunge gehyrdon. | "He forsook all worldly things, and followed Jesus only," as this gospel says, which ye now at this service have heard. |
| "On ðære tíde cwæð Petrus se apostol to ðam Hælende, Efne we forleton ealle woruld-ðing, and ðe ánum fyligað: hwæt dest ðu us þæs to leane?" et reliqua. | "At that time Peter the apostle said to Jesus, Behold we have left all worldly things, and follow thee only: what wilt thou do for us in reward thereof?" etc. |
| Micel truwa hwearftlode on Petres heortan: he ána spræc for ealne ðone heap, "We forleton ealle ðing." Hwæt forlet Petrus? He wæs fiscere, and mid ðam cræfte his teolode, and ðeah hé spræc mid micelre bylde, "We forleton ealle ðing." Ac micel he forlét, and his gebroðru, ðaða hí forleton ðone willan to agenne. Þeah hwá forlæte micele æhta, and ne forlæt ða gitsunge, ne forlæt he ealle ðing. Petrus forlet lytle ðing, scripp and net, ac he forlet ealle ðing, ðaða he, for Godes lufon, nan ðing habban nolde. He cwæð, "We fyligað ðe." Nis na fulfremedlic fela æhta to forlætenne, buton he Gode folgige. Soðlice ða hæðenan uðwitan fela ðinga forleton, swa swa dyde Socrates, seðe ealle his æhta behwyrfde wið anum gyldenum wecge, and syððan awearp ðone wecg on wídre sǽ, þæt seo gitsung ðæra æhta his willan ne hrémde, and abrude fram ðære woruldlican lare ðe he lufode: ac hit ne fremede him swa gedón, forðan ðe he ne fyligde Gode, ac his agenum willan, and forði næfde ða heofenlican edlean mid þam apostolum, þe ealle woruld-ðing forsawon for Cristes lufon, and mid gehyrsumnysse him fyligdon. | Great trust revolved in the heart of Peter: he alone spake for the whole company, "We have forsaken all things." What did Peter forsake? He was a fisher, and by that craft provided for himself, and yet he spake with great boldness, "We have forsaken all things." But he and his brothers forsook much, when they forsook the will to possess. Though any one forsake great possessions, and forsake not avarice, he forsakes not all things. Peter forsook little things, scrip and net, but he forsook all things, when, for love of God, he would have nothing. He said, "We follow thee." It is not complete to forsake many possessions, unless a man follow God. For the heathen philosophers forsook many things, as Socrates did, who exchanged all his possessions for a wedge of gold, and then cast the wedge into the wide sea, that desire of possessions might not obstruct his will, and draw it from the worldly lore that he loved: but it profited him not so to do, because he did not follow God, but his own will, and had not therefore heavenly reward with the apostles, who, for love of Christ, despised all worldly things, and with obedience followed him. |
| Petrus ða befrán, "Hwæt sceal us getimian? We dydon swa swa ðu us hete, hwæt dest ðu us to edleane? Se Hælend andwyrde, Soð ic eow secge, þæt ge ðe me fyligað sceolon sittan ofer twelf dómsetl on ðære edcynninge, ðonne ic sitte on setle mines mægenðrymmes; and ge ðonne demað twelf Israhela mægðum." Edcynninge he het þæt gemænelice ærist, on ðam beoð ure lichaman ge-edcynnede to unbrosnunge, þæt is to ecum ðingum. Tuwa we beoð on ðisum life acennede: seo forme acennednys is flæsclic, of fæder and of meder; seo oðer acennednys is gastlic, ðonne we beoð ge-edcennede on ðam halgan fulluhte, on ðam us beoð ealle synna forgyfene, ðurh ðæs Halgan Gastes gife. Seo ðridde acennednys bið on ðam gemænelicum æriste, on ðam beoð ure lichaman ge-edcennede to unbrosnigendlicum lichaman. | Peter then asked, "What shall become of us? We have done as thou commandedst us, what wilt thou do for us in reward? Jesus answered, Verily I say unto you, that ye who follow me shall, at the regeneration, sit on twelve judgement-seats, when I shall sit on the seat of my majesty; and ye then shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel." He called the common resurrection, regeneration, at which our bodies will be regenerated to incorruption, that is to eternity. Twice we are born in this life: the first birth is fleshly, of father and of mother; the second birth is ghostly, when we are regenerated at the holy baptism, in which all our sins will be forgiven us, through grace of the Holy Ghost. The third birth is at the common resurrection, at which our bodies will be regenerated to incorruptible bodies. |
| On ðam æriste sittað þa twelf apostoli mid Criste on heora domsetlum, and demað þam twelf mæigðum Israhela ðeode. Þis twelffealde getel hæfð micele getacnunge. Gif ða twelf mægða ána beoð gedemede æt ðam micclum dome, hwæt deð þonne seo ðreotteoðe mæigð, Leui? Hwæt doð ealle ðeoda middangeardes? Wenst ðu þæt hí beoð asyndrode fram ðam dome? Ac ðis twelffealde getel is geset for eallum mancynne ealles ymbhwyrftes, for ðære fulfremednysse his getacnunge. Twelf tida beoð on ðam dæge, and twelf monðas on geare; twelf heahfæderas sind, twelf witegan, twelf apostoli; and ðis getel hæfð maran getacnunge ðonne ða ungelæredan undergitan magon. Is nu forði mid ðisum twelffealdum getele ealles middangeardes ymbhwyrft getacnod. | At the resurrection the twelve apostles will sit with Christ on their judgement-seats, and will judge the twelve tribes of the people of Israel. This twelvefold number has great signification. If the twelve tribes only will be judged at the great doom, what then will the thirteenth tribe, Levi, do? What will do all the nations of the world? Thinkest thou that they will be sundered from the doom? But this twelvefold number is set for all mankind of all the orb, for the perfectness of its signification. There are twelve hours in the day, and twelve months in the year; there are twelve patriarchs, twelve prophets, twelve apostles; and this number has a greater import than the unlearned may understand. By this twelvefold number therefore the orb of the whole earth is now signified. |
| Þa apostoli and ealle ða gecorenan ðe him geefenlæhton beoð deman on ðam micclum dæge mid Criste. Þær beoð feower werod æt ðam dome, twa gecorenra manna, and twa wiðercorenra. Þæt forme werod bið þæra apostola and heora efenlæcendra, þa ðe ealle woruld-ðing for Godes naman forleton: hí beoð ða demeras, and him ne bið nan dóm gedemed. Oðer endebyrdnys bið geleaffulra woruld-manna: him bið dóm gesett, swa þæt hi beoð asyndrede fram gemanan ðæra wiðercorenra, þus cweðendum Drihtne, "Cumað to me, ge gebletsode mines Fæder, and onfoð þæt ríce ðe eow is gegearcod fram frymðe middangeardes." An endebyrdnys bið þæra wiðercorenra, þa þe ciððe hæfdon to Gode, ac hí ne beeodon heora geleafan mid Godes bebodum: ðas beoð fordemede. Oðer endebyrdnys bið þæra hæðenra manna, þe nane cyððe to Gode næfdon: þisum bið gelæst se apostolica cwyde, "Ða ðe butan Godes ǽ syngodon, hí eac losiað butan ælcere ǽ." To ðisum twam endebyrdnyssum cweð þonne se rihtwisa Dema, "Gewitað fram me, ge awyrigedan, into ðam ecum fyre, þe is gegearcod deofle and his awyrgedum gastum." | The apostles and all the chosen who imitated them will be judges on the great day with Christ. There will be four assemblages at the great doom, two of chosen men, and two of rejected. The first assemblage will be of the apostles and their imitators, who forsook all worldly things for the name of God: they will be the judges, and to them shall no judgement be judged. The second class will be of faithful men of this world: on them will doom be set, so that they will be sundered from the fellowship of the rejected, the Lord thus saying, "Come to me, ye blessed of my Father, and receive the kingdom which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world." One class will be of those rejected, who had knowledge of God, but did not cultivate their faith with God's commandments: these will be condemned. The other class is of those heathen men, who have had no knowledge of God: on these will be fulfilled the apostolic sentence, "Those who have sinned without God's law, shall perish also without any law." To these two classes the righteous Judge will then say, "Depart from me, ye accursed, into the everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his accursed spirits." |
| Þæt godspel cwyð forð gyt, "Ælc ðæra ðe forlæt, for minum naman, fæder oððe moder, gebroðru oððe geswystru, wíf oððe bearn, land oððe gebytlu, be hundfealdum him bið forgolden, and he hæfð ðær-to-eacan þæt ece líf." Hundfeald getel is fulfremed, and se ðe forlæt ða ateorigendlican ðing for Godes naman, he underfehð þa gastlican mede be hundfealdum æt Gode. Ðes cwyde belimpð swyðe to munuchádes mannum, ða ðe for heofenan ríces myrhðe forlætað fæder, and moder, and flæsclice siblingas. Hí underfoð manega gastlice fæderas and gastlice gebroðru, forðan ðe ealle þæs hádes menn, ðe regollice lybbað, beoð him to fæderum and to gebroðrum getealde, and þær-to-eacan hí beoð mid edleane þæs ecan lifes gewelgode. Þa ðe ealle woruld-ðing be Godes hæse forseoð, and on gemænum ðingum bigwiste habbað, hí beoð fulfremede, and to ðam apostolum geendebyrde. Ða oðre ðe ðas geðincðe nabbað, þæt hi ealle heora æhta samod forlætan magon, hí dón þonne ðone dæl for Godes naman ðe him to onhagige, and him bið be hundfealdum écelice geleanod swa hwæt swa hí be anfealdum hwilwendlice dælað. | The gospel says yet further, "Everyone who forsaketh, for my name, father or mother, brothers or sisters, wife or children, land or dwellings, shall be requited an hundredfold, and he shall have, in addition thereunto, everlasting life." An hundredfold number is perfect, and he who forsakes perishable things for the name of God, will receive from God ghostly meed an hundredfold. This saying is especially applicable to men of monastic order, who, for the joy of heaven's kingdom, forsake father, and mother, and fleshly relations. They receive many ghostly fathers and ghostly brothers, for all men of that order, who live after rule, are accounted as their fathers and brothers, and, in addition thereto, they will be enriched with the reward of everlasting life. Those who, at God's behest, despise all worldly things, and have their subsistence in common, are perfect, and will be classed with the apostles. Others, who have not the merit of being able to forsake all their possessions together, let them then give, for the name of God, what portion it may please them, and they will be eternally rewarded an hundredfold for whatsoever they singly and temporarily distribute. |
| Micel todál is betwux þam gecyrredum mannum: sume hí geefenlæcað þam apostolum, sume hí geefenlæcað Iudan, Cristes belǽwan, sume Annanian and Saphiran, sume Giezi. Þa ðe ealle gewitendlice ðing to ðæra apostola efenlæcunge forseoð, for intingan þæs écan lifes, hí habbað lóf and ða écan edlean mid Cristes apostolum. Se ðe betwux munecum drohtnigende, on mynstres æhtum mid fácne swicað, he bið Iudan gefera, ðe Crist belæwde, and his wite mid hellwarum underfehð. Se ðe mid twyfealdum geðance to mynsterlicre drohtnunge gecyrð, and sumne dæl his æhta dælð, sumne him sylfum gehylt, and næfð nænne truwan to ðam Ælmihtigan, þæt he him foresceawige andlyfene and gewǽda and oðere neoda, he underfehð þone awyrgedan cwyde mid Annanian and Saphiran, þe swicedon on heora agenum æhtum, and mid færlicum deaðe ætforan ðam apostolum steorfende afeollon. Se ðe on muneclicere drohtnunge earfoðhylde bið, and gyrnð ðæra ðinga ðe hé on woruldlicere drohtnunge næfde, oððe begitan ne mihte, buton twyn him genealæhð se hreofla Giezi, þæs witegan cnapan, and þæt þæt he on lichaman geðrowade, þæt ðrowað þes on his sawle. Se cnapa folgode ðam mæran witegan Eliseum: þa com him to sum rice mann of þam leodscipe þe is Siria geháten, his nama wæs Náámán, and he wæs hreoflig. Þa becom hé to ðam Godes witegan Eliseum, on Iudea lande, and he ðurh Godes mihte fram ðære coðe hine gehælde. Þa bead he ðam Godes menn, for his hælðe, deorwurðe sceattas. Se witega him andwyrde, "Godes miht þe gehælde, na ic. Ne underfó ic ðin feoh: ðanca Gode ðinre gesundfulnysse, and brúc ðinra æhta." Náámán ða gecyrde mid ealre his fare to his agenre leode. | There is a great difference among converted men: some imitate the apostles, some imitate Judas the betrayer of Christ, some Ananias and Sapphira, some Gehazi. Those who, in imitation of the apostles, despise all transitory things for the sake of everlasting life, shall have praise and everlasting reward with Christ's apostles. He who, living among monks, guilefully deceives in the property of the monastery, will be the companion of Judas, who betrayed Christ, and will receive his punishment with the inmates of hell. He who with twofold thoughts turns to monastic life, and bestows one part of his property, holds one to himself, and has no trust in the Almighty, that he will provide for him food and garments and other needs, will receive the accursed sentence with Ananias and Sapphira, who deceived in their own property, and fell dying with sudden death before the apostles. He who in monastic life is ill-inclined, and yearns for the things which he had not in worldly life nor could obtain, without doubt to him approximates the leper Gehazi, the prophet's servant, and that which he suffered in body, this suffers in his soul. The servant followed the great prophet Elisha: then there came to him a rich man of the nation which is called Syria, his name was Naaman, and he was leprous. He came then to God's prophet, Elisha, in Judea, and he, through God's might, healed him from that disease. He then offered to the man of God, for his health, precious treasures. The prophet answered him, "God's might hath healed thee, not I. I will not receive thy money: thank God for thy health, and enjoy thy possessions." Naaman then returned with all his company to his own people. |
| Þa wæs ðæs witegan cnapa, Gyezi, mid gitsunge undercropen, and of-arn, ðone ðegen Náámán ðus mid wordum liccetende, "Nu færlice comon tweigra witegena bearn to minum lareowe: asend him twa scrud and sum pund." Se ðegen him andwyrde, "Waclic bið him swa lytel to sendenne; ac genim feower scrud and twa pund." He ða gewende ongean mid þam sceattum, and bediglode his fær wið þone witegan. Se witega hine befrán, "Hwanon come ðu, Giezi?" He andwyrde, "Leof, næs ic on nanre fare." Se witega cwæð, "Ic geseah, ðurh Godes Gást, þa se ðegen alyhte of his cræte, and eode togeanes ðe, and ðu name his sceattas on feo and on reafe. Hafa ðu eac forð mid ðam sceattum his hreoflan, ðu and eal ðin ofspring on ecnysse." And hé gewende of his gesihðe mid snaw-hwitum hreoflan beslagen. | Then was the prophet's servant, Gehazi, beguiled by avarice, and he ran off, the officer Naaman thus deceiving by words, "Now suddenly the sons of two prophets are come to my master: send him two garments and a pound." The officer answered him, "It will be mean to send him so little; but take four garments and two pounds." He then returned with the treasures, and concealed his journey from the prophet. The prophet asked him, "Whence comest thou, Gehazi?" He answered, "Sir, I was on no journey." The prophet said, "I saw through the Spirit of God, that the officer alighted from his chariot, and went towards thee, and thou tookest his treasures in money and in raiment. Have also henceforth with the treasures his leprosy, thou and all thy offspring for ever." And he turned from his sight stricken with snow-white leprosy. |
| Is nu forði munuchádes mannum mid micelre gecnyrdnysse to forbugenne ðas yfelan gebysnunga, and geefenlæcan þam apostolum, þæt hí, mid him and mid Gode, þæt éce líf habban moton. Amen. | Now it is therefore for monastic men to shun with great care these evil examples, and to imitate the apostles, that they, with them and with God, may have everlasting life. Amen. |