# The Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church/XIV

| IN DOMINICA PALMARUM. | FOR PALM SUNDAY. |
| Cum adpropinquasset Iesus Hierosolimis, et uenisset Bethfage ad montem Oliueti: et reliqua. | Cum adpropinquasset Jesus Hierosolymis, et venisset Bethfage ad montem Oliveti: et reliqua. |
| Cristes ðrowung wæs gerædd nu beforan ús, ac we willað eow secgan nu ǽrest hú hé com to ðære byrig Hierusalem, and genealæhte his agenum deaðe, and nolde ða þrowunge mid fleame forbugan. | Christ's passion has just been read before us, but we will first say to you how he came to the city of Jerusalem, and approached his own death, and would not by flight avoid his passion. |
| "Se Hælend ferde to ðære byrig Hierusalem, and ðaða hé genealæhte ðære dune Oliueti, þa sende he his twegen leorning-cnihtas, þus cweðende, Gáð to ðære byrig þe eow ongean is, and ge gemétað þærrihte getígedne assan and his folan samod: untygað hí, and lædað to me:" et reliqua. | "Jesus went to the city of Jerusalem, and when he approached the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, thus saying, Go to the town which is before you, and ye shall straightways find an ass tied and its foal also: untie them, and lead them to me," etc. |
| Þam folce wearð cuð þæt se Hælend arærde lytle ær Lazarum of deaðe, seðe læg stincende feower niht on byrgene: þa comon þa togeanes Criste þe geleaffulle wæron, mid þam wurðmynte, swa we ær cwædon. Comon eac sume ða ungeleaffullan, mid nanum wurðmynte, ac mid micclum graman, swa swa Iohannes se Godspellere cwæð, Þæt "ða heafod-menn þæs folces smeadon betwux him þæt hi woldon ofslean þone Lazarum, þe Crist of deaðe awrehte; forðan ðe manega ðæs folces menn gelyfdon on þone Hælend, þurh ðæs deadan mannes ærist." We wyllað nu fon on þone traht þissere rædinge. | It was known to the people that Christ a little before had raised Lazarus from death, who had lain stinking four nights in the grave: then those, who were believing, came to meet Christ with the honours which we have already mentioned. Some also who believed not came, with no honours, but with great wrath, as John the Evangelist said, That "the chief priests of the people consulted among themselves how they should slay Lazarus, whom Christ had raised from the dead; because many men of the people believed in Jesus, by reason of the dead man's rising." We will now proceed to the exposition of this text. |
| Þa twegen leorning-cnihtas þe Crist sende æfter þam assan, hí getacnodon þa láreowas þe God sende mancynne to lærenne. Twegen hí wæron, for ðære getacnunge þe láreow habban sceal. He sceal habban lare, þæt he mage Godes folc mid wisdome læran to rihtum geleafan, and he sceal mid godum weorcum ðam folce wel bysnian, and swa mid þam twam ðingum, þæt is mid lare and godre bysnunge þæt læwede folc gebige symle to Godes willan. | The two disciples whom Christ sent after the ass betokened the teachers whom God sends to instruct mankind. They were two, because of the character which a teacher should have. He should have learning, that he may with wisdom instruct God's people in true belief, and he should, by good works, give good example to the people, and so, with those two things, that is, with learning and good example, ever incline the lay folk to God's will. |
| Se getígeda assa and his fola getacniað twa folc, þæt is Iudeisc and hæðen: Ic cweðe, hæðen, forði þe eal mennisc wæs ða-gyt wunigende on hæðenscipe, buton þam anum Iudeiscan folce, þe heold þa ealdan ǽ on ðam timan. Hí wæron getígede, forðan ðe eal mancyn wæs mid synnum bebunden, swa swa se witega cwæð, "Anra gehwilc manna is gewriðen mid rapum his synna." Þa sende God his apostolas and heora æftergengan to gebundenum mancynne, and het hí untígan, and to him lædan. Hú untigdon hi ðone assan and þone folan? Hí bodedon ðam folce rihtne geleafan and Godes beboda, and eac mid micclum wundrum heora bodunge getrymdon. Þa abeah þæt folc fram deofles þeowdome to Cristes biggencum, and wæron alysede fram eallum synnum þurh þæt halige fulluht, and to Criste gelædde. | The tied ass and its foal betoken two people, that is, the Jewish and the heathen: I say, heathen, because all mankind was yet continuing in heathenism, save only the Jews, who observed the old law at that time. They were tied; for all mankind was bound with sins, as the prophet said, "Every man is bound with the ropes of his sins." Then God sent his apostles and their successors to bound mankind, and bade untie, and lead them to him. How untied they the ass and the foal? They preached to the people right belief and God's commandments, and also by many miracles confirmed their preaching. The people then inclined from the service of the devil to the worship of Christ, and were freed from all sins, through holy baptism, and led to Christ. |
| Assa is stunt nyten, and unclæne, and toforan oðrum nytenum ungesceadwis, and byrðen-strang. Swa wæron men, ær Cristes to-cyme, stunte and unclæne, ðaða hí ðeowedon deofolgyldum and mislicum leahtrum, and bugon to þam anlicnyssum þe hi sylfe worhton, and him cwædon to, "Þu eart min God." And swa hwilce byrðene swa him deofol on-besette, þa hí bæron. Ac ðaða Crist com to mancynne, þa awende he ure stuntnysse to geráde, and ure unclænnysse to clænum ðeawum. Se getemeda assa hæfde getacnunge þæs Iudeiscan folces, þe wæs getemed under þære ealdan ǽ. Se wilda fola hæfde getacnunge ealles oðres folces, þe wæs þa-gyt hæðen and ungetemed; ac hí wurdon getemede and geleaffulle þaþa Crist sende his leorning-cnihtas geond ealne middangeard, þus cweðende, "Farað geond ealne middangeard, and lærað ealle ðeoda, and fulliað hí on naman þæs Fæder, and þæs Suna, and þæs Halgan Gastes; and beodað þæt hi healdon ealle ða beboda þe ic eow tæhte." | An ass is a foolish beast, and unclean, and stupid, compared with other beasts, and strong for burthens. So were men, before Christ's advent, foolish and unclean, while they ministered to idols, and divers sins, and bowed to the images, which they themselves had wrought, and said to them, "Thou art my God." And whatsoever burthen the devil set on them they bare. But when Christ came to mankind, then turned he our foolishness to reason, and our uncleanness to pure morals. The tamed ass betokened the Jewish people, who were tamed under the old law. The wild foal betokened all other people, who were heathen and untamed; but they became tamed and believing when Christ sent his disciples over the whole earth, thus saying, "Go over all the earth, and teach all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and command that they hold all the precepts which I have taught you." |
| Þæra assena hlaford axode, hwí hí untigdon his assan? Swa eac ða heafod-men gehwilces leodscipes woldon þwyrlice wiðcweðan Godes bodunge. Ac ðaða hí gesawon þæt þa bydelas gehældon, þurh Godes mihte, healte and blinde, and dumbum spræce forgeafon, and eac ða deadan to life arærdon, þa ne mihton hí wiðstandan þam wundrum, ac bugon ealle endemes to Gode. Cristes leorning-cnihtas cwædon, "Se Hlaford behófað þæra assena, and sent hi eft ongean." Ne cwædon hí na Ure Hlaford, ne Ðin Hlaford, ac forðrihte, Hlaford; forðon ðe Crist is ealra hlaforda Hlaford, ægðer ge manna ge ealra gesceafta. Hi cwædon, "He sent hí eft ongean." We sind gemanode and gelaðode to Godes rice, ac we ne sind na genedde. Þonne we sind gelaðode, þonne sind we untigede; and ðonne we beoð forlætene to urum agenum cyre, þonne bið hit swilce we beon ongean asende. Godes myldheortnys is þæt we untigede syndon; ac gif we rihtlice lybbað, þæt bið ægðer ge Godes gifu ge eac ure agen geornfulnyss. We sceolon symle biddan Drihtnes fultum, forðan ðe ure agen cyre næfð nænne forðgang, buton he beo gefyrðrod þurh þone Ælmihtigan. | The master of the asses asked, why they untied his asses? In like manner the chief men of every people would perversely oppose the preaching of God. But when they saw that the preachers, through God's might, healed the halt and the blind, and gave speech to the dumb, and also raised the dead to life, then could they not withstand those miracles, but all at last inclined to God. Christ's disciples said, "The Lord hath need of the asses, and sends for them." They did not say Our Lord, nor Thy Lord, but simply, The Lord; for Christ is Lord of all lords, both of men and of all creatures. They said, "He sends for them." We are exhorted and invited to God's kingdom, but we are not forced. When we are invited, then are we untied; and when we are left to our own election, then is it as though we are sent for. It is God's mercy that we are untied; but if we live rightly, that will be both God's grace and our own zeal. We should constantly pray for the Lord's support; seeing that our own election has no success, unless it be promoted by the Almighty. |
| Ne het Crist him to lædan modigne stedan mid gyldenum gerædum gefreatewodne, ac þone wacan assan he geceas him to byrðre; forðon þe he tæhte symle eadmodnysse, and ðurh hine sylfne þa bysne sealde, and ðus cwæð, "Leorniað æt me, þæt ic eom liðe and swiðe eadmod, and ge gemetað reste eowrum sawlum." Þis wæs gewitegod be Criste, and ealle ða ðing þe he dyde, ærðan þe he to men geboren wære. | Christ did not command them to lead to him a proud steed adorned with golden trappings, but the mean ass he chose to bear him; for he ever taught humility, and in himself gave the example, and thus said, "Learn of me, who am meek and very humble, and ye shall find rest for your souls." This was prophesied of Christ, and all the things which he did before he was born as man. |
| Sión is an dún, and heo is gecweden, 'Sceawung-stow;' and Hierusalem, 'Sibbe gesihð.' Siónes dohtor is seo gelaðung geleaffulra manna, þe belimpð to ðære heofenlican Hierusalem, on þære is symle sibbe gesihð, butan ælcere sace, to ðære us gebrincð se Hælend, gif we him gelæstað. | Sion is a hill, and it is interpreted, A place of contemplation; and Jerusalem, Sight of peace. The daughter of Sion is the congregation of believing men, who belong to the heavenly Jerusalem, in which is ever a sight of peace, without any strife, to which Jesus will bring us, if we follow him. |
| Cristes leorning-cnihtas ledon hyra reaf uppan þan assan, forðan þe hé nolde on nacedum assan ridan. Reaf getacniað rihtwisnysse weorc, swa swa se wítega cwæð, "Drihten, þine sacerdas sind ymbscrydde mid rihtwisnysse." Se nacoda assa bið mid reafum gesadelod, ðonne se idela man bið mid wisra láreowa mynegungum and gebisnungum to Godes handa gefrætwod; and he ðonne byrð Crist, swa swa se apostol cwæð, "Ge sind gebohte mid micclum wurðe; wuldriað forði, and berað God on eowrum lichaman." God we berað on urum lichaman, forðan ðe we beoð tempel and fætels þæs Halgan Gastes, gif we us wið fule leahtras gescyldað: be ðam cwæð se ylca apostol swiðe egeslice, "Se ðe gewemð Godes tempel, God hine fordeð." Se ðe ne bið Godes tempel, he bið deofles tempel, and byrð swiðe swære byrðene on his bæce. | Christ's disciples laid their garments upon the ass, because he would not ride on a naked ass. Garments betoken works of righteousness, as the prophet said, "Lord, thy priests are clothed with righteousness." The naked ass is saddled with garments, when the simple man is equipped to the hand of God with the exhortations and examples of wise instructors; and he then bears Christ, as the apostle said, "Ye are bought with great price; glorify therefore, and bear God on your bodies." We bear God on our bodies, because we are a temple and shrine of the Holy Ghost, if we guard ourselves against foul sins: of which the same apostle said very awfully, "He who defiles the temple of God, God will fordo him." He who is not a temple of God is a temple of the devil, and bears a very heavy burthen on his back. |
| We wyllað secgan eow sum bigspell. Ne mæg nan man hine sylfne to cynge gedon, ac þæt folc hæfð cyre to ceosenne þone to cyninge þe him sylfum licað: ac siððan he to cyninge gehalgod bið, þonne hæfð hé anweald ofer þæt folc, and hí ne magon his geoc of heora swuran asceacan. Swa eac gehwilc man hæfð agenne cyre, ærðam þe hé syngige, hweðer hé wille filian deofles willan, oððe wiðsacan. Þonne gif hé mid deofles weorcum hine sylfne bebint, ðonne ne mæg he mid his agenre mihte hine unbindan, buton se Ælmihtiga God mid strangre handa his mildheortnysse hine unbinde. Agenes willan and agenre gymeleaste he bið gebunden, ac þurh Godes mildheortnysse he bið unbunden, gif he ða alysednysse eft æt Gode geearnað. | We will say to you a parable. No man may make himself a king, for the people have the option to choose him for king who is agreeable to them: but after that he has been hallowed as king, he has power over the people, and they may not shake his yoke from their necks. In like manner every man has his own choice, before he sins, whether he will follow the devil's will, or withstand it. Then if he bind himself with the works of the devil, he cannot by his own power unbind himself, unless the Almighty God unbind him with the strong hand of his mercy. Of his own will and his own heedlessness he is bound, but through God's mercy he will be unbound, if he afterwards merit his liberation of God. |
| Þæt folc ðe heora reaf wurpon under þæs assan fét, þæt sind þa martyras, þe for Cristes geleafan sealdon heora agenne lichaman to tintregum. Sume hi wæron on fyre forbærnde, sume on sǽ adrencte, and mid mislicum pinungum acwealde; and sealdon us bysne þæt we ne sceolon, for nanum ehtnyssum oððe earfoðnyssum, urne geleafan forlætan, and fram Criste bugan, ðe má ðe hí dydon. Menig man is cristen geteald on sibbe, þe wolde swiðe hraðe wiðsacan Criste, gif him man bude þæt man bead þam martyrum: ac his cristendom nis na herigendlic. Ac ðæs mannes cristendom is herigendlic, seðe nele, for nanre ehtnysse, bugan fram Criste, ne for swurde, ne for fyre, ne for wætere, ne for hungre, ne for bendum; ac æfre hylt his geleafan mid Godes hérungum, oð his lifes ende. | The people who cast their garments under the feet of the ass, are the martyrs, who for Christ's faith gave their own bodies to torments. Some were burnt in fire, some drowned in the sea, and slain with divers tortures; and gave us an example, that we should not, for any persecutions or hardships, forsake our faith, and incline from Christ, any more than they did. Many a man is accounted a christian in peace, who would very quickly deny Christ, if he were sentenced to that to which the martyrs were sentenced: but his christianity is not praiseworthy. But that man's christianity is praiseworthy, who will not, for any persecution, incline from Christ, neither for sword, nor for fire, nor for water, nor for hunger, nor for bonds; but ever holds his faith with the praises of God to his life's end. |
| Þa ðe ðæra treowa bogas heowon, and mid þam Cristes weig gedæfton, þæt sind þa lareowas on Godes cyrcan, þe plucciað þa cwydas ðæra apostola and heora æftergengena, and mid þam Godes folce gewisiað to Cristes geleafan, þæt hí beon gearwe to his færelde. | Those who hewed branches of trees, and with them prepared Christ's way, are the teachers in God's church, who cull the sayings of the apostles and their successors, and with them direct God's people to the faith of Christ, that they may be prepared for his way. |
| Þæt folc ðe Criste beforan stóp, and þæt ðe him fyligde, ealle hí sungon, "Osanna Filio Dauid," þæt is on urum geðeode, "Sy hǽlo Dauides Bearne." Þa ðe Criste beforan stopon, þa sind ða heahfæderas and þa wítegan, ðe wæron ǽr Cristes flæsclicnysse; and ða ðe him bæftan eodon, þæt sind ða ðe æfter Cristes acennednysse to him gebugon, and dæghwamlice bugað: and ealle hí singað ænne lofsang; forðan ðe wé and hí ealle healdað ænne geleafan, swa swa Petrus se apostol cwæð, ðaða he spræc be ðam heahfæderum, "We gelyfað þæt we beon gehealdene þurh Cristes gife, swa swa hí." | The people who walked before Christ, and those who followed him, all sung "Osanna Filio David," that is, in our tongue, "Hail, Son of David." Those who walked before Christ, are the patriarchs and prophets, who were before Christ's incarnation; and those who went after him, are those who inclined to Christ after his birth, and daily incline to him: and all these sing one hymn; because we and they all hold one faith, as Peter the apostle said, when he spake of the patriarchs, "We believe that we shall be saved by Christ's grace, as well as they." |
| Hí cwædon "Dauides Bearn," forðan þe Crist is þæs mæran cyne-cynnes Dauides, æfter þære menniscnysse. Of ðam cynne wæs seo eadige Maria his modor. Hi sungon, "Gebletsod is se ðe com on Godes naman." Se Hælend com on Godes naman, forðan þe se Heofenlica Fæder hine asende ús to alysednysse; and ealle ða wundra þe hé worhte, on eallum he herede and wuldrode his Fæder naman. "Sy hælo Dauides Bearne on heahnyssum." Þæs Hælendes to-cyme and his ðrowung wæs halwendlic ægðer ge mannum ge englum; forðan ðe wé geeacniað heora werod, þe se feallenda deofol gewanode; be ðam cwæð se apostol Paulus, "Þæt sceoldon ealle heofenlice ðing and eorðlice beon ge-edstaðelode on Criste." | They said, "Son of David," because Christ is, according to his human nature, of the great race of David. Of that race was the blessed Mary his mother. They sung, "Blessed is he who is come in the name of God." Jesus came in the name of God, for the Heavenly Father sent him for our redemption; and in all the miracles which he wrought, he praised and glorified his Father's name. "Hail, Son of David, in the highest." The Saviour's advent and his passion were salutary both to men and angels; because we increase their host which the fallen devil had diminished; concerning which the apostle Paul said, "That all heavenly and earthly things should be re-established in Christ." |
| Se Hælend wæs wunigende binnan ðam temple of ðisum dæge oð nu on ðunres-dæg, and ægðer ge mid láre ge mid wundrum þæt folc tihte to soðfæstnysse and to rihtum geleafan. Þa namon ða heafod-men ándan ongean his láre, and syrwedon mid micelre smeaunge, hu hi mihton hine to deaðe gebringan. Ne mihte se deað him genealæcan, gif he sylf nolde, ac he com to mannum to ði þæt he wolde beon gehyrsum his Fæder oð deað, and mancynn alysan fram ðam ecan deaðe mid his hwilwendlicum deaðe. Þeah-hwæðere ne nydde he na þæt Iudeisce folc to his cwale, ac deofol hí tihte to ðam weorce, and God þæt geðafode, to alysednysse ealles geleaffulles mancynnes. | Jesus was staying in the temple from this day till now on Thursday, and both with doctrine and with miracles stimulated the people to truth and to right faith. Then the chief men became envious of his doctrine, and machinated with great deliberation how they might bring him to death. Death could not have approached him, if he himself had not willed it, but he came to men because he would be obedient to his Father till death, and redeem mankind from eternal death by his temporary death. Yet did he not compel the Jewish people to slay him, but the devil instigated them to the work, and God consented to it, for the redemption of all believing mankind. |
| We habbað oft gesæd, and gít secgað, þæt Cristes rihtwisnys is swa micel, þæt he nolde niman mancyn neadunga of ðam deofle, buton he hit forwyrhte. He hit forwyrhte ðaða he tihte þæt folc to Cristes cwale, þæs Ælmihtigan Godes; and ða þurh his unscæððigan deað wurdon we alysede fram ðam ecan deaðe, gif we us sylfe ne forpærað. Þa getimode ðam reðan deofle swa swa deð þam grædigan fisce, þe gesihð þæt ǽs, and ne gesihð ðone angel ðe on ðam æse sticað; bið þonne grædig þæs æses, and forswylcð þone angel forð mid þam æse. Swa wæs þam deofle: he geseh ða menniscnysse on Criste, and na ða godcundnysse: ða sprytte he þæt Iudeisce folc to his slege, and gefredde ða þone angel Cristes godcundnysse, þurh ða hé wæs to deaðe aceocod, and benǽmed ealles mancynnes þara ðe on God belyfað. | We have often said, and yet say, that the justice of Christ is so great, that he would not forcibly have taken mankind from the devil, unless he had forfeited them. He forfeited them when he instigated the people to the slaying of Christ, the Almighty God; and then through his innocent death we were redeemed from eternal death, if we do not destroy ourselves. Then it befell the cruel devil as it does the greedy fish, which sees the bait, and sees not the hook which sticks in the bait; then is greedy after the bait and swallows up the hook with the bait. So it was with the devil: he saw the humanity in Christ, and not the divinity: he then instigated the Jewish people to slay him, and then felt the hook of Christ's divinity, by which he was choked to death, and deprived of all mankind who believe in God. |
| Næs na Cristes ðrowung gefremmed on þisum dæge, ac ða feower godspelleras awriton his ðrowunga on feower gesetnyssum; þa ane we rædað nu to-dæg, and ða oðre on ðisre wucan. Þa Iudei genámon hine on frige-æfen, and heoldon hine ða niht, and ðæs on merigen hí hine gefæstnodon on rode mid feower nægelum, and mid spere gewundedon. And ða embe nón-tid, þaþa hé forðferde, þa comon twegen gelyfede men, Ioseph and Nichodemus, and bebyrigdon his líc ær æfene, on niwere ðryh, mid deorwyrðum reafum bewunden. And his líc læg on byrgene þa sæter-niht and sunnan-niht; and seo godcundnys wæs on ðære hwile on helle, and gewrað þone ealdan deofol, and him of-anam Adám, þone frumsceapenan man, and his wíf Euan, and ealle ða ðe of heora cynne Gode ǽr gecwemdon. Þa gefredde se deofol þone angel þe he ǽr grædelice forswealh. And Crist arás of deaðe on þone easterlican sunnan-dæg, þe nu bið on seofon nihtum; be ðam is gelimplicor þonne mare to reccenne þonne nu sy: ac uton nu sprecan be ðyses dæges wurðmynte. | Christ's passion did not take place on this day, but the four evangelists recorded his sufferings in four narratives: one we read now to-day, and the others in this week. The Jews took him on Friday evening, and held him that night, and on the morrow fixed him on a cross with four nails, and with a spear wounded him. And then about the ninth hour, when he departed, there came two believing men, Joseph and Nicodemus, and buried his corpse before evening in a new tomb, enwrapt in precious garments. And his corpse lay in the sepulchre the Saturday night and Sunday night; and the Divinity was during that while in hell, and bound the old devil, and took from him Adam, the first-created man, and his wife Eve, and all those of their race who had before given pleasure to God. Then was the devil sensible of the hook which he had before greedily swallowed. And Christ arose from death on the Easter-Sunday, which will now be in seven days, of which it is more fitting then to speak more fully than it is now: but let us now speak of the dignity of this day. |
| Se gewuna stent on Godes cyrcan, þurh lareowas geset, þæt gehwær on Godes gelaðunge se sacerd bletsian sceole palm-twigu on ðisum dæge, and hí swa gebletsode ðam folce dælan; and sceolon ða Godes þeowas singan ðone lofsang, þe þæt Iudeisce folc sang togeanes Criste, þaþa he genealæhte his ðrowunge. We geeuenlæcað þam geleaffullum of ðam folce mid þisre dæde, forðan ðe hi bæron palm-twigu mid lofsange togeanes þam Hælende. Nu sceole we healdan urne palm, oðþæt se sangere onginne ðone offring-sáng, and geoffrian þonne Gode ðone palm, for ðære getacnunge. Palm getacnað syge. Sygefæst wæs Crist þaþa he ðone micclan deofol oferwann, and us generede: and we sceolon beon eac sygefæste þurh Godes mihte, swa þæt we ure unðeawas, and ealle leahtras, and ðone deofol oferwinnan, and ús mid godum weorcum geglencgan, and on ende ures lifes betæcan Gode ðone palm, þæt is, ure sige, and ðancian him georne, þæt we, ðurh his fultum, deoful oferwunnon, þæt he us beswican ne mihte. | The custom exists in God's church, by its doctors established, that everywhere in God's congregation the priest should bless palm-twigs on this day, and distribute them so blessed to the people; and God's servants should then sing the hymn which the Jewish people sang before Christ, when he was approaching to his passion. We imitate the faithful of that people with this deed, for they bare palm-twigs with hymn before Jesus. Now we should hold our palm until the singer begins the offering-song, and then offer to God the palm for its betokening. Palm betokens victory. Victorious was Christ when he overcame the great devil and rescued us: and we should also be victorious through God's might, so that we overcome our evil practices, and all sins, and the devil, and adorn ourselves with good works, and at the end of our life deliver the palm to God, that is, our victory, and thank him fervently, that we, through his succour, have overcome the devil, so that he could not deceive us. |
| Synfulra manna deað is yfel and earmlic, forðan ðe hí farað of ðisum scortan life to ecum pinungum: and rihtwisra manna deað is deorwyrðe, forði ðonne hí geendiað ðis geswincfulle líf, þonne beoð hí gebrohte to ðam ecan life, and bið þonne swylce heora ende beo anginn; forðan ðe hí ne beoð na deade, ac beoð awende of deaðe to life. Se lichama, ðe is þære sawle reaf, anbidað þæs micclan domes; and ðeah he beo to duste formolsnod, God hine arærð, and gebrincð togædere sawle and lichaman to ðam ecan life; and bið þonne gefylled Cristes behát, ðe ðus cwæð, "Þonne scínað ða rihtwisan swa swa sunne on heora Fæder ríce," seðe leofað and rixað á butan ende on ecnysse. Amen. | The death of sinful men is evil and miserable, because they pass from this short life to everlasting torments: and the death of righteous men is precious, for when they end this life of tribulation they will be brought to the life eternal, and then will their end be as a beginning; for they will not be dead, but will be turned from death to life. The body, which is the garment of the soul, will await the great doom, and though it be rotted to dust, God will raise it, and will bring together soul and body to eternal life; and then will Christ's promise be fulfilled, who thus said, "Then shall the righteous shine as the sun in their Father's kingdom," who liveth and ruleth ever without end to eternity. Amen. |
| Circlice ðeawas forbeodað to secgenne ænig spel on þam þrym swig-dagum. | Church customs forbid any sermon to be said on the three still days. |