Postquam impleti sunt dies purificationis Mariae: et reliqua.
God bebead on thaere ealdan ['ae], and het Moyses, thone heretogan, thaet
he hit awrite betwux odhrum bebodum, thaet aelc w['i]f dhe cild gebaere
sceolde gebidan feowertig daga aefter thaere cenninge, swa thaet heo ne
c['o]me into Godes temple, ne on anum bedde mid hire were, aer dham fyrste
the we ['ae]r cwaedon; thaet is feowertig daga, gif hit hyse-cild waere:
gif hit thonne maeden-cild waere, thonne sceolde heo forhabban fram ingange
Godes huses hund-ehtatig daga, and eac fram hire gebeddan; and aefter dham
fyrste g['a]n mid lace to Godes huse, and beran thaet cild fordh mid thaere
l['a]ce, and sydhdhan, mid Godes bletsunge, genealaecan hyre gemacan. This
waes geset be wifum.
Nu waes dheah-hwaedhere thaet halige maeden MARIA, Cristes moder, Godes
beboda gemyndig, and eode on dhysum daege to Godes huse mid l['a]ce, and
gebrohte thaet cild the heo acende, Haelend Crist, gel['a]cod to tham Godes
temple, swa swa hit on Godes ['ae] geset waes.
Dha waes thaer, binnan thaere byrig Hierusalem, sum Godes mann, and his
nama waes Symeon; he waes swydhe rihtwis, {136} and haefde micelne Godes
ege, and he ge-andbidode dhone frofer, dhe behaten waes tham folce Israhel,
thaet is Cristes to-cyme. Se Halga Gast waes wunigende on dhaem Symeone,
and he wiste genoh georne thaet se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu wolde to mannum
cuman, and menniscnysse underfon. Tha waes dhes man swidhe oflyst dhaes
Haelendes to-cymes, and baed aet Gode daeighwamlice on his gebedum, thaet
he moste Crist geseon aer he deadhes onbyrigde. Tha fordhy the he swa
micele gewilnunge haefde Cristes to-cymes, dha com him andswaru fram tham
Halgan Gaste, thaet he ne sceolde deadhes onbyrigan aertham dhe he Crist
gesawe. And he waes tha blidhe thaes behates, and c['o]m to Godes temple,
thurh myngunge dhaes Halgan Gastes. And seo halige Maria c['o]m dha to dham
temple mid tham cilde, and se ealda man Symeon eode togeanes tham cilde,
and geseah thone Haelend, and hine georne gecneow, thaet he waes Godes
Sunu, Alysend ealles middan-eardes. He hine genam dha on his earmas mid
micelre onbryrdnesse, and hine gebaer into tham temple, and thancode georne
Gode thaet he hine geseon moste. He cwaedh tha, "Min Drihten, dhu forlaetst
me n['u] mid sibbe of thisum life, after thinum worde; fordhon the mine
eagan gesawon thinne Halwendan, dhone dhu gearcodest aetforan ansyne ealles
folces; leoht to onwrigennysse theoda, and wuldor thinum folce Israhele."
Hit is awriten on Cr['i]stes b['e]c, and gehwaer on othrum bocum, thaet
fela witegan and rihtwise men woldan geseon Cristes to-cyme, ac hit naes na
him getidhod, ac waes getidhod thisum ealdan men; fordham the hit is be him
awriten, thaet he cwaede daeghwamlice on his gebedum, "Ela, hwaenne cymdh
se Haelend? Hwaenne bidh he acenned? Hwaenne mot ic hine geseon? Hwaedher
ic mote lybban odhthaet ic hine geseo?" And tha for dhysre gewilnunge him
com andswaru, thaet he ne gesawe deadh, aerdham dhe he Crist gesawe.
Maria, Cristes moder, baer thaet cild, and se ealda Symeon eode hire
togeanes, and gecneow thaet cild dhurh onwrigenysse, and hit beclypte and
baer into dham temple. He baer thaet {138} cild, and thaet cild baer hine.
Hu baer thaet cild hine? Thone baer se ealda Symeon on his earmum, the
ealle dhing hylt and gewylt. Lytel he waes dhaer gesewen, ac
dheah-hwaedhere he waes swidhe micel and ormaete. Lytel he waes gesewen,
fordhan dhe he wolde gefeccan tha lytlan, and gebringan up to his rice.
Hwaet synd dha lytlan dhe he wolde habban up to his rice? Thaet synd dha
eadhmodan. Ne sohte Crist na dha modigan, tha tha micele beodh on hyra
gethance; ac dha dhe beodh lytle and eadhmode on heora heortan, tha cumadh
to Godes rice; ac dhider ne maeg astigan n['a]n modignys. Thaer waes se
deofol dhe modegode, ac his modignes hine awearp into helle grunde; fordhy
ne maeg ure tyddernes dhyder astigan, gif heo modig bidh, thatha se engel
dhaer beon ne mihte thatha he modegode.
God bebead, on thaere ealdan ['ae], his folce thaet hi sceoldon him offrian
aelc frumcenned hyse-cild, oththe alysan hit ut mid fif scyllingum. Eac on
heora orfe, swa hwaet swa frumcenned waere, bringan thaet to Godes huse,
and hit dhaer Gode offrian. Gif hit thonne unclaene nyten waere, thonne
sceolde se hlaford hit acwellan, oththe syllan Gode other claene nyten. We
ne thurfon thas bebodu healdan n['u] lichamlice, ac g['a]stlice. Thonne on
urum mode bidh acenned sum dhing g['o]des, and we thaet to weorce awendadh,
thonne sceole we thaet tellan to Godes gyfe, and thaet Gode betaecan. Ure
yfelan gedhohtas odhdhe weorc we sceolan alysan mid fif scyllingum; thaet
is we sceolon ure yfelnysse behreowsian mid urum fif andgitum, thaet synd
gesihth, and hlyst, and swaec, and stenc, and hrepung. Eac swa tha
unclaenan nytenu getacniadh ure unclaenan gethohtas and weorc, dha we
sceolon symle acwellan, odhdhe behwyrfan mid claenum; thaet is thaet we
sceolon ure unclaennysse and ure yfelnesse symle adwaescan, and forlaetan
yfel, and d['o]n g['o]d.
Seo eadige Maria dha geoffrode hire l['a]c Gode mid tham cilde, swa hit on
Godes ['ae] geset waes. Hit waes swa geset on thaere ealdan ['ae] thurh
Godes haese, thaet dha the mihton {140} dhurhteon sceoldon bringan anes
geares lamb mid heora cylde, Gode to lace, and ane culfran, oththe ane
turtlan. Gif thonne hwylc wif to dham unspedig waere thaet heo dhas dhing
begytan ne mihte, thonne sceolde heo bringan twegen culfran-briddas, odhdhe
tw['a] turtlan.
Thas laessan l['a]c, thaet sind tha fugelas, the waeron wannspedigra manna
l['a]c, waeron for Criste geoffrode. Se Aelmihtiga Godes Sunu waes swidhe
gemyndig ure neoda on eallum dhingum; na thaet an thaet he wolde mann beon
for ['u]s, dhadha he God waes, ac eac swylce he wolde beon thearfa for us,
dhadha he rice waes: to dhy thaet he us forgeafe dael on his rice, and
maensumunge on his godcundnysse. Lamb getacnadh unscaedhdhinysse and tha
maran godnysse; gif we thonne swa earme beodh thaet we ne magon tha maran
godnysse Gode offrian, thonne sceole we him bringan twa turtlan, oththe
twegen culfran-briddas, thaet is twyfealdlic onbryrdnes eges and lufe. On
twa wisan bidh se man onbryrd: aerest he him ondraet helle w['i]te, and
bewepdh his synna, sydhdhan he nimdh eft lufe to Gode; thonne ongindh he to
murcnienne, and dhincdh him to lang hwaenne he beo genumen of dhyses lifes
earfodhnyssum, and gebroht to ecere reste.
Lytel waes an lamb, odhdhe twa turtlan, Gode to bringenne; ac h['e] ne
sceawadh na thaes mannes lac swa swidhe swa h['e] sceawadh his heortan. Nis
Gode nan neod ure aehta; ealle dhing sindon his, aegdher ge heofen, ge
eordhe, and s['ae], and ealle dha dhing dhe on him wuniadh: ac he forgeaf
eordhlice dhing mannum to brice, and bebead him thaet h['i] sceoldon mid
tham eordhlicum dhingum hine oncnawan the h['i] aer forgeaf, na for his
neode, ac for mancynnes neode. Gif dhu oncnaewst dhinne Drihten mid dhinum
aehtum, be dhinre maedhe, hit fremedh the sylfum to dham ecan life: gif dhu
hine forgitst, hit hearmadh the sylfum and na Gode, and thu dholast dhaere
ecan mede. God gyrndh tha godnysse dhines modes, and na dhinra aehta. Gif
dhu hwaet dest Gode to lofe, mid cystigum mode, thonne geswutelast dhu tha
g['o]dnysse thines modes mid thaere daede; gif thu dhonne nan {142} g['o]d
d['o]n nelt, Gode to wurdhmynte, dhonne geswutelast dhu mid thaere uncyste
dhine yfelnysse, and seo yfelnys the fordedh widh God.
On dhaere ealdan ['ae] is gehwaer gesett, thaet God het gelomlice thas
fugelas offrian on his lace, for dhaere getacnunge the h['i] getacniadh.
Nis nu nanum men alyfed thaet he healde tha ealdan ['ae] lichomlice, ac
gehealde gehwa h['i] gastlice. Culfran sind swidhe unscaedhdhige fugelas,
and bilewite, and h['i] lufiadh annysse, and fleodh him floccmaelum. Do eac
swa se cristena man; beo him ['u]nsceadhthig, and bilewite, and lufige
annysse, and brodhorraedene betwux cristenum mannum; thonne geoffradh he
gastlice Gode tha culfran-briddas. Tha turtlan getacniadh claennysse: h['i]
sind swa geworhte, gif hyra odher odherne forlyst, thonne ne secdh seo cucu
naefre hire odherne gemacan. Gif dhonne se cristena man swa dedh for Godes
lufon, thonne geoffradh he dha turtlan on tha betstan wisan. Dhas twa
fugel-cyn ne singadh na, swa swa odhre fugelas, ac hi geomeriadh, fordhan
the hi getacniadh haligra manna geomerunge on dhisum life, swa swa Crist
cwaedh to his apostolum, "Ge beodh geunrotsode on thisum life, ac eower
unrotnys bidh awend to ecere blisse." And eft he cwaedh, "Eadige beodh tha
the heora synna bewepadh, fordhan dhe hi beodh gefrefrode."
Se ealda man Symeon, the we aer embe spraecon, ne gyrnde n['a] thaet he
moste Crist gehyran sprecan, fordhan dhe he hine gecneow thaet he God waes,
dheah dhe he dha-gyt on thaere menniscnysse unsprecende waere. Sprecan he
mihte, gif he wolde; and ealswa wis he waes dha, thatha he waes anre nihte,
swa swa he waes, thatha he waes dhrittig geara; ac he wolde ab['i]dan his
waestma timan on dhaere menniscnysse, swa swa hit gecyndelic is on
mancynne. Symeon cwaedh tha, "Drihten, thu forlaetst me nu on sibbe of
dhysum life, fordhon the m['i]ne eagan habbadh gesewen dhinne Halwendan."
Se Halwenda the he embe spraec is ure Haelend Crist, sedhe com to
gehaelenne ure wunda, thaet sindon ure synna. He cwaedh tha Symeon, "Dhone
thu gearcodest aetforan gesihdhe ealles folces." Hine {144} ne gesawon na
ealle men lichomlice, ac he is gebodod eallum mannum, gelyfe sedhe wylle.
Se the on hine gelyfdh, he gesihdh hine nu mid his geleafan, and on than
ecan life mid his eagum. Symeon cwaedh tha-gyt, "He is leoht to
onwrigennysse dheoda, and wuldor thinum folce Israhel." Ealle dhas word
spraec se Symeon be dham cilde to tham heofenlican Faeder, the hine to
mannum sende. He is sodh leoht the todraefde tha theostra dhises lifes, swa
swa he sylf cwaedh on his godspelle, "Ic eom leoht ealles middangeardes, se
dhe me fyligdh, ne cymdh he na on thystrum, ac he haefdh lifes leoht." Swa
swa leoht todraefdh theostra, swa eac todraefdh Cristes lufu and his
geleafa ealle leahtras and synna fram ure heortan: and he is wuldor and
bliss ealles gelyfedes folces.
Tha Maria, thaet halige maeden, and thaes cildes fostor-faeder, Ioseph,
waeron ofwundrode thaera worda the se ealda Symeon clypode be dham cilde.
And se Symeon him dha sealde bletsunge, and witegode gyt mare be tham
cilde, and cwaedh, "This cild is gesett manegum mannum to hryre, and
manegum to aeriste and to tacne, and tham bidh widhcweden." Swa swa dha men
the on Crist gelyfadh beodh gehealdene thurh his to-cyme, swa eac tha the
nelladh gelyfan on Crist beodh twyfealdlice fordemde. Anfealdlice hi sind
scyldige dhurh Adames synne, and twyfealdlice hi beodh fordemde, thonne
h['i] widhsacadh Cristes to-cymes, and nelladh gelyfan on dhone sodhan
Haelend. Dham ungeleaffullum mannum com Crist to hryre, and tham
geleaffullum to aeriste; and eac anum gehwilcum gelyfedum men waes Cristes
to-cyme aegdher ge hryre ge aerist. Hu dhonne? He com to dhy thaet he wolde
aelc yfel towurpan, and aelc g['o]od araeran. Nu towyrpdh he on ['u]s
leahtras, and araerdh mihta. He towyrpdh modignysse, and araerdh
eadmodnysse. He towyrpdh galnysse, and araerdh claennysse. And ealle
undheawas he towyrpdh on his gecorenum mannum, and araerdh on him ealle
godnysse. Ne maeg thaet g['o]d beon getymbrod buton thaet yfel beo aer
toworpen. "To tacne com Crist, and tham is widhcweden." His acennednys is
wundorlic tacn, fordhan dhe {146} he waes of maedene acenned, swa swa nan
odher nis; and thaet widhcwaedon tha ungeleaffullan men, and noldon
gelyfan. And eac his aeriste of deadhe, and his upstige to heofenum, and
ealle dha wundra the he worhte, ealle hit waeron tacna, and dham
widhcwaedon tha ungeleaffullan, and tha geleaffullan gelyfdon.
Tha cwaedh se ealda Symeon to dhaere eadigan Marian, "His swurd sceal
dhurhg['a]n dhine sawle." Thaet swurd getacnode Cristes dhrowunge. Naes seo
eadige Maria na ofslegen ne gemartyrod lichomlice, ac gastlice. Dhadha heo
geseh niman hyre cild, and adrifan ['i]sene naeglas thurh tha handa and
thurh dha f['e]t, and sydhdhan mid spere gewundigan on dha sidhan, tha waes
Cristes dhrowung hire dhrowung; and heo waes mare dhonne martyr, fordhon
the mare waes hyre modes throwung thonne waere hire lichaman, gif heo
gemartyrod waere. Ne cwaedh na se Symeon thaet Cristes swurd sceolde
thurhg['a]n Marian lichaman, ac hyre sawle. Cristes swurd is her gesett,
swa swa we cwaedon, for his dhrowunge. Theah dhe Maria gelyfde thaet Crist
arisan wolde of deadhe, theah-hwaedhere eode hyre cildes throwung swidhe
thearle into hire heortan.
Thadha se Symeon haefde gewitegod thas witegunge be Criste, tha com thaer
sum wuduwe, seo waes Anna gehaten. "Seo leofode mid hire were seofon gear,
and sydhdhan heo waes wuduwe feower and hund-eahtatig geara, and theowode
Gode on faestenum, and on gebedum, and on claennysse; and waes on eallum
tham fyrste wunigende binnan tham Godes temple; and com dha to tham cilde,
and witegode be him, and andette Gode." Rihtlice swa halig w['i]f waes
thaes wyrdhe thaet heo moste witigian embe Crist, dhadha heo swa lange on
claennesse Gode theowode. Behealde, ge w['i]f, and understandadh hu be hire
awriten is. Seofon gear heo leofode mid hire were, and sidhdhan heo waes
wunigende on wudewan h['a]de, odh feower and hund-eahtatig geara, swa
lybbende swa se apostol taehte. He cwaedh, se apostol Paulus, "Seo wuduwe
the lyfadh on estmettum, heo ne lyfadh na, ac heo is dead." Theos Anna, dhe
we {148} embe sprecadh, ne lufude heo na estmettas, ac lufude faestenu. Ne
lufude heo ydele spellunge, ac beeode hire gebedu. Ne ferde heo
w['o]rigende geond land, ac waes wunigende gethyldelice binnan Godes
temple. Gif wife getimige thaet heo hire wer forleose, dhonne nime heo
bysne be dhisre wudewan.
Dhry hadas sindon the cydhdon gecydhnysse be Criste; thaet is maeigdh-had,
and wudewan-had, and riht sinscype. Maeden is Cristes modor, and on
maegdh-hade wunude Iohannes se Fulluhtere, the embe Crist cydde, and manega
odhre to-eacan him. Widewe waes dheos Anna, the we gefyrn aer embe
spraecon. Zacharias, Iohannes faeder, waes wer; aegdher ge he ge his w['i]f
witegodon embe Crist. Thas dhry hadas syndon Gode gecweme, gif hi rihtlice
lybbadh. Maegdh-had is aegther ge on waepmannum ge on w['i]fmannum. Tha
habbadh rihtne maegdh-had tha the fram cild-hade wuniadh on claennysse, and
ealle galnysse on him sylfum forseodh, aegdher ge modes ge lichoman, thurh
Godes fultum. Thonne habbadh hi aet Gode hundfealde mede on dham ecan life.
Widewan beodh tha the aefter heora gemacan on claennysse wuniadh for Godes
lufon: h['i] habbadh thonne syxtigfealde mede aet Gode hyra geswinces. Tha
dhe rihtlice healdadh hyra ['ae]we, and on alyfedum timan, for bearnes
gestreone, haemed beg['a]dh, h['i] habbadh thrittigfealde mede for hyra
gesceadwisnysse. Se dhe wile his galnysse gefyllan swa oft swa hine lyst,
thonne bidh he widhmeten nytenum and na mannum. Be thysum taehte se apostol
Paulus, "Tha dhe w['i]f habbadh, beon h['i] swilce h['i] nan nabbon;"
fordhan ealle hyra unlustas hi sceolon gebetan sylfwylles on thyssum life,
odhdhe unthances aefter dhyssum life; and h['i] cumadh sidhdhan to dham
ecan life mid maran earfodhnysse. Tha men the beodh butan rihtre ['ae]we,
and yrnadh fram anum to odhrum, nabbadh h['i] naenne dael ne nane bletsunge
mid Criste, buton h['i] dhaes geswicon and hit gebeton. Uton fon nu on
thaet godspel dhaer we hit aer forleton.
Seo eadige Maria, and Ioseph, dhaes cildes fostor-faeder, {150} gecyrdon to
thaere byrig Nazareth mid tham cilde; "and thaet cild weox, and waes
gestrangod, and mid wisdome afylled, and Godes gifu waes on him wunigende."
He weox and waes gestrangod on thaere menniscnysse, and he ne behofode
nanes waestmes ne nanre strangunge on thaere godcundnysse. He aet, and
dranc, and slep, and weox on gearum, and waes theah-hwaedhere eal his lif
butan synnum. He naere na man gedhuht, gif he mannes life ne lyfode. He
waes mid wisdome afylled, forthan dhe he is himsylf wisdom, and on him
wunadh eal gefyllednys thaere godcundnysse: lichomlice Godes gifu wunude on
him. Micel gifu waes thaet dhaere menniscnysse, thaet he waes Godes Sunu
and God sylf, swa hradhe swa he ongann man to beonne. He waes aefre God of
tham Faeder acenned, and wunigende mid tham Faeder and mid tham Halgan
Gaste: h['i] dhry ['a]n God untodaeledlic; thry on hadum, and ['a]n God on
anre godcundnysse, and on anum gecynde aefre wunigende. Se Sunu ana
underfeng tha menniscnysse, and haefde anginn, sedhe aefre waes. He waes
cild, and weox on thaere menniscnysse, and throwode deadh sylfwilles, and
aras of deadhe mid tham lichaman the he aer on throwode, and astah to
heofenum, and wunadh nu aefre on godcundnysse and on menniscnysse, an
Crist, aegdher ge God ge mann, undeadlic, sedhe aer his dhrowunge waes
deadlic. He throwade, ac he ne dhrowadh heonon-fordh naefre eft, ac bidh
aefre butan ende, eallswa ['e]ce on thaere menniscnysse swa he is on thaere
godcundnysse.
Wite gehwa eac thaet geset is on cyrclicum theawum, thaet we sceolon on
dhisum daege beran ure leoht to cyrcan, and laetan h['i] dhaer bletsian:
and we sceolon g['a]n sidhdhan mid tham leohte betwux Godes husum, and
singan dhone lofsang dhe thaerto geset is. Theah dhe sume men singan ne
cunnon, hi beron theah-hwaedhere thaet leoht on heora handum; fordhy on
dhissum daege waes thaet sodhe Leoht Crist geboren to tham temple, sedhe us
alysde fram thystrum, and us gebrincdh to tham ecan leohte, sedhe leofadh
and rixadh ['a] butan ende. Amen.