Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 1.djvu/305

 nor women  be  without  modesty,

nor the  lord  be  false  in  words,

nor must  any  Christian  man  shamefully  strive.

Again, it  is  very  contrary  that  the  poor  be  proud,

and it  is  odious  that  a  king  be  unrighteous;

also it  is  very  hurtful  that  a  bishop  be  careless,

and it  is  unprofitable  that  the  folk  be  without  a  governor,

or without  law,  for  the  harm  of  them  all.

It is  for  this  world's  safety  that  it  have  wise  men,

and however  many  more  there  are  of  wise   men  on  the  earth's surface,

so much  the  better  will  it  fare  with  the  people's  needs.

He is  no  wise  man  who  liveth  unwisely,

but such  an  one  is  an  open  sot,  though  it  seem  not  so  to  himself.

If cowl-wearing  men  observe  God's  service

at set  times,  and  live  soberly,

and if  the  laity  live  according  to  right,

then know  we  for  certain  that  God  will  provide

for our  prosperity,  and  peace  among  us,

and, in  addition  thereto,  give  us  the  eternal  mirth  with  Him.

If then  the  head-men,  and  the  cowl-wearing  teachers,

will not  take  care  for  this,  but  think  of  worldly  things,

and care  neither  for  God's  commands,  nor  for  His  worship,

then will  God  manifest  in  them  (their)  contempt  of  Him,

either by  hunger  or  by  pestilence,  that  they  may  acknowledge

that the  Almighty  Ruler  thus  wreaketh  contempt  of  Himself;

and they,  in  addition,  shall  suffer  in  the  other  life,

either for  a  long  time  or  for  ever,  for  their  life's  carelessness.